Why roller coaster loops aren't circular

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  • Опубликовано: 22 дек 2024

Комментарии • 1,2 тыс.

  • @Vox
    @Vox  2 года назад +810

    June is World Roller Coaster Appreciation month and if you love roller coasters check out American Coaster Enthusiasts, the group that Randy Geisler is a part of. Check out their channel here: ruclips.net/user/ridewithace
    And if you’re looking for a deep dive into physics, Professor Matt has a channel too: ruclips.net/user/yoprofmatt
    Thanks for watching!

    • @julianmuller9567
      @julianmuller9567 2 года назад +23

      Why is there an entire month for Roller Coaster Appreciation like it's some kind of issue we want to make aware of

    • @jdmagic
      @jdmagic 2 года назад +38

      @@julianmuller9567 They deserve a month smh

    • @julianmuller9567
      @julianmuller9567 2 года назад +6

      @@jdmagic I mean who says what's being appreciated that month? They just made that up?

    • @jdmagic
      @jdmagic 2 года назад +23

      @@julianmuller9567 Literally every coaster enthusiast, and plenty of parks that assist ACE with planning events across the world, including many of the biggest chains such as Cedar Fair, Six Flags, Herschend, etc.

    • @whatanamazingspawn6782
      @whatanamazingspawn6782 2 года назад +1

      Very interesting

  • @SaarimaaSauli
    @SaarimaaSauli 2 года назад +12474

    I did learn about this after playing Roller Coaster Tycoon as a kid and wondering why customers find my 20 g-force hypercoaster a bit too intense.

    • @machupikachu1085
      @machupikachu1085 2 года назад +242

      this!

    • @HeidenLam
      @HeidenLam 2 года назад +524

      Poor customers

    • @explodingsofa1563
      @explodingsofa1563 2 года назад +103

      I just came to the same conclusion!

    • @sjakierulez
      @sjakierulez 2 года назад +366

      But some customers would think the merry go round is too intense

    • @SebastianDingleswitch
      @SebastianDingleswitch 2 года назад +268

      All you have to do is *not* test it before opening, and then force it to only start with a full car. They'll ride it the first time. Then when no one will get on again, you just need to delete and rebuild a single piece of track. Rinse and repeat.

  • @Nova3674
    @Nova3674 2 года назад +3041

    As someone who studied engineering, works in theme park design, and is just an all around coaster enthusiast, can confirm this video is on point. Even using the the correct geometry based terminology of clothoid loops to describe the “teardrop” loop., made famous by the manufacturer Arrow Dynamics (who also helped make the Matterhorn). Fun thing to notice, Arrow built a number of geometry based coasters (as opposed to force-based) with the clothoid loop. But for a long time only used one size for the loops design. So the bigger the first drop, the higher the same sized loop had to be off the ground. Examples, Great American Scream Machine, or the still operating Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

    • @a.o.e7168
      @a.o.e7168 2 года назад +4

      Agreed with your 289 text in this comment 👍

    • @jakethecake6952
      @jakethecake6952 2 года назад +1

      what engineering did you study?

    • @andrejones4696
      @andrejones4696 2 года назад +2

      Anaconda at Kinds Dominion too hahah

    • @JosephPojunis
      @JosephPojunis 2 года назад +4

      Listen to this guy, Andre iz smart

    • @Nova3674
      @Nova3674 2 года назад +16

      @@jakethecake6952 I studied civil and structural engineering, though mechanical may be more preferred if wanting to deal with the physics and movement of the coaster. Structural obviously deals more with the non-moving parts of a coaster like the supports

  • @khalilahd.
    @khalilahd. 2 года назад +4416

    I love Vox because I never know what I’m going to learn about when we get an upload but I’m never disappointed ☺️ this is so interesting and makes sense. I still don’t like rollercoasters but I like the science behind it lol

    • @jorg3023
      @jorg3023 2 года назад +106

      I love how they always get an expert in something super random.

    • @PogieJoe
      @PogieJoe 2 года назад +48

      I've seen your comments on a lot of channels I love, and they're always so thoughtful and positive!

    • @zorgbarley1762
      @zorgbarley1762 2 года назад +7

      I co-sign EVERY part of your comment!

    • @TheSecondBeef
      @TheSecondBeef 2 года назад +6

      Farming subscribers here too, I see

    • @Nan-59
      @Nan-59 2 года назад +22

      @@Zorajit Um 😐 We have a gazillion political channels.
      I agree that we’re losing our democracy though, and watching pretty cool channels about it. Take care and VOTE 🗳
      We voted Tuesday here in Illinois.

  • @teodorhellgren5613
    @teodorhellgren5613 2 года назад +620

    I live half an hour from HersheyPark and visit frequently. When I was younger, I hated coasters, but SooperDooperLooper was one of the first ones I tried to get over my fear and it barely even realized I was going around the loop! Thanks Vox for explaining the technology behind smoothing the g force and the mechanisms in place to make these things awesome (yes I do love coasters now)!

    • @sheeshert
      @sheeshert 2 года назад +14

      As a Marylander, Hershey also got me over my fear of coasters. Fahrenheit was sick!

    • @allygator616
      @allygator616 2 года назад +6

      I also live about an hour from Hershey! I also live close to Knoebels! If you live in PA it’s definitely worth a try. They have some of the best wooden roller coasters i’ve ever been on. So much fun.

    • @posheditor
      @posheditor 2 года назад +2

      i'm from PA and always loved going to Hershey Park as a kid. Skyrush is my fave roller coaster!

    • @parrisgeorge9708
      @parrisgeorge9708 2 года назад +2

      Upstate NY checking in. Hersheypark is my families favorite park for many reasons. My favorite 2 coasters there are Great Bear and Lightning Racer. Our son and I enjoy MOST of the coasters there with his favorite being Skyrush and Lightning Racer. Our least favorite though is Wildcat.

    • @tart8228
      @tart8228 2 года назад +1

      my first upside down coaster as well! love Hershey ❤️

  • @muhammadazneel
    @muhammadazneel 2 года назад +1733

    I would like to thank Chris Sawyer for his RollerCoaster Tycoon series for introducing the concepts of rollercoasters (and theme parks) to millions of children like me, who are either unable or less fortunate to go to one. But I'll always enjoy to go on one in any shape or size...

    • @chris1z142
      @chris1z142 2 года назад +4

      You could’ve afforded to go a couple times with the cost of that game

    • @TheJeleb
      @TheJeleb 2 года назад +135

      @@chris1z142 They didn't mention cost in their comment. There's plenty of reasons why a child may have never been to one. I know for my family, the issue was that my parents worked a lot of hours just to barely scrape by, and were simply too exhausted to make a multi-hour journey to one on one of their rare days off. Though on the point of cost, I borrowed the game from a friend, as I'm sure many did at that time (and knockoff copies were definitely widely available).

    • @GarisonC
      @GarisonC 2 года назад +4

      I loved that game as a kid!

    • @MadameSomnambule
      @MadameSomnambule 2 года назад +38

      I'd also like to thank him for introducing me to the concept of g-forces and how that can make or break a ride. Didn't fully understand what caused ultra-extreme g's tho until more recently, thanks to Marcel Vos's vids.

    • @jdmagic
      @jdmagic 2 года назад +4

      @@MadameSomnambule shoutout Marcel

  • @Turkeyslam
    @Turkeyslam 2 года назад +86

    Vox over here making a video about rollercoaster engineering and they did their research to the point where enthusiasts won't be able to rip this video apart. I'm impressed. Well done!
    I loved the quick flash to Olympia Looping in that transition near the end there.

    • @CrumsTheCreator
      @CrumsTheCreator 2 года назад +1

      The only thing is that round loops do exist. Just not made by arrow. You can however find them on geurslauers.

    • @Celatra
      @Celatra Год назад

      @@CrumsTheCreator Yeah but they're not perfectly circular + they're massive in size

    • @eduardofarias5397
      @eduardofarias5397 Год назад

      Funny thing, Art of Engineering explained it very similarly about 3 years ago, so...

  • @willemrood
    @willemrood 2 года назад +156

    This is also exactly why the radius of turns in roads are variable, just such that the steering input is gradual rather than you having to flick it in. This is especially evident with on-off ramps of highways.

    • @AgentOffice
      @AgentOffice 2 года назад +1

      I've hit a couple abrupt ones and almost wrecked

    • @maxhagenauer24
      @maxhagenauer24 2 года назад

      I still don't see why big roads need to be curved, they are way to wide for you to feel an unforgettable lateral force if they were not banked.

    • @Laeiryn
      @Laeiryn 2 года назад

      @@maxhagenauer24 So your brain doesn't phase out staring down a long stretch of fuckall.

    • @ebogar42
      @ebogar42 2 года назад +9

      @@maxhagenauer24 They curve them to get around things like mountains or hills we don't really notice much while driving. Probably made their job much easier when putting them in. If you're in the midwest that seems fairly straight to me. In the appalachians very curvy because of all the hills and mountains.

    • @MrSaemichlaus
      @MrSaemichlaus 2 года назад +2

      @@maxhagenauer24 I have no idea what you're asking about, but if you're asking why roads are BANKED or slanted in other words, that's for rain water to flow off of them more quickly instead of flowing along the length of the road, making it slippery especially with icing in winter.

  • @alexz5620
    @alexz5620 2 года назад +306

    For a similar reason train tracks and street curves (like offramps) aren't perfect circle sections like you may find on a model railway either. If they were, turns would be really violent or require you to turn your wheel in an instant.

    • @tristiancapozzi1194
      @tristiancapozzi1194 2 года назад +19

      Exactly, instead of semicircles they use segments of a spiral arc to make the turns smoother

    • @josephfisher426
      @josephfisher426 2 года назад +6

      It isn't that the circular section is "violent," but that it starts and ends too smoothly, and drivers' reaction delay leads them to go past the point where they should start turning noticeably. Making an unnaturally abrupt start to the curve (which is often how the curve is altered) forces the driver to start the curve sooner. With roads, which are much wider than most of the vehicles traveling on them, this is also an adjustment to the better drivers who will turn sooner on their own and run on the shoulder if you don't give them more space on the inside of the curve. With roller coasters it's different because there can be no deviations.

    • @CombraStudios
      @CombraStudios 2 года назад +1

      Yea transition tracks increase the centripetal force gradually and not immediately

    • @murdo_mck
      @murdo_mck 2 года назад

      Partly similar but in a rollercoaster the speed drops predictably as the car goes up then increases as it goes down which is why the bend radius is much smaller at the top. At 5:13 it's clear the G force is nearly constant.

    • @mightyjerseys93
      @mightyjerseys93 2 года назад

      SCIENCE!

  • @hypercane2023
    @hypercane2023 2 года назад +233

    Been putting off watching this video because it didn't seem interesting from the title and thumbnail. I'm glad I was proven wrong. Absolutely amazing story telling and the amount of work required to tell it is inspiring and the quality is AMAZING! Here's hoping this becomes a new genre of investigative journalism throughout RUclips. Please do more of this!

    • @PogieJoe
      @PogieJoe 2 года назад +10

      All of their videos are this high-quality, so subscribe for more!

    • @hypercane2023
      @hypercane2023 2 года назад +3

      @@PogieJoe I just did :)

    • @ckq
      @ckq 2 года назад +26

      Bro saying putting off for 1 hour lol. You definitely on YT 24/7.

    • @Vox
      @Vox  2 года назад +32

      Thanks Hypercane. We'd love to hear more from you - please get in touch with us at voxvideo@vox.com!

    • @concan96
      @concan96 2 года назад +15

      You commented 1 hour after the video was uploaded… lol

  • @KirtFitzpatrick
    @KirtFitzpatrick 2 года назад +536

    This explains why athletes have so much trouble when they try to ride full pipes or loops. Every loop I've ever seen built for skateboard, bike, motorcycle, etc were all perfect circles.

    • @rollercoaster24
      @rollercoaster24 2 года назад +49

      I wonder if any of them ever tried these types of loops

    • @kirablagoev8534
      @kirablagoev8534 2 года назад +6

      @@MrStamperh your*

    • @bmxscape
      @bmxscape 2 года назад +2

      wow good point

    • @colehancock7146
      @colehancock7146 2 года назад +7

      @@kirablagoev8534 no, they used the correct use. "Without christ, YOU ARE lost"

    • @MrStamperh
      @MrStamperh 2 года назад +5

      @@kirablagoev8534 it’s correct. Learn English

  • @MetalisForever666
    @MetalisForever666 2 года назад +40

    You forgot to mention that the engineer who invented the modern looping coaster is Werner Stengel from Munich. He invented also many other things in Rollercoaster design. Revolution in six flags Magic mountain was built by Schwarzkopf and designed by Stengel. Stengel also designed Top Thrill Dragster, Millennium Force and Kingda La (and many hundreds more).

  • @arods
    @arods 2 года назад +2

    As someone who has Ph. D. in Mechanical Engineering, I enjoyed, learned, and also nod throughout the entire video. I loved it, thank you. Nice work!

  • @DaveTexas
    @DaveTexas 2 года назад +6

    I went on my first looping coaster in 1978 at Astroworld in Houston. The ride was a shuttle-loop coaster named Greased Lightnin’. It was unbelievably thrilling at the time. A few years later I went on the Judge Roy Scream at Six Flags Over Texas, which was a full coaster with two loops! It seemed like no roller coaster could ever get more exciting than that. Now, that sort of ride is very tame compared to most other coasters.

    • @ARMTOAST
      @ARMTOAST 2 года назад

      shoutouts to judge roy scream, the rattler, and the texas giant!

  • @NatashaVincent
    @NatashaVincent 2 года назад +331

    Nah, we jumped a whole part of history once the tubular steel was mentioned: who thought to go from a one car structure to multicar? And how much testing was involved? I don't like coasters at all but this was an interesting video. Thank you!

    • @mr.meloetta1939
      @mr.meloetta1939 2 года назад +23

      That jump was pretty made with the first modern loopers like Corkscrew at Knott's and Revolution at Magic Mountain.

    • @finlaymcewan
      @finlaymcewan 2 года назад +30

      They made the loop much bigger to reduce the G force and that also allowed them to fit bigger trains

    • @bocahdongo7769
      @bocahdongo7769 2 года назад +9

      Multicar train already exist before bottom wheel even exist for rollercoaster.

    • @arkitect156
      @arkitect156 2 года назад +12

      Multiple cars just kinda happened. Arrow dynamics ahd Schwarzkopf did it around the same time. Except arrow was wildly more popular.

    • @duon44
      @duon44 2 года назад +3

      Multiple cars in a train had been a thing for a long time, earlier ones even featuring a brakeman who had to manually brake the train

  • @gamefront
    @gamefront 2 года назад +11

    Your graph at 5:12 shows the Clothoid Loop peaking at above 10G, but then you claimed that it peaks at 4.9G - are all your graphs inaccurate?

    • @eatyourvegetables1449
      @eatyourvegetables1449 2 года назад +1

      I think the 4.9 is like the average all around. You only have those high spikes of 10 G’s for not even half a second. So 4.9 Gs is around the average a rider will feel during the loop in total. I don’t know if I make sense. But I hope I help

    • @thebestplayerispatapete4564
      @thebestplayerispatapete4564 3 месяца назад

      @@eatyourvegetables1449 no, 10 g is dangerous even for less than half a second. i think that 4.9 g is the max force, so the graph may be inaccurate

    • @eatyourvegetables1449
      @eatyourvegetables1449 3 месяца назад

      @@thebestplayerispatapete4564 Fighter pilots are trained to pull up to 9g's.

    • @thebestplayerispatapete4564
      @thebestplayerispatapete4564 3 месяца назад +1

      @@eatyourvegetables1449 but most people aren't fighter pilots

  • @sk8razer
    @sk8razer 2 года назад +121

    One time I was seated next to a blind middle schooler on Magic Mountain's Revolution. A bunch of people started screaming like as soon as the ride started moving and this 13ish year old just yelled " *WHY ARE YOU ALL SCREAMING??? I'M BLIND AND I'M NOT EVEN SCARED!!* "
    Classic pubescent snark 😂

  • @Justin.Franks
    @Justin.Franks 2 года назад +9

    Sooperdooperlooper's loop is still quite a bit more circular than the loops on newer coasters. You can definitely feel more force in the loop than you would expect given the fairly paltry 45 mph speed. It's actually pretty surprising since the first drop is so gentle (as is the rest of the ride). It is cool though having the track pass through the interior of the loop. More coasters should do this, especially since coaster loops have gotten so much bigger with a lot more space inside. Maybe even put it towards the end of the layout after the mid-course brake run, so there's a chance your train passes through the loop as the next one is traversing the loop.

    • @dancingbird
      @dancingbird 2 года назад

      there are still other loop coasters right? I was watching this and I was so confused because I swear there are tons of loop coasters!!

  • @paoloplayssoccer
    @paoloplayssoccer 2 года назад +23

    Amazing that a news company can get you interested in almost anything

  •  2 года назад +29

    I love the "Olympia Looping" at 5:51, it seems to be the biggest mobile multiple loop roller coaster in the world.
    I try to ride it every time it is in town.

    • @escapefromtibet2530
      @escapefromtibet2530 2 года назад +1

      Oh yeah absolutely. Olympia is always such a fun ride

    • @prestonksp3432
      @prestonksp3432 2 года назад

      The photo of Olympia looks very circular, is that just camera angle?

    • @aequus2196
      @aequus2196 2 года назад

      @@prestonksp3432 Schwarzkopf coasters like the Olympia Looping are pretty old, and as far as I know it wasn't that big of a standard to make the teardrop shaped loops back then. It shows when you're riding it, the loops are pretty intesnse!

    • @svenlakemeier
      @svenlakemeier 2 года назад +1

      @@aequus2196 No, Schwarzkopf together with Werner Stengel introduced the clothoid loop back into roller coaster making, they are the base of the reemergence of the loop. The first loop on Olympia Looping is a deviation of the clothoid form, but only because they knew how to do it. It rides wonderful.
      With the "Thriller" they even managed to build two loops behind each other, a feat Arrow could've never managed with their cookie cutter elements.

  • @petitthom2886
    @petitthom2886 2 года назад +18

    “Superdooperlooper”
    Best name ever for a roller coaster

  • @puspamadak
    @puspamadak Год назад +3

    I had not even noticed the non-circle shape before watching this video. This explains everything in a good way!

  • @_P4nth3r_
    @_P4nth3r_ 2 года назад +34

    i live super close to hershey and i’m basically there every week or two in the summer and it’s super fun, the sooperdooperlooper was my first ever coaster and it’s what go me into coasters really. it’s a really interesting and fun ride even though it seems kinda lame to today’s standards.

    • @eagle25311
      @eagle25311 2 года назад +8

      I live close to the grocery store I bought bread butter and cheese. Then I made and ate a grilled cheese sandwich.

  • @arkitect156
    @arkitect156 2 года назад +18

    Corkscrew at cedar point was technically the first tear drop/Clothoid shaped vertical loop. Revolution was the first to do a successful vertical loop with more of a circular shape. The 2 we're by different manufactured and different styles.

    • @drdewott9154
      @drdewott9154 2 года назад +2

      Yup. The Corkscrew was built by the American builder "Arrow Dynamics" who also made the Matterhorn bobsleds, but the Great American Revolution, as well as the Sooperdooperlooper were made by the German Rollercoaster builder Anton Schwarzkopf, who by this point were Arrow's biggest competitor for large scale steel rollercoasters.

    • @gemnifan6045
      @gemnifan6045 2 года назад +2

      Since revolution opened a week before I'm sure that's why it's gets the credit that's how it goes sometimes

  • @Jesus_is_savior
    @Jesus_is_savior 2 года назад +82

    Tysm I was always uncomfortable about how rollercoasters aren’t round . I thought it would look gorgeous round.

    • @fastinradfordable
      @fastinradfordable 2 года назад +49

      Good thing engineers don’t aim for gorgeous.

    • @fastinradfordable
      @fastinradfordable 2 года назад +5

      Oh ya he died.
      But u should have seen the loop to loop he went thruu
      Sooooo legit perf

    • @traplover6357
      @traplover6357 2 года назад +12

      There's a reason why even planetary orbits are eclipses.

    • @orbrat212
      @orbrat212 2 года назад +6

      @@traplover6357 Even earth itself is an elongated spheroid. nature abhors a circle i guess.

    • @thewewguy8t88
      @thewewguy8t88 2 года назад

      have you ever heard of the fireball or ring of fire.

  • @SDSUSciences
    @SDSUSciences 2 года назад +26

    So great to see our very own Professor Matt!

  • @5MadMovieMakers
    @5MadMovieMakers 2 года назад +146

    I mean, you could make them circular, if you wanted people to be flatter

    • @tom58358
      @tom58358 Год назад +2

      Why does this comment have no replies
      also hi 5mmm

  • @tomasvrabec1845
    @tomasvrabec1845 2 года назад +30

    Spin a ball on a string in your hand and just sense the forces you feel in your hand.
    Then try to make a Smith circular spin straight after starting and try make a Smith sensible exit mimicking the shapes of these loops.
    You will see the circular spin exerts more pressure on you and is much more tricky to complete in a perfect circle as it naturally wants to break up the shape. It also shows that a less circular path exerts less pressure on the Shape as a whole meaning that structural integrity is safer not only due to material but the trajectory it's self

    • @Smplkxn
      @Smplkxn 2 года назад

      First step: actually learn how to spin a ball on a string in your hand

  • @pragyachakravarty1324
    @pragyachakravarty1324 2 года назад +78

    Are you serious??? 😑 few days ago I searched up the whole internet for this question cause I needed it for my Physics class. If only u had made this video before 😓

    • @YogaPratama-gt7bd
      @YogaPratama-gt7bd 2 года назад +26

      Maybe one of the vox's editor is your classmate and he made this after he finished the assigment

    • @khalilahd.
      @khalilahd. 2 года назад

      Lol dang 😭

    • @maxhagenauer24
      @maxhagenauer24 2 года назад +1

      Its kinda everywhere you search, there are tons of other physics videos of it.

  • @bicyclist2
    @bicyclist2 2 года назад +11

    I'm a massive roller coaster fan. Thankfully I had the chance to go to Six Flags a few times and Sea World once growing up. I had no idea that the physics were like this. Very interesting. Great video. Thank you.

    • @missylou725
      @missylou725 2 года назад

      What does Sea World have to do with this?

  • @janmelantu7490
    @janmelantu7490 2 года назад +7

    Tom Scott, on Citation Needed: “[the flip flap railway] was the first loop the loop in America”
    Matt Parker: “and they got the shape wrong? Were they lured in by the easy appeal of a nice circle?”

    • @JouvaMoufette
      @JouvaMoufette 2 года назад +1

      No other biscuits will ever be issued

  • @Sharonmxg
    @Sharonmxg 2 года назад +33

    holy cow, I rode the Revolution at Magic Mountain the year it debuted. I had no idea it was so special in the history of coasters! I was so scared to go on but after my first ride I was addicted to coasters! Sadly, back problems make me hesitant to test out the newest iterations.

  • @ryans.8366
    @ryans.8366 2 года назад +3

    The amount of research that went into this is so awesome

  • @regulusmuphrid4891
    @regulusmuphrid4891 2 года назад +7

    I never thought there eould be an expert on roaler coasters, turns out there is in fact an expert for literally everything.

  • @TheSharter
    @TheSharter 2 года назад +2

    first time I rode Revolution at Magic Mountain was back in the 80's when it was just a lap bar and no headrest. I remember my head going down by my legs in the loop.

  • @medexamtoolscom
    @medexamtoolscom 2 года назад +45

    Did the first one actually subject the passengers to 14 g's? Or was that just AN example of a circular loop and not a model of one that was actually put into practice? Because 14 g's is a lot. The hypothetical euthanasia coaster would only be about 10 g's but it would keep it up for a minute. Never mind the acceleration function being discontinuous, just it being 14 is a problem.

    • @danielking6426
      @danielking6426 2 года назад +18

      It was also troubling that it was suggested that circular coaster riders were subject to an instantaneous jump from one to fourteen g’s.
      That is not possible. It could be very dramatic change - but not instant.

    • @englishatheart
      @englishatheart 2 года назад +4

      Man, seeing people use apostrophes to make plurals (it should either be Gs or "G"s) makes my eye twitch.

    • @balthazothrenier9048
      @balthazothrenier9048 2 года назад +5

      @@englishatheart Actually if you wanna be totally pedantic/correct about it, the correct way to spell out a reference to the letter G is to write "gee" or "gees." Not makin this up, Google it!

    • @spencerlively3049
      @spencerlively3049 2 года назад +4

      @@balthazothrenier9048 thanks, I hate it LOL

    • @philb5593
      @philb5593 2 года назад +14

      There's something off about those graphs. No way it is 14 g. The graph shows the modern coaster at 9 g, which also wrong. Halve those numbers and you're on the money. A circle would be more like 7 g and a modern loop 4.5 g.

  • @Vinemaple
    @Vinemaple 2 года назад +11

    I first heard about the Flip Flap Railway on "Citation Needed." While that was fascinating and hilarious, this is much clearer.

    • @Autoskip
      @Autoskip 2 года назад +4

      To be fair, the mashmellow bearings were an excellent inclusion.

    • @taylorboulton177
      @taylorboulton177 2 года назад +2

      Those poor donkeys

    • @Vinemaple
      @Vinemaple 2 года назад

      @@taylorboulton177 IKR

  • @JazonHart
    @JazonHart 2 года назад +2

    Fantastic job, Vox team!
    Animation, story, edit, and sound were all on point :)

  • @gamebred5662
    @gamebred5662 2 года назад +12

    What they said about 6 gs making you pass out, there's a coaster at kings dominion in VA called the intimidator or something like that it's a Dale Earnhardt themed coaster. The first drop is like 300ft straight down then you hit a 80° banked turn. EVERY single time I've rode it I black out on that first turn. So I'm guessing it's right at 6gs

    • @teathe427
      @teathe427 2 года назад +18

      Intimidator 305 goes to about 4.5 gs (which is still a lot for a rollercoaster), but people still black out because it's a sustained force throughout that whole helix turn. Very few rollercoasters nowadays reach 6 gs.

    • @OffByHearttt
      @OffByHearttt 2 года назад +5

      I believe they had to re-profile intimidator 305 after it opened because the initial layout was too intense

    • @fyre5287
      @fyre5287 2 года назад +1

      @@OffByHearttt Yep, the second half of the turn leading into the airtime hill was raised off the ground so you would go through it slower and experience less gs.

    • @SunshineStateCoasters
      @SunshineStateCoasters 2 года назад +2

      @@fyre5287 Typical Intamin as usual

    • @dasher3532
      @dasher3532 2 года назад

      Shockwave at Six Flags Over Texas actually pulls more Gs, 5.9 I believe. I305 pulls around 4.5.

  • @ShirleyLestrade
    @ShirleyLestrade Год назад +1

    Short simple to the point and informative! Thanks, I actually learned something!

  • @jacksonpalmer8955
    @jacksonpalmer8955 2 года назад +14

    I once convinced my sister that the sooper dooper looper did not have a loop in it. She still hasn’t forgiven me, and the rest of our family hasn’t let her hear the end of it 😂

    • @seitanbeatsyourmeat666
      @seitanbeatsyourmeat666 2 года назад +1

      Your sister is blind, and you tricked her like that?
      I’m not sure how I feel about you now…

  • @lahavzaken6638
    @lahavzaken6638 2 года назад +223

    Only Vox can get you interested in the shape of a roller coaster.

    • @hypercane2023
      @hypercane2023 2 года назад +8

      You spin me right 'round, baby
      Right 'round like a record, baby
      Right 'round, 'round, 'round
      You spin me right 'round, baby
      Right 'round like a record, baby
      Right 'round, 'round, 'round
      You spin me right 'round, baby
      Right 'round like a record, baby
      Right 'round, 'round, 'round
      You spin me right 'round, baby
      Right 'round like a record, baby
      Right 'round, 'round, 'round

    • @bluetoes591
      @bluetoes591 2 года назад +8

      I would argue that Tom Scott would also succeed at this.

    • @missybarbour6885
      @missybarbour6885 2 года назад +6

      Nah, there's a whole channel called Art Of Engineering that's just this and it rules

    • @JaxMerrick
      @JaxMerrick 2 года назад +1

      @@bluetoes591 Considering one of the Citation Needed videos he did was on the Flip Flap Railway... Yeah.

    • @maxhagenauer24
      @maxhagenauer24 2 года назад

      Yeah no I couldn't disagree more, I have always been so interested in the subject of G Forces on roller coasters and vehicles but I feel like this was one of the worse videos explaining it tbh.

  • @lawrencesmeaton6930
    @lawrencesmeaton6930 2 года назад +30

    The same rules apply to roads! You'll never find a circular turn, for example, on a motorway or highspeed road, the change in gradient is just impossible to steer into. Instead, curves are made up of a series of parabolas which feel circular, but are not.
    If turns were circular, you would have to turn your steering wheel from 12 o'clock to the angle of the turn in an instant. But we all know that's not how you take a motorway curve, you slowly adjust your steering as you go round the bend, with your wheel turned the furthest at the apex, and then you slowly return it to the 12 o'clock position as the road straightens out.

    • @aidanp3088
      @aidanp3088 2 года назад +4

      Roundabouts for the win

  • @katiewennerberg210
    @katiewennerberg210 2 года назад +1

    Love ACE! I ride a coaster called Shockwave all the time, and true to its name it’s incredibly forceful. This thing opened in 1978 and pulls a whopping 5.9G’s during its double loop sequence, making it the second most forceful in the world. Incredible ride. Always fascinating hearing how these things are engineered

  • @sadjesse
    @sadjesse 2 года назад +8

    Very interesting video, I never thought about it but it's cool how they perfected it.
    Also, why are people disliking this video (Browser plugin sees all)? It's science, that's how it is.

  • @bobbymoss6160
    @bobbymoss6160 2 года назад +8

    Cool! I like how the video avoided reporting how many people died from those early days 14G loops.

    • @williamhaynes7089
      @williamhaynes7089 2 года назад +3

      Most lily any damage to health was felt later, after ride long over.

    • @dollcefina
      @dollcefina 2 года назад +2

      @@williamhaynes7089 OMG - I'm surprised if there weren't any lawsuits over this!! 🙀

  • @zingcool1740
    @zingcool1740 2 года назад +5

    I love vox so much like they have a very wide scope of contents to share. A+ for their research based ideas too. Its like there are things im so curious but never popped a question yet but vox is here to give an absolute great answer haha

  • @MoonFairy929
    @MoonFairy929 2 года назад +1

    Grew up on Revolution! They kinda make a big deal about it at the park, but it’s super cool to know it’s the first of the hollow steel tracks and modern loops!

  • @rooneye
    @rooneye 2 года назад +9

    I really wanna go on those mental 14g perfect circles. they sound awesome

  • @jefferson4213
    @jefferson4213 2 года назад

    I rode the Super Dooper Looper many a time as a young kid on the early 80's. It was quite the sensation. Loved it! Never got the t-shirt though.

  • @yoriskerkhoff
    @yoriskerkhoff 2 года назад +31

    How are you talking about loopings without mentioning Werner Stengel?! That man essentially revolutionized the entire rollercoaster industry when he designed Revolution at SFMM! He deserves more recognition.
    Edit: Ron Toomer also deserves a mention for creating the first modern inversions with his Arrow Corkscrew coasters

  • @danmorrison8194
    @danmorrison8194 2 года назад +1

    I loved riding the Laser Loop when it was in Kennywood Park here in Pittsburgh. The ride was sold and taken out in the mid early to mid 90’s.

    • @ltpenniss6691
      @ltpenniss6691 2 года назад +1

      I rode it many times before joining the Navy. The Laser Loop was powered by an old steam catapult from the USS Lexington aircraft carrier, that oddly enough I got to ride in 1987 for a "CQ demo" out of Ft Lauderdale while in VA-37 stationed at NAS Cecil Field. GO BULLS !!..

  • @hypercane2023
    @hypercane2023 2 года назад +16

    And they also want you to spin round and round:
    Watch out, here I come
    You spin me right 'round, baby
    Right 'round like a record, baby
    Right 'round, 'round, 'round
    You spin me right 'round, baby
    Right 'round like a record, baby
    Right 'round, 'round, 'round
    You spin me right 'round, baby
    Right 'round like a record, baby
    Right 'round, 'round, 'round
    You spin me right 'round, baby
    Right 'round like a record, baby
    Right 'round, 'round, 'round

    • @Ryanwesleyrouth1
      @Ryanwesleyrouth1 2 года назад

      MEATSPIN VIBES

    • @carultch
      @carultch 2 года назад

      You spin me right round, baby, right round, in a manner depriving me of an inertial reference frame, baby.

  • @viniciusrafer3055
    @viniciusrafer3055 Год назад +1

    I remember feeling very frustrated when I was a kid playing Roller Coaster Tycoon and not having perfectly round loops. Then I switch to playing NoLimits Coaster 2 and my dream of a circular loop was fulfilled lol

  • @meggiem4685
    @meggiem4685 2 года назад +9

    I wish the graph more accurately matched what you're saying... at 5:17 the G-Forces are still around 10 (which wasn't that big of an improvement from the 14 in the first-ever loop), but you said in your real-world example that the G-Forces maxed out around 4.9 (which is very impressive, but not demonstrated properly on the graph).

  • @imreallyagoat
    @imreallyagoat Год назад

    Proud to say that Hershey park is 2 hours away from me in NYC and I have ridden the Sooperdooperlooper every time I go to Hersey. That ride is so much fun and the loop is no joke 😂

  • @Sythern0
    @Sythern0 2 года назад +31

    Nice and interesting video!
    As a improvement point, please include some form of metric measurements, I found myself having to google feet to meters to get a size perspective

    • @wendyweaver8749
      @wendyweaver8749 2 года назад +1

      dfrocha1 - Simple estimated conversion of feet to meters: There are 39 inches in a meter, 12 inches in a foot and 3 feet to one yard. I.e., there are 3+ feet/1+ yards to a meter. So, 150 feet = 50 yards = 50 meters less 8% = ~46 meters (yards x 92% OR feet x 92% divided by 3). [To simplify further for head calculations: convert feet to yards (feet divided by 3), times 90% then add 2%.] Once you have done this a few times, you should find it quite quick to calculate a rough estimate.
      Being in the U.S., I use the reverse for rough estimates: 1.08 times meters = yards then times 3 for feet. Or use meter plus 3 inches per meter. This means 16 meters equals 16 yards + one foot per four meters = 17 yards and one foot. [To simplify further for head calculations: Use 1.10 times meters then subtract 2%.]

  • @juanduran7699
    @juanduran7699 2 года назад

    That´s the type of information I demand from internet. CLASSIC !!! love it

  • @comenting3207
    @comenting3207 2 года назад +17

    There is a small problem that yall forgot which is that the flip flap railway and loop de loop needed circular loops to complete the loop without passengers and cars falling off the track and crashing into the bottom of the loop because they didn't have upstop wheels.

    • @Robbedem
      @Robbedem 2 года назад +2

      You mean they needed enough speed and thus high g-forces to create enough centrifugal force. The loops would still have been better with the cochloid shape.

    • @comenting3207
      @comenting3207 2 года назад +2

      @@Robbedem Exactly but they didnt think clothoid loops because in the 1800s to early 1900s safety was the second priorty

    • @maxhagenauer24
      @maxhagenauer24 2 года назад

      I don't actually know if they had upstop wheel back then but if not, you still get a little under 12 Gs on the top of the loop when you only need 1 G to keep it up so it doesn't fall.

  • @joermnyc
    @joermnyc 2 года назад +54

    Then there’s the enclosed water slide from Action Park that ended in a loop that was a perfect circle… and sent so many people to the hospital because of either whiplash, or bashing their head into some part of the inside. 🤦‍♂️

    • @bornh8r
      @bornh8r 2 года назад +10

      omg that's terrible.. u would think the experts at tasked with designing and building waterslides would know better

    • @fyre5287
      @fyre5287 2 года назад +10

      @@bornh8r Amusement park safety was not really a thing in the 80s

    • @SmallSpoonBrigade
      @SmallSpoonBrigade 2 года назад +3

      Yep, this is why when you're engineering something like that, you'd likely want to go with a shape that keeps acceleration to a tolerable level and adjusts the radius to make that work.

    • @kyliecrown533
      @kyliecrown533 2 года назад +9

      @@bornh8r it’s because no experts were really consulted lol. The owner of the park who was a wall st businessman and real estate developer drew it on a napkin and they built it. Action park is a fun rabbit hole if you ever feel like watching a video on it

    • @emmarainbow9557
      @emmarainbow9557 2 года назад +2

      Even action park only had it open for one season! It was about 10g. People were consistently hurt by it, so they added padding. Then people were cut by it. They investigated and they found previous riders had left teeth embedded in the padding.

  • @hypercane2023
    @hypercane2023 2 года назад +23

    1889: circle roller coaster
    1976: oval roller coaster
    2879: s q u a r e r o l l e r c o a s t e r

    • @jadenthomas1169
      @jadenthomas1169 2 года назад +2

      Why are you thinking in shapes instead of dimensions? :)

    • @fandroid6491
      @fandroid6491 2 года назад

      4879: 4 d r o l l e r c o a s t e r

  • @positiveG
    @positiveG 2 года назад +8

    The coaster community has got room for more folks!

  • @jainamshah44970
    @jainamshah44970 2 года назад +33

    Lets just say that they found a loophole

  • @brandoreid2962
    @brandoreid2962 2 года назад +1

    Sooper Doppler Looper was my first roller coaster 🤘🏽. What a timeless ride

  • @trevor1925
    @trevor1925 2 года назад +11

    Man, the people that designed the Flip Flap Railway must've been lured in by easy appeal of a nice circle. They clearly needed some citations

    • @JouvaMoufette
      @JouvaMoufette 2 года назад +3

      The bars on this show are really wide

  • @user-zq1vg8xm1p
    @user-zq1vg8xm1p 2 года назад +2

    being a president of coaster enthusiasts is now one of my goals in life

  • @zacharyhenderson2902
    @zacharyhenderson2902 2 года назад +13

    Teardrop shaped loops help make the ride more gentle on the human body.

    • @maxhagenauer24
      @maxhagenauer24 2 года назад

      Unfortunately, yes.

    • @chrono9503
      @chrono9503 2 года назад

      @@maxhagenauer24 ah yes, the chaotic evil.

    • @maxhagenauer24
      @maxhagenauer24 2 года назад

      @@chrono9503 What im saying is they never needed to get rid of circular loops, that's what made them fun and now they are forceless. All we have left are Schwarzdof Looper loops that are almost circular but aren't.

  • @doingtheellathing
    @doingtheellathing Год назад

    I live close to Hershey and also used to work there. The first time I went on it, my head went forward and was like that for the whole loop but then came back up haha! Just my advice, press your head back as you enter the loop. Fun though and you feel secure even though it’s not an over your shoulder seat

  • @Lobstrique
    @Lobstrique 2 года назад +6

    this ties perfectly with my recent roller coaster tycoon obsession, thank you!

    • @thewewguy8t88
      @thewewguy8t88 2 года назад

      this ties in perfectly with my general roller coaster obsession lol.

  • @Amorstopineed
    @Amorstopineed 2 года назад +2

    Sad that you didnt mentioned the genius behind the first looping; Werner Stengel, a german engineer, who developed the clothoid shape and also drawed the conctruction. He also developed even more systems like the heart-line role and other forms.

  • @oriolephan
    @oriolephan 2 года назад +8

    Hershey is my home park. I love when riders get on the SooperDooperLooper and go that's it? Expecting more than one loop.

    • @MSmithNYC
      @MSmithNYC 2 года назад +2

      They must be missing out - it''s three great parts - the circular shape of the loop that makes it so unique and fun, then swinging back through the loop and then winding along the terrain along the hill and through the trees. It's a classic!

    • @jlk311
      @jlk311 2 года назад

      i love the SuperDooperLooper; Its the first coaster I ever rode and there is hardly ever a line

  • @suzylu333
    @suzylu333 Год назад

    loved learning about the coaster enthusiasts!! how wonderful :)

  • @HyperionNotHere
    @HyperionNotHere 2 года назад +13

    As an enthusiast, before watching this video. The simple reason as to why was that with a circular loop, the G-forces coming in to the loop were too high, and too little at the top. The design we have now evens out the G-forces throughout the element.

    • @SmallSpoonBrigade
      @SmallSpoonBrigade 2 года назад

      Yes, you could lower the g-forces, but then you're likely to have the car fall off the track at the top, or you can have the higher g-forces and risk injuring the passengers. Changing the shape was ultimately the best choice as the varying radius could help to cushion the impact of the acceleration and allow for the car to stay on the track at the top and the passengers to not be hanging from the seat belt.

    • @maxhagenauer24
      @maxhagenauer24 2 года назад

      @@SmallSpoonBrigade Ok you clearly don't know how coasters work, there are upstop wheels on the bottom of the track to keep the train on, during negative Gs, also the old coasters did not injure the passengers, the high Gs aren't really bad for the human body, its just that the general public didn't like the feeling of greying out and the intensity.

  • @thomasbernecky2078
    @thomasbernecky2078 2 года назад +2

    I grew up riding the wooden coaster the Comet in Crystal Beach, brother to the one in Coney Island.

  • @StanLeeGhost
    @StanLeeGhost 2 года назад +4

    I have never been on one seemed scary but now I want to try it.

  • @diegodesigns3976
    @diegodesigns3976 2 года назад

    It’s amazing what you find in the middle of the night on RUclips 😅

  • @oscarcacnio8418
    @oscarcacnio8418 2 года назад +5

    Oh! I've heard of this one from Tech Diff with Matt Parker!

  • @gabbro7802
    @gabbro7802 2 года назад

    5:48 Gardaland, Blue Tornado! Love it

  • @DABUNGINATOR
    @DABUNGINATOR 2 года назад +5

    I've been on a loop that pushed my head down so hard that I felt like my neck was gonna snap. It seems not all engineers have learned since the late 1800s.

    • @Archman155
      @Archman155 Год назад +1

      you still probably only felt around 5-6Gs, far safer then 14G which would probably actually injure u

  • @AerospaceMatt
    @AerospaceMatt 2 года назад

    2:26 I should point out a few things from the graphic.
    1. The Space Shuttle had a G limit of 3 because the shuttle stack was very fragile, and it would break apart if the forces increased beyond 3G, however other rockets pull more, like the 2nd manned space program, Gemini, which used the Titan II ICBM as a booster. Those astronauts pulled *7-8 G’s*
    2. The F-16 is capable of pulling +9.5 Gs, and pilots train for that. Other Fighters can do that, too, such as the F-22 Raptor.
    3. Ejecting from a fighter jet will give you a brief boost of +12-14 Gs.

    • @Arcyguana
      @Arcyguana 2 года назад +1

      They tried really hard to get impressive looking stats below that 6G line, I think. They took an F-16 roll, which I actually can't find any info on. I imagine it'd mostly be lateral and some negative if you're going full on since the cockpit sits somewhat above the roll axis AFAIK.
      Humans are quite good at withstanding sudden spikes in G force (depending on the circumstances). Humans tend to have trouble with sustained G's.

  • @ashutoshchatterjee
    @ashutoshchatterjee 2 года назад +3

    5:21 "How many Gs to hit" I hate my mind 🤣

  • @AmusementArchitect
    @AmusementArchitect 2 года назад +2

    Awesome seeing Sooperdooperlooper on here!

  • @anthonyfaye3344
    @anthonyfaye3344 2 года назад +3

    What! Matt Anderson was my physics professor at SDSU. Great professor and great guy!

    • @carultch
      @carultch 2 года назад

      Did you see him teach in person when he uses the learning glass writing board?

    • @anthonyfaye3344
      @anthonyfaye3344 2 года назад

      @@carultch Yes! I had his class in 2017, so post-pilot program I guess. They interviewed me about the system and used that clip in some early promos for Learning Glass. I even got to go to see him get an award for it and my interview was in the presentation.
      I'm a big Matt Anderson fan and the system was a fantastic idea!

    • @carultch
      @carultch 2 года назад

      @@anthonyfaye3344 What was it like seeing the two mirror images of him while watching his lectures? Did you feel inclined to watch the real version of him, where the writing is backwards from your point of view, or did you instinctively look to the screen to see his writing reversed so it is legible?
      I feel like that's the drawback is that the live audience would be more inclined to watch him in the flesh where his writing is backwards, than to watch the live video where it looks the way it is intended. The best part is when he has to go against his instincts and use his left hand for the right hand rule, so that the figure in the video uses his right hand.

  • @fredkruse9444
    @fredkruse9444 2 года назад +1

    Graph at 5:13 shows clothoid max g of about 10, but 5:24 shows clothoidmax g of 4.9? What am I misunderstanding?

    • @triple7marc
      @triple7marc 2 года назад +2

      The graph just isn't accurate lol

  • @twstf8905
    @twstf8905 2 года назад +6

    That's awesome that the mechanical engineering "consultant" became so inspired by the question to veer off and do a bunch of scientific analysis on his own lol of course, I suppose we all found ourselves with slightly more time, during the once-in-a-century worldwide Pandemic lockdown situation than usual. 👍
    It's still fairly impressive, answering the question with science.

  • @nathank9579
    @nathank9579 2 года назад +1

    I just went to Alton Towers yesterday this video is very well timed

  • @ztl2505
    @ztl2505 2 года назад +7

    Even after watching this I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to at least try the 14G Victorian skull-thrasher.

  • @rockjays7926
    @rockjays7926 2 года назад

    I love it when they post loopy videos like this!

  • @MsSavagechef
    @MsSavagechef 2 года назад +5

    And in 1975, we went on "The world's first spiral roller coaster" at Knott's Berry Farm. It was supposed to be like a nineteen-twenties Coney Island twister.

  • @legendsofmyself
    @legendsofmyself 2 года назад +1

    Awesome. Didn't know I needed this. But I did and I'm glad.
    Please when is the "explained series" going to continue, if it's going to continue. Thanks

  • @RADZIO895
    @RADZIO895 2 года назад +8

    The values of G force mentioned in the video and on graphs are all over the place.
    2:52 the values change from ~8 to 14 at the top of the graph
    5:11 clothoid has around 10G at the peak on the graph, but video 5:23 mentions 4,9G. I know it's for that one specific real life loop, but shouldn't it be at least somewhere close? Oh wait, if you actually used the graph provided by george it would be close! But instead you used a graph that *you claim* was sourced from george
    5:31 On your graph it was 8G at the top of the loop (middle of graph), not 9G
    Why

    • @BlazingBlade
      @BlazingBlade 2 года назад

      I guess graphics designers didn’t study graphs. Oh the irony…

  • @dhruvpatel6604
    @dhruvpatel6604 2 года назад

    The research and the presentation is excellent! Sustained quality of videos impresses me Vox!

  • @Labyrinth22
    @Labyrinth22 2 года назад +24

    So, on those first circular rollercoasters people were getting knocked out by G forces several times in one ride? 🥴 yikes

    • @thewewguy8t88
      @thewewguy8t88 2 года назад +3

      yeah its weird but i feel like roller coasters in general have become more safer and more comfortable while also feeling more intense and scarier at the same time. heck i would even say the fear and intense factor are getting less and less lol.

  • @machupikachu1085
    @machupikachu1085 2 года назад

    Thank you Vox! This video makes so much sense! Does anyone remember 'SuperLoops'? It was a carnival ride that was literally just and enclosed perfect circle, going round and round, stopping at the top. 🤢

  • @GerbenDavid
    @GerbenDavid 2 года назад +9

    It blew my mind when I first knew that there were loops in the Victorian era, even before the mass began to use electricity ... ! people on loopings with top hats and corsets 🤣.

    • @Robbedem
      @Robbedem 2 года назад +1

      safety wasn't really considered important in the Victorian era. ;)

    • @GerbenDavid
      @GerbenDavid 2 года назад +1

      @@Robbedem Putting arsenic in wallpaper, chemicals in the things that you sell to make them look nicer, wearing a thing that pinches your ribs (but makes you look nicer).. NICE

    • @jazzabighits4473
      @jazzabighits4473 Год назад

      @@GerbenDavid Corsets do make women look really hot though

  • @Missmethinksalot1
    @Missmethinksalot1 2 года назад

    Excellent editing, graphics and commentary!

  • @crisfrey2753
    @crisfrey2753 2 года назад +9

    This makes me wonder if Hot Wheels tracks should try these shapes instead of being usually perfectly circular

  • @isaacmartinez6904
    @isaacmartinez6904 2 года назад +2

    20th century roller coaster loops are quite a wild ride.

  • @B1lly_
    @B1lly_ 2 года назад +9

    Graystillplays: "Amateurs. MORE ZEROES!"

  • @tezra9085
    @tezra9085 2 года назад

    man this some top tier journalism, kudos!