Inversion - A change of position that does not entail a change of location. Inverted - To be turned upside down.
Still confused? A straight piece of roller coaster track is boring (unless it's a launch coaster). To make a straight bit of track interesting, a designer would add a track element. Inversions and non-inverting elements are types of track that produce certain thrills.
A designer can't just put inversions (or track elements) in wherever he/she likes. A coaster has to be cleverly designed so the roller coaster train has enough momentum to complete a full circuit, navigating all the different elements it comes across.
Most roller coaster inversions are named after stunts performed by stunt aircraft.
Here is run-down of some of the different inversions and elements...how many have you been on?
Air Time Hill
A hill that creates awesome air time as the train goes over it. More common in wooden coasters than steel.
Also called "Bunny Hops".
Banked Curve
Where the roller coaster train leans to one one side as it turns. An "Overbanked" curve is generally noted where the banking exceeds 90 degrees.
Barrel Roll
Where the train is rotated sideways 360 degrees, as if it were rolling in a barrel. A zero-G roll is a barrel roll integrated with an airtime hill.
Name changes depending on Manufacturer. For example, Intamin call them "Heartline Twists" and Gerstlauer call them "Heartline Rolls."
Batwing
A sidewinder that enters an immelmann. The train exits the track traveling in the opposite direction to which it entered.
On Arrow Dynamic coasters, this is known as a "Boomerang" (image shown).
Bowtie
Similar to a Batwing inversion, but the train exits traveling in the same direction as it enters (the second half-corkscrew is reversed).
Cobra Roll
An inversion where the track resembles a snakes head, made up of an Immelman entering a sidewinder.
The train enters the inversion before being flipped upside down twice and exiting in the opposite direction.
Corkscrew
Where the track looks like a corkscrew. Two 360 degree looping twists in a row. A corkscrew can also have just one 360 degree twist.
B&M have a variant of the corkscrew known as a "flatspin". The motion of a flatspin is more like flipping a pancake than a corkscrew, as it enters and exits the inversion on flat track (unlike a corkscrew, which enters and exits on banked track).
Dive Loop
Also know as a "Diving Loop", and found on B&M coasters.
The track turns upwards and to the side before diving down in a half-vertical loop and exiting at 90 degrees from where it entered.
Vekoma has a variant of the dive loop known as a "Sidewinder." In the Sidewinder element, the train travels through a more defined half-corkscrew before diving towards the ground.
Arrow's attempt at a Dive Loop was called a wraparound corkscrew, and was featured on the now-defunct Drachen Fire.
Fly-to-Lie/Lie-to-Fly
Found on B&M Flying coasters.
Essentially a half barrel roll. Fly-to-Lie is where the train is flipped from the flying position to face the sky. Lie-to-fly is flipping back to the fly position.
Hammer Head
Found on B&M Speed coaster.
A high speed turnaround where the train goes up a hill, goes through a relativly sharp banked turn, and heads back downward in the opposite direction.
Helix
Also known as a "horizontal loop."
A spiral section of track. Helixs can be flat (parallel to the ground) or inclined (on a diagonal plane). Some helixes also change direction mid-helix (such as Paramount's Carowinds Vortex coaster).
Immelmann
The train enters the inversion by heading upwards before turning on its side and exiting in the opposite direction.
Named after a World War II German fighter pilot.
The Immelmans of companies like Vekoma and Arrow have a more defined exit, resembling a half-corkscrew.
Pretzel Loop
Found on B&M Flying coasters.
The pretzel loop is a downwards half loop and an upwards half loop. The train will enter and exit traveling in the same direction. The train briefly adopts the 'lie' position but enters and exits in the 'fly' position.
Top Hat
Found on Intamin rocket/accelerator coasters.
The train is shot up vertically, twisted, heads over the top of the element, and then straight back down, usually through another twist, exiting the element traveling in a different direction than the train originally traveled.
Some tophats (such as Hersheypark's Storm Runner) exit the tophat on straight track, and the tophats on StrataCoasters (an Accelerator built over 400 ft. tall) exit through a 270 degree twist.
Inverted Top Hat
Found on Premier LIM launch coasters.
The train is shot up vertically, twisted, travels over the top of the element inverted, dives vertically towards the ground again, twists, and ends up leaving the element traveling in a different direction than it entered.
Trick Track
Found mostly on Mine Train Roller Coasters.
Element in which the track is uneven, which makes the train wobble from side to side and up and down.
Vertical Loop
A loop that turns the rider upside down once.
A loop positioned at an angle is an "Inclined Loop", commonly found on B&M Stand-Up coasters.
Special thanks to Ed Hardwick (tks) for the RCT2 images! All photos are from the CF Photo Galleries!
If we're missing an inversion or you have an image you'd like to donate, please contact ian@coasterforce.com.
