10.
Phantom’s Revenge – Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, USA
Top Speed: 82 mph / 131.9 km/h
In 2001, the Phantom’s Revenge was built to
replace the Steel Phantom, which had consistently been ranked in the top five
roller coasters in the world. It includes a 228 foot drop, subterranean tunnel,
and reaches a maximum speed of 82 miles per hour. For the sake of tradition,
some of the features of the Steel Phantom were retained, including the steel
track. Replacing the loops and corkscrew, it now offers an array of hills and
drops. With more than 1400 roller coasters in the world how do you know which
ones to pack into your summer? If you are crazy about speed then here are ten of
the fastest rollers coasters in the world. The interesting fact about this list
is that USA holds seven places in ten. More after the break...
9.
Goliath – Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California, USA
Top Speed: 85 mph / 136.7 km/h
Not only is the Goliath the 9th fastest roller
coaster, but it also has the third highest drop and is the seventh tallest
(standing at over 20 stories high). It includes a 255 foot drop, at 85 miles per
hour, leading to a tunnel full of smoke. It also includes camel-like humps and
an amazing bunny hop in which riders float off their seats due the force. It is
recognized as one of the most entertaining roller coasters in the
world.
8.
Titan – Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas, USA
Top Speed: 85 mph / 136.7 km/h
The Titan was built by the same Swiss designers
that built the Goliath but includes extra twists. It has 5,280 feet of track,
allowing for more drops, loops, and corkscrews. After dropping from the 255 foot
hill, you are plunged in to a dark tunnel at the speed of 85 miles per hour.
Titan includes a spiral that creates forces of up to 4.5gs.
7.
Millennium Force – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Top Speed: 93 mph / 149.7 km/h
6. Steel Dragon 2000 – Nagashima Spa Land, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Debuting in May, 2000, the Millennium Force is
one of the highest roller coasters in the world. It boasts 10 world records. It
rises to a height of 310 feet and travels through Cedar Point Park before
crossing on to an island. During the trip you experience corkscrew turns in dark
tunnels, 300 foot drops, and an 80 degree plummet down its highest point. The 2
minute 20 second ride covers 13 acres of track.
6. Steel Dragon 2000 – Nagashima Spa Land, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Top Speed: 95 mph / 152.9 km/h
5. Superman: The Escape – Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California, USA
Steel Dragon 2000 is the tallest coaster to
utilize a traditional chain lift. Because of the length of the lift hill, two
chains are used – one for the bottom half and one for the top half. A single
chain would have been excessively long and heavy, at least twice the weight of
one of the trains. As a result, two trains can safely occupy the lift
simultaneously. It debuted only months after Millennium Force and surpassed the
Cedar Point coaster as the world’s tallest complete-circuit coaster. It also set
a record for longest track length – 8133 feet, 2 inches (2479
m).
5. Superman: The Escape – Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California, USA
Top Speed: 100 mph / 161 km/h
4. Tower of Terror – Dreamworld, Coomera, Queensland, Australia
Superman: The Escape, is probably the most
hair-raising of the coasters listed here. Instead of looping and twisting, the
Escape is a straight track that rises to 41 stories in a matter of seconds and
then, after pausing, drops back down. The ride is L-shaped and accelerates to
100 miles per hour (the first roller-coaster to reach that speed) in 7 seconds.
The drop involves 6.5 seconds of weightlessness and when you drop, you drop
backwards.
4. Tower of Terror – Dreamworld, Coomera, Queensland, Australia
Top Speed: 100 mph / 161 km/h
3. Dodonpa – Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan
Tower Of Terror is a steel reverse freefall
coaster. The six ton passenger vehicle, is electro-magnetically powered,
accelerating its passengers rapidly to 160.9 km/h (100 mph) in seven seconds.
The track then turns skyward, with the passengers pulling 4.5 G’s. The car
climbs to almost 38 stories high. Following the climb, there is a 6.5 second
free-fall before the 90 degree turn is executed in reverse. The vehicle then
hurtles into the station where it comes to a rapid stop.
3. Dodonpa – Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan
Top Speed: 106.9 mph / 172 km/h
2. Top Thrill Dragster – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Dodonpa opened in 2001 and is a steel sit-down
roller coaster with a compressed air launch. It is 52 metres (170 feet) tall,
and has a launch speed of 172 km/h (107 mph), which is reached in less than 2
seconds. The launch is followed by a huge, sweeping, overbanked curve, giving
riders a chance to catch their breath back, before they hit the 170 foot top
hat; an element with some extreme negative G forces. The name ‘Dodonpa’ comes
from the musical sound which is played to customers waiting to board
it.
2. Top Thrill Dragster – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Top Speed: 120 mph / 193 km/h
1. Kingda Ka – Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA
Top Thrill Dragster was the first “Strata
Coaster,” loosely defined as a complete circuit coaster that is 400 to 499 feet
tall. It was the last one to use lapbars instead of over-the-shoulder restraints
due to mechanical problems. Shortly after reaching its maximum velocity in less
than four seconds, the train begins its ascent up a 90-degree incline that has a
90-degree counter-clockwise twist that takes the train straight over the top of
the 420 foot hill, where riders will experience significant airtime (zero
g-forces). On the way down the other side, there is a 270-degree clockwise twist
that leads into the magnetic braking section that brings the train to a swift
but comfortable stop.
1. Kingda Ka – Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA
Top Speed: 128 mph / 206 km/h
Kingda Ka is not just the fastest, but also the
tallest roller coaster in the world. A hydraulic launch mechanism rockets the
train from 0 to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, pulling about 1.67
g’s. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main tower, twisting
90 degrees to the right before reaching a height of 456 feet (139.5 m). The
train then descends 418 feet (127 m) straight down through a 270-degree spiral.
Finally, the train climbs the second, 129 foot hill, producing a moment of
weightlessness before being smoothly brought to a stop by the magnetic brakes.
Due to the high speed and open nature of the trains, this ride will not operate
in even light rain, as rider contact with rain drops can cause discomfort
