3. Revere Beach Lightning
The Revere Beach Lightning was the brainchild of renowned designer Harry Traver. Opened in 1927, it was the first in a trio of similar coasters that were designed to combine sudden drops with sharp, high-speed turns. Ironically, the coasters were known as the Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters - but would prove to be anything but safe.
The unique layout was made possible by a hybrid steel structure, which enabled steeply banked curves and rapid transitions. Unfortunately, the 100-feet-tall Lightning quick became famous for all the wrong reasons. The first fatality occurred on just the second day of operation, when a girl fell from the train. Incredibly, after her body was recovered, the ride reopened just 20 minutes later.
A string of other riders suffered serious injuries on the attraction. The phrase "Take her on the Lightning" became popular among young men, as an unconventional solution to an unwanted pregnancy.
Following the Wall Street crash in 1929, maintaining the Lightning became financially unviable. Riders were saved from the agony that it caused by its enforced closure in 1933.
2. The Human Trebuchet
The concept of the Human Trebuchet at Middlemoor Water Park in Somerset, England was simple. A version of the medieval siege warfare machine was used to sling humans into a giant net, which would catch them safely.
Unfortunately, the ride proved to be less safe in practice. In December 2002 a student fell short of the net and was killed. You can no longer ride this beast in reality.
1. The Euthanasia Coaster
Here's one concept that only exists on paper: a roller coaster that is designed to KILL YOU. It is the brainchild of Royal College of Art PhD student Julijonas Urbonas, and is designed to give people a thrilling way of entering the afterlife.
Here's Urbonas' description of his unique design:
"Euthanasia Coaster" is a hypothetic euthanasia machine in the form of a roller coaster, engineered to humanely – with elegance and euphoria – take the life of a human being. Riding the coaster's track, the rider is subjected to a series of intensive motion elements that induce various unique experiences: from euphoria to thrill, and from tunnel vision to loss of consciousness, and, eventually, death. Thanks to the marriage of the advanced cross-disciplinary research in space medicine, mechanical engineering, material technologies and, of course, gravity, the fatal journey is made pleasing, elegant and meaningful.
The project was inspired by John Allen, once president of the famous Philadelphia Toboggan Company. He described the "ultimate" roller coaster as being one that "sends out 24 people and they all come back dead". Perhaps unsurprisingly, theme parks are not lining up to take the Euthanasia Coaster from concept to reality
Comments
A couple years ago I remember my brother doing an essay on the Euphoria Coaster. If I remember correctly it had an emergency stop you were able to push until you went through the loop that caused unconsciousness (of course). He also made a way so you could see and wave to your loved ones easily. It's a very interesting, and rather scary, concept for a coaster.