I get that they have connections that keep them on the track. I’m talking about insane ones that aren’t always consistent, like the Top Thrill Dragster or Kingda Ka. These huge roller coasters have very minimal instances of accidents, yet aren’t even consistent at getting over the apex (instances of rollback and having to try again). So my question is how are these made to be reliable and how are they maintained even when in use a lot?
In: Engineering
The big risks on a rollercoaster aren’t in the lifts, but rather in the turns. By now, rollercoaster carts are very easy to keep on the track. Even if those safeguards like you mentioned get activated, the carts will stay on the track. The much, much bigger risk is G force on the turns. However, these can be calculated by using some basic physics, and the specs really don’t change much as they age. Lastly, rollercoasters are maintained after hours, as well as during the offseasons.
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