How roller coasters stay on their tracks
Animation of the underfriction, or upstop, wheel, patented by American designer John Miller in 1919. It keeps the roller coaster on track, as does the guide, or side-friction, wheel, while the road, or running, wheel rides astride the track and carries the load.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Learn about mining and refining copper from Chile's Atacama Desert.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Learn about the origins and diversification of uncrewed aerial vehicles, or drones, from early military models to modern consumer-level devices.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.It was a world before streaming services.Media Editor: Lauren Sims
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© Civil War Trust (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Both Union and Confederate forces needed trains to move and supply troops during the American Civil War, which meant that railroads determined the outcomes of some battles.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The advent of steel coasters allowed designers to shape tubular steel rails in innovative ways, such as the 1975 corkscrew invention of American designer Ron Toomer.
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Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, MainzCommuters in the Tokyo area depend on rail transportation, and most pass through Shinjuku station.
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Great Museums Television (A Britannica Publishing Partner)A discussion concerning the history and the impact of the railroad, from the documentary Binding Ties: The California State Railroad Museum.
News •
Higher, Faster, Gnarlier: Have Roller Coasters Become Too Extreme?
• Oct. 22, 2026, 5:05 AM ET (New York Times)
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