ACE Coaster Classic - 40 roller coaster that are designated by the American Coaster Enthusiests as classics. They must have the following qualifications: must have traditional lap bars that do not ratchet, must not have bucket seats, no headrests, riders must be able to choose where they sit.
Airtime- Negative G's experienced on a roller coaster- when the rider is lifted off of their seats at the crests of hills. This is what enthusiasts look for in a roller coaster.
Anti-rollback mechanism - A system on a roller coaster that prevents it from going backwards down the lift hill in the event that the chain should brake. It is made up of a a small racheting piece of metal on the train and a strip of grooved indentions on the lift hill. This provides the clanking sound on lifts.
Block System - A safety device that divides the roller coaster track into sections so that two trains will not collide with each other. Trim brakes throughout the coaster are block boundries. If the first train does not complete a section in a specified amount of time, than the second train would be stopped on the chain or brakes. The simple formula for how many blocks needed is t+1=b where t is the number of trains, and b is the number of blocks.
Chain - The device that pulls the train up the lift hill. Now some coasters are ising the elevator lift system.
Complete Circuit Coaster - A roller coaster that has a track that the train goes around in one direction. Other is Shuttle (See also shuttle).
CP - Cedar Point
Elevator Lift System - A newer system for the lift hill that doesn't require a chain. It uses a large cable to hoist the cars to the top of the lift hill faster than coventional methods. Millennnium Force at Cedar Point is the first coaster to utilze this elevator lift system. It can take the train to the top of the 310ft. lift much quicker than a chain.
G-Force - A force acting on a rider. There are three diferent types of g forces. Learn about them here.
Guide Wheels - The wheels on the inside or outside of a roller coaster train that keep it from moving to the left or right.
Head Chopper - The illusion that one's head will hit the coaster structure when the train goes through an opening
Holding Brakes - The brakes before the station that will stop the train if another train is still loading. The station also has holding brakes.
Inversion - Any part of the roller coaster that takes riders upside-down.
Lap Bar - A passenger restraint that rests on the rider's lap. It uses a racheting mechanism to adjust to different rider's.
Lift Hill - The chain section of roller coaster, or the incline that the coaster is mechanically pulled up. Some coaster do not have a lift hill.
LIMs - Linear Induction Motors. Another form of propulsion for a roller coaster using magnets. The first coaster to use LIM's was Superman the Escape at Six Flags Magic Mountian. It rockets the coaster to 100 mph.
MCBR - Mid-Course Brake Run. This section of track divides the layout into two different areas capable of handling trains at the same time.
Mobius - One continuous circuit coaster that looks like a twin coaster and has two side by side stations.
SFMM - Six Flags Magic Mountain.
SFOG - Six Flags Over Georgia.
Shuttle - A type of coaster in which the train goes forwards and then backwards.
Station - The part of the roller coaster where riders board the train.
Superstructure - The entire structure on a coaster. Usually refers to wooden coasters or coasters that are supported by wooden supports.
Trim Brakes - Brakes throughout the coaster that can slow and even stop a full train in a short distance. These are block boundries (See block system.).
Up-stop Wheels - The wheels under the roller coaster train that keeps it from coming off the track when there are high negative G-forces. Side Friction roller coasters are the only type I know of that do not have up-stop wheels.