A century-old roller coaster uses wheels that lock it to the track
In 1920, the Jack Rabbit introduced underfriction wheels, a breakthrough that allowed wooden coasters to plummet down much steeper drops without flying off the rails.
Before the 1920s, roller coaster designers were limited by the simple physics of gravity and centrifugal force. Early trains essentially sat on top of the tracks, meaning drops had to be shallow enough to ensure the cars did not lift off and derail. This changed with the work of engineer John A. Miller, who patented underfriction wheel technology.
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