Roller Coaster Engineer Answers Roller Coaster Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED

Roller coaster engineer Korey Kiepert joins WIRED to answer the internet's burning questions about roller coasters and the people who design them. How do roller coasters work? Who invented the first roller coaster? How are roller coasters tested? What the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world? How do they stay on the rails while looping and speeding down the track? Engineer Korey Kiepert answers each of these questions plus plenty more on Roller Coaster Support.

0:00 Roller Coaster Support
0:12 Kingda Ka, the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world
0:36 Who invented the roller coaster?
1:19 That sinking feeling
2:34 The best seat on a roller coaster
3:17 How are roller coasters tested?
4:35 Wooden coasters vs. Metal
5:38 How roller coasters stay on the tracks
6:34 The art and science of roller coaster design
7:35 Let’s hear it for engineers
8:24 Chat, is it easy to design roller coasters?
9:03 Why do all inverts have a curved first drop?
9:46 How many roller coasters does one person design?
10:28 How do roller coasters work?
11:00 Are carnival rides safe?
11:48 Why are the rides so short?
12:34 Does the USA have the best roller coasters?
13:16 What roller coasters will be like in 40 years
14:03 Why hit the brakes?
14:31 Why do roller coasters make me tired?
14:44 Why do roller coasters break down?
15:23 The line between wooden and metal roller coasters

Director: Jackie Phillips
Director of Photography: AJ Young
Editor: Richard Trammell
Talent: Korey Kiepert
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Paul Gulyas
Production Manager: Peter Brunette
Production Coordinator: Rhyan Lark
Casting Producer: Nicholas Sawyer
Camera Operator: Lucas Vilicich
Sound Mixer: Paul Cornett
Production Assistant: Lauren Boucher
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Additional Editor: Jason Malizia; JC Scruggs
Assistant Editor: Billy Ward


The photo of the Wildcat Coaster was taken by WILDCAT1 and has been released into the public domain by the author.


Follow WIRED:


Also, check out the free WIRED channel on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.

ABOUT WIRED
WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. Through thought-provoking stories and videos, WIRED explores the future of business, innovation, and culture.

[Trainmaster]

This guy is actually one of the lead engineers at The Gravity Group. He designed rides you may have ridden like The Voyage, Zippin Pippin, Hades 360, Mine Blower, and Ravine Flyer II. He is one of the best coaster designers out there right now, I strongly recommend riding one of his creations!

[mofoburrell]

6:16 I love when he name-drops "JOHN MILLER!", like "Can you believe this technology goes all the way back to JOHN MILLER?" and then immediately he's like "Oh right, nobody knows who John Miller is except for me"

[DeEchteZwareJongen]

Fun fact: in french, roller coasters are litterally called "russian mountains", in reference to those russian ice slides

[theUselessProfessor]

The way he compared it to how we only have so many musical notes, but we still come up with new melodies was such a clever analogy

[lukasj.harpman]

I love this series because they just find someone that dedicated their life to their niche cute special interest and let them tell everyone about it

[RainyJan]

I like these so much better than the people answering the most searched questions.

[jonathanwingmusic]

For an engineer this guy is so articulate and enthusiastic – breaking down complex concepts in layman's terms with ease. Loved this one!

[katez]

14:03 "For those who may be unfamiliar, a block zone is..."

[jopo]

Roller Coaster engineer sounds like an awesome career, but I'm sure it has it's ups and downs.

[huntersullivan]

This guy is part of the Gravity Group that designed The Voyage at Holiday World! One of the best roller coasters in the world!

[CZsWorld]

2:47 Wired used the wrong footage. That's not a Double-up, it's two bunny hills.

[Posirep]

"we designed a roller coaster where you might splashed by the log flume"

Holiday World: "Alright, boys. were removing Pilgrim's Plunge"

[EastCoasters]

Glad this showed up on my feed 😎🥃 Been on Kingda Ka about 1200 times being a local. Devoted my life to getting high quality coaster footage ever since..

[tychobrodie]

My dude probably had the greatest park in Roller Coaster Tycoon

[erakfishfishfish]

The most insane coaster I’ve been on was X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in LA. The seats are on the side of the rails and spin independently (though how they spin is programmed in). It’s absolutely nuts—you have no idea what’s happening. The ride starts by climbing up the hill backwards, so you don’t know when the drop is coming. Suddenly, the seats spin so you’re staring straight down the nearly 90-degree drop. It was a bucket list coaster that did not disappoint one bit.

[Krustenkaese]

this guy is like that five year old who says he's gonna become a fireman... and then grows up and actually becomes a fireman.

[Blahaj_IKEA]

14:03 El Toro Ryan has entered the chat

[persianking]

Slight correction: Kingda Ka has the record for the fastest and tallest currently operating roller coaster. Formula Rossa at Ferrari World (which has been down for months) was the actual record holder for fastest roller coaster ever in the world, while Falcon's Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya will beat out both coasters for both records by a massive margin when it opens next year.

[melissaweyrick]

When I worked at an Amusement Park as a Rides Operator, I would tell people that the Coaster stayed on the track with Magnets. 😜

[alealemartin]

Dang I didn’t know Topher Grace was so knowledgeable about roller coasters. Also he looks like he’s put on some years since I last saw him