Arrow. B&M. Intamin. RMC. You don’t have to be around coaster enthusiasts too long before you start to know their names. Visit a few parks around the country and pretty soon, you’ll get to know their standards, too. From classic Arrow corkscrews to B&M’s four-across trains; Intamin’s intense launches to RMC’s converted woodies… These guys are the big names in the industry, and their varieties add spice to the amusement parks we love.
But have you ever wondered how each got its start? Though hundreds of coasters litter the country, surely one of them was the first Arrow… the first B&M… the first Intamin. Some of the most legendary manufacturers on Earth started big, with showstopping entries into the field. Others started small… like, really small. And today, we’re taking a whirlwind tour of seven of the most fabled modern coaster manufacturers to see how they got their start. Trust us: you might be surprised…
1. Arrow
In so many ways, Arrow Dynamics (get it? Aerodynamics?) should be considered the founding father of the modern roller coaster. Nearly every major amusement park in the country contains at least one Arrow. That’s because Arrow sort of grew as the industry did. In the ‘60s, Arrow’s meandering mine trains spread around the nation; in the ‘70s, their Corkscrew and Double Loop models made unthinkable inversions industry-standard; in the ‘80s, multi-inversion “mega-loopers” that broke records; in the ‘90s, suspended, swinging coasters and airtime-packed hypercoasters…
To this day, some of the world’s most iconic “classic” coasters have been Arrows… think of the interlocked loops of Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Loch Ness Monster or the same park’s beloved Lost Legend: Big Bad Wolf; Six Flags Great Adventure’s Great American Scream Machine; the world’s first 100-foot coaster (Gemini) and then the first’s first 200-foot coaster (Magnum XL-200) both at Cedar Point; and the wild ride that ultimately served as Arrow’s last, bankrupting the company, 2002’s X at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
For much of modern coaster history, Arrow practically stood alone as the solitary force behind steel coasters… and as its first coaster shows, there’s a reason for that.
The First Arrow: Matterhorn Bobsleds (1959)
Location: Disneyland
Opened in 1959 as part of a radical expansion of Tomorrowland, Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds is actually made of two separate but intertwined roller coasters that independently slalom along narrow cliffs and interior caverns of the park’s 147-foot tall mountain (a 1/100 scale replica of the real Swiss peak).
A landmark in more ways than one, the Matterhorn wasn’t just the first thrill ride at Disneyland. It was also the world’s first modern, tubular-steel tracked roller coaster, and the first to use a complex computer system and block brake zones to safely operate more than one train on the course at a time. In other words, Arrow’s first coaster was also the first steel coaster as we know it, which pretty much puts it in “legend” status by default. Will every other major manufacturer be so lucky as to come out the gate with a landmark? Well…
2. Intamin
There are few names as revered in modern coaster circles as Intamin, the Swiss manufacturer known for thinking outside the box. Intamin really rose to prominence in the ‘90s as a major player in the so-called “Coaster Wars,” experimenting with cutting edge (and occasionally, temperamental) launch systems and extreme maneuvers.
Rides like Superman: The Escape at Six Flags Magic Mountain pushed the boundaries of speed and stats, accelerating from 0 to 100 mph in under five seconds; Millennium Force shattered the 300-foot full circuit coaster record; and then, of course, Top Thrill Dragster opened as the world’s tallest, fastest, and only 400-foot tall coaster. Today, Intamin’s gradual evolution has created stunning, complex, and feisty rides like Maverick at Cedar Point, Taron at Phantasialand, Pantheon (above) at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and the one-two punch of Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, each exemplifying the complexity, intensity, and headlining nature of Intamin’s hits. But their first…?
The First Intamin: Junior Gemini (1979)
Location: Cedar Point
It turns out that before it burst onto the “Coaster Wars” scene, Intamin spent about two decades trading in “off-the-shelf” kiddie and family coasters for parks around the globe. It’s funny, then, that while Arrow opening the world’s first 100-foot-tall roller coaster (Cedar Point’s Gemini in 1978) little Intamin’s first coaster was its neighbor, the Junior Gemini. Topping out at 19 feet tall and reaching speeds of 6mph, you might not look at the ride (today called Wilderness Run) and recognize it as the progenitor of VelociCoaster… but that right there is Intamin #0001.
3. Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M)
Engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard actually worked for the supplier of Intamin’s designs – Giovanola – through the ‘80s before deciding to go it alone with their own engineering firm in the late ‘80s. It turns out that that was perfect timing for B&M to enter the “Coaster Wars” themselves. Perhaps owing to B&M’s popularity is their rides’ distinctiveness – signature four-across seating, rounded column supports, “pre-drops” at the top of lift hills… More to the point, whereas Intamin flirted with extremes, B&M is known for their trusty rides with high reliability and wide guest satisfaction – sometimes to a fault.
B&M inverted coasters (like Great America’s Batman: The Ride [above], Cedar Point’s Raptor, or Kings Island’s Banshee) were major fixtures of the Coaster Wars; then came a series of graceful, powerful, and headlining hypercoasters (Apollo’s Chariot at Busch Gardens, Diamondback at Kings Island, Nitro at Great Adventure) followed by a wave of 300-foot gigacoasters (Fury 325 at Carowinds, Orion at Kings Island, and Leviathan at Canada’s Wonderland)…
And so it goes for a generation of wing coasters (Gatekeeper, X-Flight, Thunderbird, Wild Eagle) and dive coasters (SheiKra, Griffon, Valravn) and flying coasters (Air, Manta, Superman: Ultimate Flight) and sitting coasters (Kumba, Wildfire, and Incredible Hulk), and basically, big, beautiful, reliable B&Ms are staples of any major thrill park’s lineup. So which of B&M’s beloved fan-favorites was their first ever ride?
The First B&M: Iron Wolf (1990)
Location: Six Flags Great America
Bolliger & Mabillard got their first job through networking, when the then-manager of Six Flags Great America (near Chicago) reached out and requested that the pair develop a new take on the stand-up roller coaster that had been such a hit through the ‘80s. The result was Iron Wolf. It’s wild and ironic that B&M – known for their graceful ride layouts, wide appeal, and smooth experiences – would get its start with a stand-up coaster, notorious in the industry for being rough, nauseating, and generally awful. And Iron Wolf was no exception!
Luckily, B&M returned to Great America two years later for Batman: The Ride – the first inverted coaster – and the rest is history… including several of its early stand-up installations. Though only 7 were ever built, 3 have been converted via new trains into sit-down coasters. That includes Iron Wolf, which was relocated to Six Flags America (in Maryland) as the aptly-named Apocalypse in 2012 before rising from the ashes via sit-down trains in 2019 as Firebird.
And that’s not all… The first Premier? GCI? S&S? RMC? They’re on the next page…
4. Premier Rides
Though it’s altogether a smaller manufacturer than either B&M or Intamin, Premier Rides is nonetheless a powerhouse in innovation. Known for their work on linear induction motor (LIM) and linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches, Premier was the first to use electromagnetism to power contact-free acceleration (versus cable-based winches, which – by being subject to friction – are less reliable and require more repair and replacement).
The distinctive “hum” and vibration of Premier’s launches can be felt on the three Backlot Stunt Coasters at Cedar Fair parks, Six Flags’ Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast, Magic Mountain’s Full Throttle, and SeaWorld Orlando’s new Ice Breaker. The company’s Sky Rocket II model has also become a hit thanks to its attractive silhouette and its small footprint, having been duplicated 10 times (including Tempesto [above], Tigris, and Electric Eel at the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens parks).
But of course, Premier’s most high profile installation is probably the three versions of Revenge of the Mummy operating at Universal Parks, which all use embedded LIMs to slowly advance trains through a dark ride section before launching them into a convoluted coaster.
The First Premier: The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear (1996)
Location: Kings Island & Kings Dominion
In 1996, two Paramount Parks – Kings Island in Ohio and Kings Dominion in Virginia – both launched copies of a new ride called The Outer Limits – Flight of Fear. Themed to the Twilight Zone-esque CBS show The Outer Limits, these twin coasters were entirely enclosed, inviting guests onto a government base where a highly-guarded “Bureau of Paranormal Activity” hangar was opened to the press (that’s us). Aliens, it turns out, are real… and by stepping aboard their full-sized saucer, we were invited to strap in and launch into the infinite darkness and colorful madness of… The Outer Limits.
Okay, okay, actually, the two Flights of Fear are incredible rides, both in that their theming far exceeds what you’d expect for a seasonal, regional park, and because the 54mph launch into darkness emerges in a “spaghetti bowl” of chaotic, intertwined track that looks absolutely incredible from within, all lit by multi-colored floodlights in the dark. For the first several seconds of Flight of Fear, you genuinely can’t tell if you’re upside down or rightside up. Luckily, it’s easy to see what the ride has in store since Six Flags bought two of its own and placed them outdoors instead of enclosing them, so spoiler alert! What a first coaster!
(Also worth noting: in the time-honored tradition of coaster manufacturers, competitor Vekoma – Disney’s go-to manufacturer – decided that they’d offer their own version of Premier’s “spaghetti-bowl” launch coaster. Disney bought two and likewise enclosed them, and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coasters were born. And just as had happened with Flight of Fear, Six Flags bought a copy of Vekoma’s version and built it outdoors, so if you’ve ever wondered what Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster would look like without the box, here you go!)
5. Great Coaster International (GCI)
Great Coasters International – GCI – is one of several modern companies still focusing on wooden coasters. That’s a good thing! Remember that before Matterhorn, all coasters were wooden coasters, and hundreds and hundreds of incredible, historic wooden coasters remain as landmarks today. But GCI isn’t interested in building more old-timey rides. Instead, they’re known for wonderful, terrain-hugging, slaloming, low-to-the-ground layouts packed with slick turns, lateral Gs, hopping trains, and relentless speed.
Almost uniformly, GCIs are incredible, delightful rides, exemplified by Worlds of Fun’s Prowler, Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Invadr, SeaWorld San Antonio’s Texas Stingray, Alton Towers’ Wicker Man, and Kings Island’s Mystic Timbers. They’ll return to Worlds of Fun in 2023 with Zambezi Zinger, a rebirth and evolution of a classic coaster removed from the park in ‘97. GCI has also introduced Titan Track – a new steel track system that (like RMC’s Topper Track) can theoretically be used to build a from-scratch steel coaster, but can also be used to retrack old woodies in whole or in part. For example, the viscous Predator at Six Flags Darien Lake isn’t a GCI, but benefited from a section of Titan Track in 2022 all the same.
The First GCI: Wildcat (1996)
Location: Hersheypark
Given that Hersheypark’s Wildcat gave its last rides at the close of the 2022 season, it’s especially appropriate to look back on the coaster as the first of GCI’s. Wildcat definitely had the DNA of many of the wooden giants of the ‘90s (when the “Coaster Wars” incentivized parks to build a new generation of big, mean – and today, either removed, rough and unrideable, or RMC’ed – wooden coasters). But it also had many of the standards of GCI built-in, like a winding, slaloming layout, some great lateral moments, and a few fun, tricky track sections.
6. S&S
S&S is a company involved in amusement parks in many facets. Well-known for its associated with pneumatic (air-powered) ride systems, S&S has been around for decades manufacturing drop & launch towers (identifiable by their signature lattice structures with air tubes inside, like Cedar Point’s Power Tower, Knott’s Supreme Scream, Islands of Adventure’s Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall, and the short-lived Maliboomer at Disney’s California Adventure). They also supply air-powered Screamin’ Swings (like Finnegan’s Flier at Busch Gardens, Skyhawk at Cedar Point, and the Barnstormer at Dollywood).
Coaster-wise, S&S is best known for their air-launched coasters like Silver Dollar City’s Powder Keg and Six Flags Great America’s Maxx Force. Unlike LIMs, hydraulic winches or counterweights, acceleration from compressed air is practically instantaneous, creating incredibly quick accelerations. Whereas Intamin’s Top Thrill Dragster accelerates from 0 – 120mph in about 4 seconds, S&S’s Do-Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan accelerates from 0 – 111.8mph in 1.6 seconds – the world’s fastest coaster acceleration).
Aside from their air-powered lineup, S&S (which inherited the remains of Arrow) also produces the compact, wild El Loco model (like El Loco at Las Vegas’ Adventuredome and Steel Hawg at Indiana Beach), and the new 4D Free-Spin Coaster that – like Premier’s Sky Rocket II – is a great medium-sized, high-thrill, small-footprint draw (like Tumbili at Kings Dominion, Dragon Slayer at Adventureland, and seven installations at Six Flags as either The Joker, Batman: The Ride, or Wonder Woman depending on your park). But unsurprisingly, their first ride was…
The First S&S: Hypersonic XLC (2001)
Location: Kings Dominion
In 1999, S&S constructed a prototype coaster at their facility in Utah. The “Thrust Air 2000” used the company’s compressed air technologies to launch a unique 8-rider train over a 170-foot tall top hat. Just three years after Premier’s first LIM launched coaster, and years before Intamin would do the same with hydraulics, the prototype was a jaw-dropper… and Paramount Parks bought it. “Thrust Air” was dismantled and 60 trucks made the cross-country trip carrying the prototype ride from Utah to Virginia.
When Hypersonic XLC opened at then-Paramount’s Kings Dominion, the ride was the first of its kind – the first compressed-air powered launch, with a staggering 0 – 80mph in 1.8s acceleration. Still at the burgeoning start of the modern launched coaster (Intamin’s Xcelerator at Knott’s would only reach the same speed in more time the next year), that was an unbelievable statistic. Unfortunately, the ride was unbelievably low capacity, and terribly unreliable. It was closed for most of 2002 as adjustments were made, but the park put Hypersonic up for sale in 2006. No one bit. It was open for a final season in 2007 before being disassembled in 2008. Still, it’s easy to imagine that Hypersonic’s no-holds-barred focus on launch intensity inspired Top Thrill Dragster.
7. Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC)
Probably the biggest name to erupt onto the roller coaster scene in decades, Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) has made a big name for itself, fast. Like we mentioned, in the midst of the “Coaster Wars” of the 1990s, a wave of big, audacious, rumbling, wild wooden roller coasters popped up around the globe. But changing tastes and aging infrastructure quickly made these wooden giants one-and-dones, fit only for the most hearty of coaster enthusiasts.
RMC burst onto the scene with the unthinkable ability to change that. Actually, RMC today has three different coaster models / systems. The most famous is IBox track – RMC’s signature, often red steel track commonly used when the firm is hired to transform those lumbering old woodies into inconceivably cool steel coasters – Kings Dominion’s Hurler became Twisted Timbers; Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Colossus became Twisted Colossus; Busch Gardens Gwazi became Iron Gwazi (above); Cedar Point’s Mean Streak became Steel Vengeance – all reborn as headlining, award-winning rides filled with RMC’s signature overbanked turns, stalls, and inversions.
RMC also offers Topper Track, which is classified as wood, but basically gives wooden coasters the maneuverability of steel (Goliath at Great America, Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City, and Lightning Rod at Dollywood were all from-scratch Topper Track wood coasters with inversions, though the latter has been partially converted to steel IBox in recent years). Their newest outing is single-rail Raptor track, with blazing, liquid-like layouts as on the Jersey Devil at Great Adventure, Railblazer at California’s Great America, and the Wonder Woman coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Fiesta Texas. But their first coaster was…
The First RMC: New Texas Giant (2011)
Location: Six Flags Over Texas
RMCs first outing was their high profile reimagining of 1990’s Texas Giant. The $10 million retrofit saw the Texas Giant’s general shape and main structures preserved, but with an entirely new layout including a nearly 80-degree drop, 65mph speeds, and an overbanked curve.
Of course, by today’s standards, RMC’s New Texas Giant was barely dipping its toes into the water of what would become RMC staples… (Their next conversion, Fiesta Texas’ Rattler into Iron Rattler, would include an inversion; transforming Six Flags Mexico’s Medusa into a steel coaster would bring three.) But now, coaster enthusiasts around the globe debate which wooden coasters should be “RMC’ed” next, and for parks, the opportunity to turn wasted wooden giants of yesteryear into park-anchoring headliners is quite the draw…
