Bobsled Coasters are derived from their similarity to Bobsleigh rides, where the train free wheels through semicircular-shaped troughs (a.k.a chutes). Instead of sitting side-by-side, riders sit in a single row behind one another, again similar to athletes in a bobsleigh. Bobsled Coasters are known for their increasing speed and banked turns. They should not be confused with Alpine Coasters, where riders control the speed at which they travel; gravity is in control on a Bobsled Coaster! When Bobsled Coasters first appeared in the late 1920’s, they were made from wood and known as “Flying Turns”. In the mid-1980’s, roller coaster manufacturers Intamin and Mack Rides developed steel Bobsled Coasters which are easier to maintain and commonplace today. In a break from steel construction, in 2013, Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania opened a wooden Bobsled Coaster that is the only operating modern version made from wood.
Bob at Efteling, Netherlands
In 1985, Mack Rides followed in Intamin’s footsteps by opening Schweizer Bobbahn at Europa Park in Germany. Unlike Intamin (and the wooden originals), the Mack Rides’ versions use seven-car trains instead of single cars to traverse through the chutes, and they are still in production.
German ride manufacturer Gerstlauer produces a coaster model called Bobsled. Gerstlauer Bobsled Coasters should not be confused with traditional Bobsled Coasters because they use rails and look like regular roller coasters.
