That is a very interesting point. I like that explanation.

If Topper Track makes a coaster steel, there are soon going to be lots of newly steel or partly steel coasters. It's being used in either selective portions or all of the track on quite a few wooden coasters, including the Georgia Cyclone, some already announced, others not yet.

If its a laminate of wood/steel, then its wooden. Gemini, Adventure Express, and New Texas Giant use track thats entirely steel on wood structure. Its as much a woodie as Beast or Racer in my opinion.

It's not as simple as it used to be. Wood coasters, steel coasters, coasters with a wooden from and a steel track, etc...

Human beings innate need to classify and categorize things is amusing.

IMO if the supporting structure is made of wood, then it is a wood coaster. Case closed. If the supporting structure was steel with a wood track (hypothetically speaking) I would consider it a Steel coaster.

So to you, the Coney Island Cyclone, Voyage, Comet at Great Escape...all steel? And Son of Beast, to you, a wood coaster with a steel loop? Very odd.

IMO if the supporting structure is made of wood, then it is a wood coaster. Case closed. If the supporting structure was steel with a wood track (hypothetically speaking) I would consider it a Steel coaster.

Folks, Adventure Express is now a wooden roller coaster!

IMO if the supporting structure is made of wood, then it is a wood coaster. Case closed. If the supporting structure was steel with a wood track (hypothetically speaking) I would consider it a Steel coaster.

Folks, Adventure Express is now a wooden roller coaster!

I'm guessing if you asked the average person attending King's Island if Adventure Express was a wooden coaster or a steel coaster, you'd get 90% or higher tell you that its a wooden coaster. Few attendees actually care what any ride is classified as, only if they find it fun to ride upon.

Whats the differance between a steel coaster with wood supports and a wood coaster with steel track?

A lot of money.

The ride experience.

Arguments.

That's three to start.

A lot of money.

The ride experience.

Arguments.

That's three to start.

Whats the differance between a steel coaster with wood supports and a wood coaster with steel track?

If I'm not mistaken, The maintenance on them is slightly different.

I'm talking about the same ride, where one person could view it as steel with wood supports, but someone else may say its wood with steel track. Think Gemini as an example. There is no differance other than who you ask.

ALL wood coasters have steel track these days.

And no steel coaster wood have wood track.

Might as well just rename the @!#$ ride to Zebra, no one knows what the @!#% to label it as.

I steel wood call Outlaw wood.

but someone else may say its wood with steel track.

This makes absolutely no sense. How can it be wooden and steel at the same time?

The term wooden/steel refers to what the track is mainly made out of.

The GP would mostly think of Gemini as a wood coaster. I mean to just look at it you'd say its wood.

What is this King's Island place, It's Kings Island, drives me nuts when people put the 's in Kings, and this is coming from a fan site, the people who should know how to spell it. Sorry just ranting.

I consider Adventure Express a steel coaster, and rides like the Voyage a wooden coaster.

So by default, Voyage is steel, Adventure Express is wooden, and the New Texas Giant is a wooden roller coaster...ok.

So by default, Voyage is steel, Adventure Express is wooden, and the New Texas Giant is a wooden roller coaster...ok.

Basically judging them by there supports?

I would say whatever the train rides on, if it's a wooden track then it's wooden, if it's a steel track it's steel.

The GP would mostly think of Gemini as a wood coaster. I mean to just look at it you'd say its wood.

I'm going by what Hammbone is going by.

And, it's *their. Sorry. I hate when people mess up the "there"'s and "to"'s!

EDIT:

I would say whatever the train rides on, if it's a wooden track then it's wooden, if it's a steel track it's steel.

The track sits upon the support structure, no? If it is so, I think the structure accounts for what it should be called.

If it doesn't, well, I'd like you to explain that to me!

I know what they are, but how many people in the parks know that? (General Public)

And perhaps more importantly, why does it matter?

Would a cow moo any different if we called it a gherkin?

It doesnt matter except when it does.

Ride looks cool but kinda short.

Let me stoke the wood/steel arguement flames a bit here:

KIC meet topper track!

Topper track meet KIC!

Let the debate begin!

So by default, Voyage is steel, Adventure Express is wooden, and the New Texas Giant is a wooden roller coaster...ok.

Basically judging them by there supports?

♫No matter wooden or steel

Flying or suspended style

You're on the right track baby

You were built to be wild♫

I think (at least for enthusiasts) it's all about the ride experience which is determined more by what type of track the train rides on than the structure. Ignoring the structure, could you really imagine riding Gemini or AE and thinking that are traditional wooden coasters. It's all about trying to classify an experience.

Topper track is just another evolution in the science/art of building coasters and confuses the classification issue. It's truly not wood or steel but a hybridized way of building a coaster.

Edit: I really wanted to say about Joncars pic., On topper track, they have the train wheels roll over bolts to simulate that old time wood coaster roughness

So, El Toro FEELS much more like steel than wood. A well running John Allen, before Dinn got hold of it, could glide and feel much like steel. (Racer was like this when it opened).

And the cars do not run over bolts on Topper Track. The Georgia Cyclone is smooth as glass in the Topper Track sections. The major purposes of Topper Track are to improve the ride experience while reducing maintenance. Running over bolts on purpose to roughen up the ride would greatly detract from both goals.