Wooden Coasters are still alive!

I thought that wooden roller coasters had there time and that time had passed. Evidently I was wrong. Six Flags, St. Louis will be adding a wooden roller coaster in `08 to expand its coaster count to eight.

The first American roller coaster (wooden of course), built in 1872, was not built to thrill people but to transport coal down a mountain. A year later the coal mines were abandoned and the train started transporting people. Thus, the birth of the first American roller coaster. The railway offered spectacular views for visitors to see. The railway became a large Nineteenth Century tourist attraction and people came from all over to be thrilled. Sadly, all runs were cancelled in 1929.

Far from the first American roller coaster, this new ride will start out with a stomach-churning 80-foot drop as the ride takes a 90-degree left turn and another 55-foot drop. The 2,700-foot ride hits speeds of 50 mph. It has 16 hills and multiple high-banked turns at up to 67-degree angles.

Not being a big fan of wooden roller coasters, I think I may have to take a trip out to Six Flags, St. Louis and take a ride on a 21st century wooden roller coaster.