when did the Tower Of Terror lose its status as the fastest roller coaster in the world?
Tower of Terror II The Tower of Terror II is a steel shuttle roller coaster located at the Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. When the Tower of Terror opened on 23 January 1997, it was the first roller coaster in the world to reach 160.9 km/h speeds making it the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world of its time. The ride is situated on the Dreamworld Tower which also houses The Giant Drop free fall ride. The ride was originally known as the "Tower of Terror" until it was modified and relaunched in September 2010.
History of the roller coaster Roller coaster amusement rides have origins back to ice slides constructed in 18th-century Russia. Early technology featured sleds or wheeled carts that were sent down hills of snow reinforced by wooden supports. The technology evolved in the 19th century to feature railroad track using wheeled cars that were securely locked to the track. Newer innovations emerged in the early 20th century with side friction and underfriction technologies to allow for greater speeds and sharper turns. By the mid-to-late 20th century, these elements intensified with the introduction of steel roller coaster designs and the ability for them to invert riders.