By the time our second smooth ascent started on the giant wheel, Christopher unglued himself from my arm. While apprehensive at first, he ended up loving the Ferris wheel. I confessed to my son that I, too, used to get uneasy about climbing aboard Ferris wheels. In fact, I still won't go anywhere near any hair-raising, free-fall roller coasters or other such creatures of amusement. Just walking through a park like Six Flags Great Adventure and seeing the amazing showcase of spectacular rides that were built using engineering principles is enough to spin my head.

As with any technology, rides have developed significantly since their onset. Back in 1883, at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, an engineer named George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. unveiled his 264-foot-tall wheel capable of carrying more than 2,000 people at a time on a scenic ride through the air.

Today, of course, Ferris's creation remains an enduring symbol of Americana and the centerpiece ride at local carnivals and even at the newest high-tech amusement parks throughout the world. Highly charged rides like spinning roller coasters that take thrill-seekers on upside-down high-speed treks now attract the biggest crowds, but the Ferris wheel is still a favorite.

How far or, better yet, how fast will ride technology take us? It's hard to predict, but a roller coaster introduced at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., in 1997 is considered the world's tallest and fastest. Called Superman the Escape, the ride is more than 40 stories high and 1,315 feet long. It also breaks the 100 mph speed mark by using Linear Synchronous Motors instead of traditional motors, or simply gravity. In fact, each car goes from 0 to 100 mph in only seven seconds.

As purposely frightening as they are, modern-day roller coasters are designed to be the smoothest, quietest, and safest rides possible. Engineers use computerized design tools to calculate the forces and stresses to which riders are subjected. In their 1920s heyday, roller coasters were crude, clanking constructions of steel and wood. Riders had to rely on lap bars and strong grips to keep from being thrown from their seats.

In last month's issue, Associate Editor Paul Sharke provided an inside glimpse of the Exterminator, a modern spinning-coaster thrill ride at the Kennywood Amusement Park in West Mifflin, Pa., that blends interactive special effects with basic control systems.

At theme parks operated by the Walt Disney Co. and Universal Studios, dedicated efforts have been made to marry roller-coaster technology with three-dimensional special effects. One such ride is The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, at Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure park in Orlando, Fla. Turn to "Easing the Strain" on page 90 for an inside look at how finite element analysis was used to design this ride.

I can't, in good conscience, promise Christopher that we'll go on the Spider-Man ride on our next trip to Florida. The mere thought of such a thrill ride is enough to put me in a cold sweat. Instead, we'll just stick to a scenic Ferris wheel-type ride, or perhaps a nice, old-fashioned, merry-go-round. Fortunately, he's still young enough to get a satisfying thrill from a wooden horse that goes up and down.

Email your comments or questions to: falcionij@asme.org

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