How do Roller Coasters Stop at the End of the Track?

Theoretically, you could design a roller coasteris slowed by friction between parts of the brakes.
that would use up all its potential energy at theWith fin brakes, one part of the brake is on the
exact point where it loops back to the start oftrack, and the other part of it is attached to the
the ride. The trains themselves, after all, have nobottom part of the train. The brake segment of
brakes. After being towed up the initial hill, theythe track has a groove between the brake pads.
are propelled strictly from converting potentialThe brake fins, which are the part of the brakes
energy to kinetic energy. Once all the potentialunderneath the train, run through the groove
energy has been changed to kinetic energy, thewhen the train goes over the brake segment of
train either stops or must be towed up anotherthe track. On the track is also a compressed air
hill.mechanism to open and close the gap between
But in reality roller coasters use so-called "trimthe grooves. The more closed they are, the
brakes." The train will go faster if there aretighter they grip the fins, and the more open they
heavier passengers on it, and slower if there areare, the more loosely they grip the fins.
lighter passengers on it. Weather, believe it or not,Finally, the brakes in the station where the train
can also affect the speed of the train. Trimcomes to a stop are similar to the trim brakes.
brakes are adjustable so that each train can beThese brakes also have a bar running parallel to
made to travel at the same speed. Most modernthe tracks that is used to release the lap bars of
coasters have automatically controlled trim brakes.the train when the ride comes to a stop, and to
Roller coasters are also equipped with what arelock the lap bars of the train when the next load
called fin brakes. Like with a regular car, the trainof passengers are ready to go.