The original Switchback Railway was the first roller coaster at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York City, and one of the earliest designed for amusement in the United States.

[4] It appears Thompson based his design, at least in part, on the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway which was a coal-mining train that had started carrying passengers as a thrill ride in 1827.

[5] In 1885 Phillip Hinkle developed a lift system which appeared in his ride called Gravity Pleasure.

[4] The Gravity Pleasure also featured cars in which the passengers could face forward instead of in the awkward bench-like seats of the first two roller coasters.

[5] The next year, Thompson patented his design of coasters that included dark tunnels with painted scenery.