Roller coaster wheel assembly

On a roller coaster, the wheel assemblies are the point of contact between the cars carrying the riders and the track rails. They often consist of at least 3 wheels per assembly, but can contain more.

The typical arrangement of the wheels are:

  • Running wheels (also known as road wheels or tractor wheels): positioned on the top of the rail, bearing the weight of the train.
  • Side friction wheels: positioned on a horizontal plane, either inside or outside of the rails. These hug the sides of the rail, keeping the train centered.
  • Up-stop wheels (also known as underfriction wheels or up-lift wheels): positioned under the rails to keep the train from lifting off of the track.
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