This old rollercoaster has been carrying passengers for more than a century, but one part of operating it is remarkably hands-on: a human brake operator actually rides aboard the train and manually controls its speed. Tom Scott visits the Great Scenic Railway at Luna Park Melbourne to see how this unusual system works.
While modern roller coasters rely heavily on automated braking systems, this historic wooden coaster preserves a method from a completely different era. The operator travels around the entire circuit with the passengers, controlling the train as it moves through the course.
A Rollercoaster Where Braking Is Still a Human Job
The Great Scenic Railway opened at Luna Park Melbourne in 1912, making it one of the world’s oldest operating roller coasters. But its age isn’t the only thing that makes the ride extraordinary.
A trained brake operator stands aboard the moving train and uses a large mechanical brake to control its speed. Instead of simply stopping the coaster at the end, the operator has to make adjustments during the journey.
That requires judgment. The train needs enough momentum to travel around the course and climb the upcoming sections, while the operator also has to prevent it from carrying too much speed into other parts of the track.
Watching this old rollercoaster operate is like seeing a piece of amusement-park history still doing the job it was designed to do more than a century ago.
Why We Loved This Video
Most of us get onto a roller coaster without thinking about how its speed is controlled. That’s what makes Tom Scott’s look behind the scenes so fascinating.
The brake operator isn’t simply along for the ride. Human judgment remains an important part of running this historic attraction, making every trip around the track a little different from the automated experience we’re accustomed to today.
More than a century after the Great Scenic Railway opened, passengers are still climbing aboard — and a person is still riding with them to operate the brakes. That’s a remarkable piece of engineering history to see surviving in everyday use.
