# What is this fun dry steel tube luge-type thing called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 21, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754 "2012-11-21T19:21:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/1 "2012-11-21T19:21:33Z")
It is like a luge, but no ice, just a metal tube twisting down a hill and the person rides on a sled with rollers. [Here](http://youtu.be/SfbsnuFU26c?t=1m28s) is personal video of one in Germany (it has real luge clips in it as well). I am looking for one in the US, but I don’t know the proper name for it, so it is hard to find. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/2 "2012-11-21T19:38:19Z")
Most likely it’s a regular luge track. The cost to keep it frozen would probably be beyond astronomical if even possible. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/3 "2012-11-21T19:42:35Z")
I rode down one somewhere in the Appalachians about 30 years ago. I can’t remember exactly where it was but I do remember they called it an Alpine Slide. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/4 "2012-11-21T19:48:23Z")
They call the one in Park City an [Alpine Coaster](http://www.parkcitymountain.com/site/activities-and-events/summer/alpine-coaster). ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/5 "2012-11-21T19:57:06Z")
They are called luges or alpine coasters. [This place](http://www.chamonixparc.com/index.php/en/summer/chamonix-luge-alpine-coster.html) is in france but they used to have the in ground tube version but it looks like they went to the more roller coaster track version now. The [mountain coaster](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjw5GhyZUu0) seems to be the general trend now. But the original ones like yours were definitely called luge. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/6 "2012-11-22T00:50:35Z")
The one I linked to looks close to some of the alpine coasters linked here, but I liked the fact that by shifting your weight or regulating your speed you could change how much you banked turns (I’ve ridden it before). There is no connection the track at all. That might not work very well in the litigious United States. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/7 "2012-11-22T00:53:59Z")
WANT! ---
**Author:** ![yearofglad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b782af/32.png) [@yearofglad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yearofglad)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/8 "2012-11-22T01:14:04Z")
There is one in Lutsen, MN that I’ve been on a few times as a youth. [http://www.lutsenresort.com/activities/alpineslide.htm](http://www.lutsenresort.com/activities/alpineslide.htm) I thought it had closed, but it appears to still be open (in the summer, that is). There are a few Youtube videos as well - Google “lutsen alpine slide”. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/9 "2012-11-22T01:25:31Z")
There are a couple in Vermont – Bromley Mountain and one in or near Stowe. There are videos on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/10 "2012-11-22T01:55:56Z")
There may still be one north of Chattanooga TN at Raccoon Mountain that I rode years back. I also rode one in Germany in 1986. Took half the ride for me to discover thst pushing the lever forward would make you go faster. Second ride was much better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/11 "2012-11-22T02:03:38Z")
Fleshlight. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/12 "2012-11-22T02:23:08Z")
There’s one in Canberra (well, very near). They call it a [Bobsled Alpine Slide](http://www.corin.com.au/bobsled.htm). It’s great fun. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/13 "2012-11-22T23:21:06Z")
Our friends took us to a huge one in [Germany](http://www.alpsee-bergwelt.de/spass/alpsee-coaster/), commonly called a rodelbahn over there I can confirm that they are immense fun. Even more so when you realise that the brakes are simply not needed. We took our little ones on aged 3 and 5 and they loved it. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/14 "2012-11-23T11:42:04Z")
I have always know them as Alpine Slides but with a fiberglass material, or perhaps some smooth concrete track - hard to tell but the color is of cement. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/15 "2012-12-05T00:30:12Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > The one I linked to looks close to some of the alpine coasters linked here, but I liked the fact that by shifting your weight or regulating your speed you could change how much you banked turns (I’ve ridden it before). There is no connection the track at all. That might not work very well in the litigious United States. I went on one in New Zealand that had a concrete track with a similar design to the one you linked to in Germany. You could take a pretty decent flyer off the track if you tried to. I was sitting next to an ER doc on the bus out of town and asked him about it. He said that they get almost a broken arm a day. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/16 "2012-12-05T00:55:57Z")
You can take one to get off of the reconstructed Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. And yes, it is awesome. > **[The High Definite - Situs Informasi Paling Lengkap](https://www.thehighdefinite.com)** > > Situs informasi paling lengkap tentang ratusan pembahasan di Indonesia. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-fun-dry-steel-tube-luge-type-thing-called/641754/17 "2012-12-05T13:10:00Z")
There’s one in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I don’t know the name, but it’s part of a little theme park (if you could call it that) called Uber Gatlinburg (or Ober Gatlinburg or something).