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The first alpine slides and the mountain coasters of today have the same principle for breaking the sled which is you have to put pressure on the brake lever in order for the sled to roll.  If a rider stops putting pressure on the brake lever the brake is engaged slowing the cart as a sort of a dead mans switch.



With tubular steel track revolutionizing the coaster world in the 1970's it is no surprise that the concept of the alpine slide was taken to the next level with the use of the tubular steel track used for mountain coasters.



Just like in the coaster world being locked to tubular steel mountain coasters are safer and you can do more with the ride such as adding helices and steeper drops.



Most of the alpine slides that I have seen use ski lifts to transport the rider and sled to the top while with the sleds locked to the rails of a mountain coaster it makes sense for the rides to have a closed circuit with a traditional coaster lift for the uphill portion of the ride.



Speaking of the lift portion of the ride we are still going uphill,



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Paul B. Drabek