Inversion or Inverter

The two words look alike, nearly sound alike and are occasionally used in place of each other, but there is a crucial and easy-to-grasp difference between them. An inversion turns the train all the way upside down and then back again, whereas an inverter turns you upside-down and then leaves you there. Or starts with you upside-down and brings you back right-side up again.

Example: A vertical loop is an inversion. But if you cut it in half right at the top, (not that we're advocating that...) you would be left with two inverters, because either side would flip the train only once from one end to the other. Many elements are inverters (see half loop, upscrew, downscrew) but the only inverting figures are found on fourth-dimension or flying coasters, where upside-down or right-side up doesn't matter! Inversions are a dime a dozen.


Example 2.1