Planet Coaster 2 introduced a feature that lists the manufacture for each of the tracked rides and roller coasters in the game. These manufacturers are parodies of real-life companies. This is a list of their equivalents in real life, and a few of the details about them.

Anton is based on the Schwarzkopf Roller Coaster Company, Schwarzkopf Industries GmbH. The in-game parody takes its name from the first name of the founder, Anton Schwarzkopf. Born in Germany before the Second World War in Bahlingen, Schwarzkopf built a number of different products including flat rides and coasters that were marketed as traveling attractions. The most famous of these included the Looping Star and Shuttle Loop Coaster designs, on which the Anton Looping model in Planet Coaster is based. Schwarzkopf built the first modern roller coaster with a vertical loop, Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia California. It was at Schwarzkopf where designer Werner Stengel first worked as a roller coaster designer.


Photo of Montezooma's Revenge (now MonteZOOMA: The Forbidden Fortress at Knott's Berry Farm by Jeremy Thompson.)

Examples of rides built by Schwarzkopf include the aforementioned Revolution, as well as rides like Montezooma’s Revenge, (note the spelling, two o-s,) one of the only remaining shuttle loop designs, and Olympia Looping, the largest portable roller coaster in the world. Schwarzkopf also designed and built the collider type flat ride seen in game.

Big M’s Rides is a reference to Mack rides. Another German based company, Mack was founded in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, nearly 250 years ago in 1780. It is the oldest company in-game. Mack originally began as a company that built carriages and stagecoaches but soon began to build stages for traveling showmen and eventually wooden roller coasters. Mack continues to build an enormous variety of rides of almost every type. Mack is also the only one of the companies here that also owns and operates their own theme park, Europa Park in Baden-Wurttemberg. The park is both a celebration of European Culture, and a showcase of Mack’s ride technology.

City Peninsula does not appear to be based off any one company but instead represents an homage to the golden age of roller coasters in the 1920s. The name City Peninsula may be a reference to the fact that many of the coasters built in this age were built as attractions at city garden parks, or on boardwalks and peninsulas. The coaster train styling takes cues from trains designed by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. Designers who lived and worked in this time included Prior and Church who designed Playland’s Dragon Coaster, and Santa Cruz Boardwalk’s Giant Dipper, and Vernon Keenan who designed the legendary Coney Island Cyclone. Coasters from this era are usually protected historic landmarks and influenced coaster design for the future, even spawning recreations of their own.


The Giant Dipper at Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, California is an example of a Prior and Church golden age roller coaster, and is emblematic of boardwalk coasters that were common in the United States in the 1920s. (Photo by Larry Pieniazek.)

Arrow Dynamics was founded as an engineering company that took advantage of military surplus equipment after the Second World War. They quickly became involved in producing small amusement attractions for small traveling fairs and carnivals across the US. Arrow, however, eventually grew into a giant firm that dominated the industry during the 20th century. For most of the century, they were the gold standard in amusement attractions.

Arrow’s success and rise to prominence began with their relationship with the Walt Disney Corporation. Arrow was the prime contractor to build and supply attractions for Disney’s Disneyland in Anaheim California and worked closely with WED enterprises (later Imagineering) to help build the park. Indeed, most of the signature attractions at Disneyland are Arrow attractions. This includes the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world, the Matterhorn, and many of the track rides in Disney’s Fantasy Land (these were based off Arrow’s car ride technology, also found in Planet Coaster 2.) They also worked on building many of the attractions for Disneyworld and helped construct the first Six Flags, Six Flags over Texas.


The Autopia cars at Tomorrowland in Disneyland Park, Anaheim California is one of many rides built by Arrow for Disney. Autopia represented Walt Disney's original vision for Tomorrowland of a future of movement. (Photo by Randomgbear)

Arrow achieved many industry firsts. They were responsible for the first modern inverting roller coaster in the world, Corkscrew, at Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park, California (beating Six Flags’ Revolution by less than a year), for building the first suspended roller coaster in the world, The Bat, at Kings Island, Mason, Ohio, and for building an entirely new category of coaster that began the Coaster Wars of the 1980s when they built Magnum XL 200 at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, the first of the so-called “hyper coasters,” a category of coaster that is taller than 200 feet.**
The Coaster Wars of the 80s saw Arrow build several “mega-loopers,” large inverting coasters taller than 150 feet that featured as many as seven inversions, and continuing work in designing larger hyper coasters. Very few examples of these mega-loopers remain, owing in part to their now rough ride characteristics and hard transitions, including Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Tennessee Tornado at Dollywood.


Viper, at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia California is the last of the remaining Arrow 7-loop Megaloopers. Its future at Six Flags remains uncertain. As of 2025, the ride is still operating. Throughout this video, you can note the discomfort of riders with its rough transitions.

Despite their successes, Arrow was slow to adapt to computer aided design and was heavily impacted by the retirement of its chief designer, Ron Toomer. Its tubular track design became outdated when compared to the box frame construction or truss design offerings of rising Bolliger and Mabillard and Intamin. An excellent and infamous example of this problem occurred when they built Drachen Fire for Busch Gardens Williamsburg, in Williamsburg Virigina. Park owners Anheuser-Busch had sought B&M for two new coasters for its Tampa and its Williamsburg locations, but B&M said that they would only be able to build one. (This would become Busch Garden Tampa’s Kumba.) Instead, Williamsburg contracted Arrow who designed Drachenfire. Arrow had built coasters for the parks before but struggled to meet the complex track requirements which B&M’s new track design could handle. This new design was the first of its kind for Arrow and was one of the first to utilize computer aided design, or CAD. It also featured one of the most advanced ride control systems of any ride then built, and was an early pioneer in PLCs or progammable logic controllers in a ride control system. Despite this, riders complained of a rough experience and the park ended up removing a feature inversion in attempting to address the ride comfort. The discomfort was largely due to Arrow's continued use of obsolete manufacturing techniques which limited the full benefit of using computer aided design. Despite this, the issue was never resolved and the ride closed less than ten years after opening. When compared to its would-be-sister, Kumba offered dramatic features never before seen on coasters, such as interlocking corkscrews, and one of only five coasters to feature loop encircling the chain lift.


Drachenfire was one the final looping coasters built by Arrow and in many ways serves as a metaphor for the company's final days. The ride produced intense discomfort and was closed after numerous efforts to try and address high forces failed.

Arrow’s reputation gradually declined until it went bankrupt, but not before producing X, (now X2) the world’s first, and one of only 3 examples of a 4d Roller Coaster. It also designed the Olympic Torch for the 2002 Winter Olympic games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Alan Schilke, who would go onto become lead designer at Rocky Mountain Construction, and who pioneered its I-Box design and steel topper track for wooden roller coasters, began work at Arrow where he helped design X.

**The first coaster to exceed 200 feet in a full circuit course. The first roller coaster to exceed 200 feet in height was Moonsault Scramble, at Fuji-Q Highland which was the tallest roller coaster in the world from its opening in 1983, until it was surpassed by Fujiyama at the same park. There is some dispute as to the measurement of its height, depending on how one determines the height. This record changes depending if one measures the support structures, the highest point on the track, or the highest point reached by the train, but by any of those metrics, the coaster exceeded 200 feet in height. Moonsault Scramble was built by Meisho Amusement Machines, a Japanese manufacture not seen in game but who's track bares a resemblance to Arrow's, meaning it is possible to replicate it in game. Moonsault Scramble was a shuttle coaster that featured the only pretzel loop ever built and still retains some of the highest load forces of any coaster ever made.

Eddie Fun Mitchell only produces the side friction coaster. It is a parody of Edward Joy Morris, inventor of the side friction coaster. The side friction coaster design is a coaster that features no upstop wheels, only using two sets of wheels, including running wheels and side wheels (hence the name, side friction.) They were an evolution of gravity railroads that formed the first modern roller coaster concept and were typically arranged in a figure eight arrangement. It was not uncommon for coasters of this design to have brakes controlled by the riders or an attendant on the car. Side friction roller coasters are incredibly rare, but there are examples remaining. The oldest roller coaster still standing on Earth is a side friction coaster. Leap the Dips at Lakemont Park in Altoona is an example of a side friction coaster and is a national landmark. As of 2024, the coaster is closed and no longer runs. Rutschebanen in Denmark at Dyerhavsbakken is a side friction coaster (in addition to being the third oldest roller coaster in the world), as is Vuoristorata in Linnanmaki in Helsinki Finland.

Leap the dips is the oldest remaining roller coaster in the world.

Named for Stan and Sandy Checketts, S&S Worldwide began of all things, in producing sports equipment, including bungee jumping and trampoline equipment. S&S marked its transition into amusement attractions with first, exclusively pneumatic-powered attractions then into other offerings. These are rides that are powered by using compressed air to provide acceleration. Because of this, S&S boasts the fastest accelerating roller coaster times of any make on the planet. Do-Dodonpa at Japan’s Fuji-Q highland boasted a 0 to 110 mph speed in less than two seconds. This record has stood for nearly twenty years and is unlikely to be broken. These rides give unprecedented acceleration but are notorious for their reliability. Nearly all of the S&S launched compressed air coasters, including Do-Dodonpa have closed due to their intense upkeep requirements. Today S&S has ceased production of its pneumatic coasters, but still produces pneumatic powered flat rides, including drop towers (a-la Resurgence in game) and focuses mainly on small, compact rides. The company is currently owned by Sansei Technologies of Japan.

Do-Dodonpa held the record for the fastest acceleration time of any roller coaster ever built. It is unlikely its record will be broken. Unlike most steel roller coasters which use polyurethane wheels (or steel in the case of wooden coasters) S&S air launched coasters used pneumatic rubber tires, similar to those used in aircraft in order to reduce the noise of the wheels at launch.

Giovanola was a Swiss steel maker that served as a subcontractor to Intamin. It provided steel and structural components for its rides and made licensed flat rides for contract. They had a very brief and mostly unremarkable history as ride makers. However, they did produce a few notable attractions including the mostly identical Titan and Goliath at Six Flags over Texas and Six Flags Magic Mountain respectively. The company’s long history came to an end due to financial troubles that stemmed from it being overextended in too many areas. In addition to its amusement attractions, they also provided civil engineering services for hydroelectric plants. This caused trouble for the company and led to them shuttering in 2004. Giovanola’s track design was identical to Bolliger and Mabillard’s own box frame design. This is because it was designed by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, who had started their careers working for Giovanola!


Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain is the tallest roller coaster in California with a conventional chain lift, and is a Giovanola design.


Giovanola also built inverted roller coasters nearly identical to B&M offerings. They had two-abreast seating as opposed to the four seats seen on B&M trains.

Great Coasters International is a maker of wooden rollercoasters. In the 1990s they began the wooden coaster renaissance with their new, radical take on wooden coaster designs. Prior to their work, wooden coasters were mostly known for long, so-called “out-and back” designs that saw the track go along a course, then double back and return alongside itself. GCI changed the formula with twister coasters, which crossed over itself many times, in confusing and exciting layouts. GCI coasters were universally praised for their smooth running and twists and curves, something that many believed wooden coasters couldn’t achieve. In addition, GCI provides for retracking and restoration of older wooden coasters and designs their own coaster trains designed inhouse, such as the Millenium Flyer train. In 2020 they revealed a prototype steel topped track to rival that of Rocky Mountain Construction, who is arguably responsible for starting a second Coaster Wars. GCI is likely to have a prominent continuing future and a possible direct rivalry with RMC.


Thunderbird at PowerPark Finland is the first GCI coaster outside of the United States.

Rocky Mountain Construction is a prominent manufacturer that is arguably responsible for instigating a second Coaster War. RMC originally was a private construction company that built custom homes and even zoo exhibits. They later went on to build water flumes and water slides. In 2009, Alan Schilke, who had previously worked with Arrow Dynamics, joined RMC to provide custom engineering and design expertise. He helped design a new I-Box track which could provide smoother running, lower maintenance requirements, and greater freedom in track restrictions than traditional wooden coasters. RMC shook the industry when they retracked the Rattler at Fiesta Texas and then revealed Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City using this new technology. The new track technology used by RMC, a hybrid of steel and wooden coaster technology, allowed maneuvers and track layouts that were originally impossible with wooden track alone, including heartline and zero g-rolls. RMC coasters were rapidly built across many parks thereafter as they immediately became in-vouge. RMC’s own trains run entirely on steel wheels unlike polyurethane wheels that commonly run on steel rails, making them more in line with common wooden roller coaster trains which use steel wheels. (This is reflected in-game!)



RMC's hybrid coaster technology includes a topper track (right) and an I-beam design that uses trains with steel running wheels (left). (Photo by elisfkx)

In addition to these hybrid track designs, RMC also produces two tracks, called Raptor, and T-Rex that are also known as single rail coaster designs. These tracks allow for very compact, but very intense and smooth coasters. The single rail coaster variant seen in Planet Coaster 2 is of the T-Rex variety.

Jeresey Devil at Six Flax Great Adventure

RMC is an international coaster producer, having entered Europe, ironically, in the same way that Schilke’s first company, Arrow, had. Via partnership with Vekoma, RMC has shown the company how to construct I-box track and produce designs locally for prospective clients.

RMC also owns Larson, the manufacturer of Fire Rings, called Helion Rings in game.

Jerry St. Lauer is a parody of the German company Gerstlauer which is most famous for its Infinity Coaster and Euro Fighter Coaster. The company was founded by Hubert Gerstlauer who was a former employee of Schwarzkopf and is now its most modern successor. Gerstlauer acquired the majority of Schwarzkopf’s technologies after its bankruptcy and continues in its role in providing small, compact, and often portable attractions. The Euro Fighter and Infinity Coaster both feature beyond vertical drops, drops where the angle exceeds 90 degrees, often suspending the riders and inverting them for part of the decline. Gerstlauer is mostly a European Company but has an international presence, having built coasters for every continent on Earth.


Hangtime, at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park California is a Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster model. It replaced Boomerang, a Vekoma Boomerang model, which itself replaced Corkscrew, the first inverting coaster in the world, which has been moved to Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho.

Kingdom Isle is a parody of the amusement park King’s Island in Mason, Ohio. Kings Island is responsible for building what was, and still is, the longest wooden roller coaster in the world, The Beast at their amusement park. The flagship attraction of the park for many years, The Beast was built in-house using local construction companies for construction. John Allen, who had designed many wooden roller coasters, helped consult for the project but the lead design work was done by King’s Island’s own staff including engineer Al Collins. Testing of the ride required workers to physically push the train and ride the ride themselves as they did not have testing equipment and computer models to determine design faults when the ride was constructed in the late 70s. The trains of this coaster were made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The in-game Kingdom Isle coaster can be used as a convincing generic coaster for coasters using PTC trains, including coasters made by the Custom Coasters International Company, not represented by a specific in game equivalent.

The mine train coaster in Planet Coaster 2 is nearly an identical one-to-one facsimile of Disney’s own Big Thunder Mountain attraction, which was designed by Disney Engineer (called Imagineers), Tony Baxter. The ride was designed by Disney Imagineering, then engineered and built by Arrow Dynamics. However, as time has passed, Disney has renovated their numerous Big Thunder Mountain attractions several times to update them with facelifts, new scenery and features, for maintenance and safety requirements, and in order to work on neighboring projects. As Arrow has since gone defunct, prime contracting for this work usually goes to Vekoma of the Netherlands, but sometimes instead, a company called Dynamic Structures is contracted. Dynamic Structures has in the past provided refurbishment work for both the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Resort versions of Big Thunder Mountain in situations where Vekoma was unavailable. For unknown reasons, instead of listing Big Thunder as being built by either the in-game equivalents to Arrow or WED/Imagineering (Dart Kinetics and F.D. Enterprises respectively) Frontier has decided to parody this subcontractor for the mine train coaster.


Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain was built by Arrow Dynamics, designed by Dinsey Imagineer Tony Baxter, and has been serviced by Dynamic Structures.

Murphy and Son and Murphy Rides represent the same company, Maurer AG. The German word for son is Sohne. Like Gerstlauer, Maurer can trace its legacy back to Schwarzkopf through a firm that constructed Schwarzkopf rides called BHS. Gerstlauer acquired BHS and builds coasters that have a similar design to those of Gerstlauer. Unlike Gerstlauer however, Murphy and Son’s coasters typically are larger and are usually intended as permanent non-travelling attractions. They have built rides such as the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida and the Spinball Whizzer at Alton Towers. Interestingly, the rides available from this company in Planet Coaster 2 suggest the inverse of the offerings from this company and Gerstlauer in real life, suggesting that Gerstlauer’s own coasters are typically larger and permanent and that Maurer’s are smaller and portable. The two rides available in game represent Maurer’s Skyloop and Spinning Coaster models of rides

Outamax is a tongue-in-cheek joke of the name of the Liechtenstein based company Intamin. Intamin is one of the most storied amusement manufacturers in the industry. No other company available in Planet Coaster 2 is perhaps responsible for more firsts, more records, and more innovative risks than Intamin. Intamin produces almost every ride type imaginable, including every type of ride from every other manufacturer in game. A park using nothing but their attractions would still have a heavy variety of attraction types. In addition to roller coasters, Intamin also makes a wide variety of flat rides. For those who remember the Cube attraction from Planet Coaster 1, Intamin is responsible for this attraction, which they call, the Tourbillon. Intamin also provides engineering services for transportation needs through a division called Intamin Transport, mainly building people movers for convention centers, airports and transportation hubs.


Among their many firsts, Intamin designed the first hydraulic launch coaster. They developed the first rapids ride, the first ride to use linear synchronous launch motors, and the first prefabricated wooden roller coaster. Intamin is known for their extensive use of computerized control and manufacturing which has allowed them to dominate the industry across the world. No other company is as prolific as Intamin is. They also designed the first coaster taller than 300 feet, so-called “giga-coasters” with Millenium Force at Cedar Point, and are the only company to have thus far designed a roller coaster taller than 400 feet. Intamin currently holds both world speed and height records for roller coasters and will likely maintain this record for many years.


Millenium Force was the first roller coaster to reach a height of 300 feet. Its massive size means that it eschews a traditional chain lift for a lighter cable lift system.


The Incredicoaster (originally opening as California Screamin') at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim California was the first roller coaster to feature a magnetic lift system. It is also the longest roller coaster in the world with an inversion.

Intamin’s greatest asset, however, has perhaps been its relationship with Werner Stengel. Stengel, a German roller coaster engineer who began at Schwarzkopf is one of the most experienced roller coaster designers in the industry, having designed more than 500 roller coasters.



Werner Stengel is one of the most prolific coaster designers in the world, and has maintained a close relationship with Intamin.

Both the Star Wheel and Radius Ferris Wheels are based off Intamin Ferris Wheels. Intamin also makes observation towers that resemble Planet Coaster’s Sky Watcher. They also make the Gyrodrop, the basis for the Screaminator, and a swinging ship that is the basis for the Upswing.

Zamperla is an Italian amusement attraction manufacturer that makes smaller, family focused rides that can either be permanent or portable in nature. They contrast with Gerstlauer in that their rides are primarily meant to be marketed for all ages, rather than as a compact option for parks looking to attract thrill seekers. Although the spinning wild mouse is the only Zamperla roller coaster attraction offered in Planet Coaster 2, they make many other rides, including powered coasters and family coasters.

Zamperla makes several of the flat rides in Planet Coaster 2. They make the Monsoon Shoot which they call Big Wavez, the Synchronize, which they call the Nebulaz, and the Disk’O attraction, represented in Planet Coaster as the Boardslide attraction.

Premier is an American ride company specializing in rides utilizing magnetic launch systems, typically of the LIM or linear induction motor type. Premier is represented in game by the LSM coaster, which is based off their Sky Rocket model of coaster, using linear synchronous motors. Linear Synchronous motors feature magnets that produce precisely controlled and timed magnetic fields that are on both the track, and the cars. Premier has been owned and operated by president Jim Seay since its founding in 1996.

Full Throttle at Six Flags Magic Mountain is an example of a Primer LSM coaster and was the tallest looping coaster in the world when it was first opened. It was also the first roller coaster to feature track ontop of a complete vertical loop.

Bolliger and Mabillard, sometimes known as B&M is a Swiss coaster manufacturer that was founded by two former employees of Giovanola, which acted as a steel provider for Intamin. It was this chain of relations that gave its founders, Claude Bolliger and Walter Mabillard the experience to start their own company designing and building roller coasters. The rapid ascent of their company, and the ease of construction of their iconic box sectional track led to the downfall of companies like Arrow. When B&M first entered the industry, their coasters were heralded as revolutionary, smooth, and comfortable. In the years that followed however, many within the industry and many amusement goers began to see the company as stagnant. Their designs and track were strong, but the company was unwilling to take the same risks as competitors like Intamin. Today, however, B&M is seeing something of a resurgence, with designs like their wing coaster proving incredibly popular, and with new track features, such as the cleft turn. B&M is the only other coaster manufacturer to produce giga coasters that rival Intamin.


Fury 325 is a B&M giga-Coaster. It features the first cleft turn on a roller coaster. (The turn begins at 1:08)


Gatekeeper at Cedar Point is a B&M wing coaster. It features a zero-g roll that crosses the length above the entrance to Cedar Point's main gates.


Kumba at Busch Gardens Tampa is the first roller coaster in the world to feature interlocking corkscrews and is one of the very few coasters in the world to feature a loop wrapping around the lift hill. Note the pre-drop hill at the end of the chain lift. Once a common feature, this was to reduce stress on the chain lift but no longer features on newer B&M designs.

Vekoma is a Dutch amusement ride manufacturer. The name of the company is an abbreviation of their full name, Veld Koning Machine Factory. Vekoma had experience in manufacturing steel pipes for the oil and gas industry, and that experience led to them being contracted by American manufacturer Arrow Dynamics to build steel structures for roller coasters in Europe. Eventually, Arrow provided information, training and documentation to build licensed versions of their designs and it led to their independent entry into the market. Vekoma maintains a close relationship with former Arrow clients, including Disney. They are often prime contractors for many of Disney’s attractions.
Vekoma makes a large variety of attractions. Their relationship with Arrow means that they have shared track designs and this is seen in the identical track of the Vector Looping and Dart Looping coasters in Planet Coaster 2.


Gravity Max was the first Vekoma Tilt Coaster and is currently the only model. Several new examples are currently being built. It is identical to an Arrow Looper, save a significant twist to its first drop.

Vekoma also provides standard, off-the-shelf designs that are generic and available for mass production. The most famous (or infamous depending on who you ask) is perhaps the Vekoma SLC or suspended looping coaster. In-game this is represented by the Vector Inverting Suspended Coaster.


Vekoma's Great Noreaster at Moreys Piers is one of many identical Vekoma SLC coasters found around the world.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a seaside amusement park located in Blackpool, England, in the North-West of England. Blackpool has been in operation for over a hundred years and is still a popular resort attraction, known for its lights, and a recreation of the Eiffel Tower, called the Blackpool Tower, once the tallest structure in the British Empire. It is also home to the Big One, the second tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom, and another example of an Arrow hyper coaster.

The wooden wild mouse in game is based off of Blackpool’s now defunct Wild Mouse ride, which was the last remaining wooden wild mouse left in operation in the Northern Hemisphere. Blackpool closed the attraction in 2017, and demolished it subsequently in 2018 after extensive issues with its new magnetic braking system. The space where the ride once stood is now used as an outdoor venue space.


Wild Mouse at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was the only remaining wooden wild mouse in the Northern Hemisphere. It closed in 2017 and was demolished in 2018.

Zierer is a German ride manufacturer known for its family rides. It previously produced a series of family coasters known as the Tivoli which could be prefabricated in either “large” or “small” models. The Tivoli model was superseded by the Force model which is the basis for the Zephyr Junior Coaster in Planet Coaster 2. The Force is distinguished from the Tivoli model in its cross bracing and in the tubular steel rails of the Force coaster, compared to the flat steel rails found on Tivoli models.

The Oceaneering Entertainment System is a wheeled, trackless ride system that is intended to be coupled with a themed audio-visual experience, and can sometimes include interactive components. The reason for the strange naming, is because Oceaneering International, the company which produced the OES has a history in subsea engineering. Prior to their ride technology, Oceaneering International provided marine engineering services for the oil and gas industry, making diving equipment submersible ROVs (remotely operated vehicles,) and provided diving and inspection services. Oceaneering International has had among other ventures, a close relationship with the United States Navy Office of Naval Research, and NASA. It was its relationship with NASA that led to OEI to develop attractions, starting with a Shuttle Launch Experience. OEI combined their experience with robotics and ROVs to make ride vehicles for Universal Studios, which it frequently works with.
Examples of the OES attraction include Transformers: The Ride at Universal Studios, Justice League Battle for Metropolis at Six Flags, and Speed of Magic at Ferrari World. In addition to their OES, the company has made animatronics for Universal Studios and audio-visual equipment for various projects.

Walt Disney Imagineering, founded as Walt Disney Inc and then renamed to Walter Elias Disney Enterprises, was founded in 1952 to support engineering necessary to build Dinseyland. The entity is today, responsible for all research and development for attractions for the Walt Disney Corporation, including for its theme parks, hotels, Disney Cruises, and entertainment venues. Disney Imagineering worked closely with select vendors and manufacturers, like Arrow, in order to bring the creative plans of Walt Disney to practical reality in Disney Parks. They still continue today to design attractions for the Disney Corporation.

In Planet Coaster 2, Imagineering is represented by F.D. Enterprises which builds the in-game monorail, based off the Disneyland Mark VII Monorail, the Steam Boat, based off the Jungle Cruise attraction, found at several Disney parks, and the Powered Rotating Ride, based off the Omnimover, originally created by Disney for attractions at the 1964 World’s Fair: this particular attraction forms the basis for Disney attractions such as the Haunted Mansion, and now defunct attractions including the Adventures in Inner Space.

In Planet Coaster 1, players could chose two different sets of locomotives for the steam train railroad. Iron Horse, and Connie Express. Connie Express is based off the Disneyland Railroad locomotive, C.K. Holiday, named for the founder of the Santa Fe Railroad

The first, and only manufacturer in game that is not a manufacturer of amusement attractions. K.H. Norter is likely based off the Pennsylvania based H.K. Porter, which was a manufacturer of industrial equipment and small scale utility steam locmotives. H.K. Porter continues to exist today, manufacturing lineman grade cutting tools, hydraulic and pneumatic tools. Their tools have additionally been used on the moon, as part of the Apollo Program.

H.K. Porter built steam locomotives from 1866 to 1950, and were the single largest producer of small scale industrial locomotives, including saddle tank locomotives in the United States. They built a wide number of narrow-gauge locomotives, including designs intended for Railroads in Manila, Philippines. Narrow-gauge refers to track which is narrower than standard gauge, defined as 4’8 and ½” which is too large to be practicable in a working amusement park. Narrow-gauge track is found in many amusement parks, including Disney parks, where it is a three-foot track.

The locomotive in game is an example of an 1870s narrow gauge 4-4-0 configuration locomotive, with a wood burning engine, and spark arresting chimney. (Given the lack of dark smoke produced by the locomotive, Planet Coaster’s locomotive has probably been converted to burn natural gas, as is common in restored locomotives in theme parks) These locomotives would be common in logging and mountain railroads in remote areas, typically seen in the American West. It is highly likely therefore, that the locomotive seen in Planet Coaster 2 is based then, not on a purpose built locomotive for an amusement park, but a working locomotive restored for an amusement park.

Pretzel Amusement Rides was an American company that built tracked, themed dark rides that were usually portable and built for traveling carnivals. Many of these attractions were themed to haunted mansions, or houses (ghost trains) and had dark, twisting and curved layouts that took guests through rooms with various scenes. Pretzel Dark rides were found across the country and built over a period of fifty years and represent and important chapter in the amusement industry.

Poma Group is a French maker of ropeways and cable cars. They make ski lifts, as well as cable cars and ropeways for amusement parks, and for urban transportation. In addition to guided ropeways, Poma is a manufacturer of wind turbines and power distributors.