Linear motor driven amusement ride and method of controlling

A waterslide amusement ride having in a portion thereof, a linear induction motor (30) to efficiently and effectively affect the motion of a vehicle (20) sliding on the ride. The linear induction motor comprises linear induction motor units (30) embedded below a sliding surface (16), and a reaction plate (32) mounted to the bottom (22) of the vehicle. Depending on the configuration of the linear induction motor units and the reaction plate, the linear induction motor drive can be used to accelerate the vehicle, decelerate the vehicle, maintain the speed of the vehicle up an uphill section, or rotate the vehicle.