XLR-8
Defunct roller coaster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
XLR-8 (pronounced "accelerate") was a suspended roller coaster located at the defunct Six Flags AstroWorld. Manufactured by Arrow Huss at a cost of $3.2 million,[1] the ride opened to the public in 1984, where it operated until the park's closure in 2005. It was one of Arrow's first attempts at producing a successful suspended coaster following troubles with The Bat at Kings Island, which operated briefly from 1981 to 1983.
| XLR-8 | |
|---|---|
XLR-8 in 2004 showing the different orientation of cars | |
| Six Flags AstroWorld | |
| Location | Six Flags AstroWorld |
| Coordinates | 29.674818°N 95.405643°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | May 12, 1984 |
| Closing date | October 30, 2005 |
| Cost | $3.2 million |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Suspended |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Model | Suspended Coaster |
| Height | 81 ft (25 m) |
| Length | 3,000 ft (910 m) |
| Speed | 34.1 mph (54.9 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 3:00 |
| Height restriction | 42 in (107 cm) |
| XLR-8 at RCDB | |
History
Car reversal
For AstroWorld's Fright Fest 2002 event, the last four cars on XLR-8's trains were reversed, a first for a suspended roller coaster.[2] The change proved popular and successful, and the trains remained reversed until the park's closure in 2005.[3]
Closure
In September 2005, it was announced that AstroWorld would not reopen for the 2006 season.[4] XLR-8 closed along with the rest of the park on October 30, 2005, and was later demolished.[2] A portion of the trains were sent to Six Flags Magic Mountain for use on Ninja.[2][3]