XLR-8 | |
---|---|
Six Flags AstroWorld | |
Location | Six Flags AstroWorld |
Coordinates | 29°40′29″N 95°24′20″W / 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 |
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.
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]
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]