XLR-8

XLR-8
XLR-8
	XLR-8 in 2004 showing the different orientation of cars
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
General statistics
Type	Steel – Suspended
Manufacturer	Arrow Dynamics
Model	Suspended roller 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 steel suspended roller coaster. It was designed by Arrow Dynamics (at the time called 'Arrow-Huss') and located at Six Flags Astroworld from when it was constructed in 1984 until AstroWorld closed in 2005. XLR-8 was the successor to the troubled Bat at Kings Island, which had closed due to several problems.

Halloween Fright Fest 2002

For Astroworld's Fright Fest 2002 event, the last four cars were reversed, which had never been done before on any other suspended roller coaster. The change was successful and the trains remained like that until Astroworld's closure in 2005.

Closure

On September 12, 2005, it was announced that Astroworld would close permanently at the end of the 2005 season and would be demolished shortly afterwards. XLR-8 closed along with the rest of the park on October 30, 2005. On February 3, 2006 the ride was sold for $50,000 and was scrapped. The train cars were sent to Six Flags Magic Mountain, where they are now used as trains for Ninja.

References