Xcelerator Facts For Kids

Quick facts for kidsXcelerator
Knott's Berry Farm
Location	Knott's Berry Farm
Park section	The Boardwalk
Coordinates	33°50′45″N 118°00′03″W / 33.84583°N 118.00083°W / 33.84583; -118.00083
Status	Operating
Opening date	June 22, 2002
Cost	$13,000,000
Replaced	Windjammer Surf Racers
General statistics
Type	Steel – Launched
Manufacturer	Intamin
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Accelerator Coaster
Track layout	Dual Overbank Figure 8
Lift/launch system	Hydraulic catch car launch
Height	205 ft (62 m)
Length	2,202 ft (671 m)
Speed	82 mph (132 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	1:02 (25 seconds from launch to brakes)
Max vertical angle	90°
Capacity	1,330 riders per hour
Acceleration	0 − 82 mph (132 km/h) in 2.3 seconds
Height restriction	52 in (132 cm)
Trains	2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Xcelerator at RCDB

Xcelerator is a super-fast steel roller coaster located at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It was built by a company called Intamin. This ride is known for its amazing launch, which sends riders zooming forward!

Contents

• The Ride Experience
• Common Ride Issues
• Images for kids
• See also

The Ride Experience

When you get on Xcelerator, your train connects to a special "catch car" under the track. This car pulls the train back a little bit. Then, in just 2.3 seconds, the train is launched forward! It reaches a speed of 82 miles per hour (132 km/h) right from the start.

After the launch, the train races over a tall, 205-foot (62 m) tower. This part is called a "top hat" element because of its shape. Next, the train goes through two turns that are tilted a lot, called "overbanked turns." One turn is 110 feet high, and the next is 95 feet high. Finally, the train slows down smoothly using special magnetic brakes.

Common Ride Issues

A train almost stops at the top of the hill

Sometimes, a train might not go fast enough to make it all the way over the 215-foot (66 m) top hat tower. If this happens, the train will try to go up the tower, stop, and then roll backward to the station. This is a normal part of the ride's design and is called a "shortshot."

When a shortshot happens, the ride usually closes for a short time. This allows the park staff to reset and test the roller coaster several times. Only after these tests is it safe to open the ride again. Several things can cause a shortshot. These include rain, the total weight of the riders, how many times the ride has launched, the outside temperature, and if the ride's parts get too hot.

Xcelerator will not operate when it is raining. This is to prevent shortshots from happening when the launch track is wet. The track needs to be completely dry before the roller coaster can be tested and opened again.

Images for kids

• 

  Xcelerator's Red Train exits the first overbanked turn.

• 

  Xcelerator's former Yellow Train (since repainted) cruises to a smooth stop on the magnetic brake run.

See also

In Spanish: Xcelerator para niños