Xcelerator

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Xcelerator

A train launching
Knott's Berry Farm Location Buena Park, California, USA Park section Boardwalk Status Operating since June 22, 2002 Cost $13,000,000 USD Replaced Windjammer Surf Racers
Statistics
Manufacturer	Intamin
Type	Steel - Launched - Hyper
Riders per train	20
Hourly capacity	1330
Propulsion	Hydraulic launch
Height	205 feet
Drop	200 feet
Top speed	82 mph
Length	2202 feet
Inversions	0
Drop angle	90°
Duration	1:02
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Xcelerator is a steel launched hyper roller coaster located at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, USA. The ride opened on June 22, 2002 as Intamin's first hydraulically-launched roller coaster. It is a prototype Accelerator Coaster located in the same area of the park where Windjammer Surf Racers and Wacky Soap Box Racers once operated. This is the tallest and fastest roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm. It is one of two hyper coasters in California, the other being Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

History

In December 2001, Knott's Berry Farm announced that they would be building Xcelerator. It would be the first roller coaster on earth to use a hydraulic launch system.

While Xcelerator was set to open in May 2002, the opening was delayed to June 22 of that year.

After an accident occurred on Superman The Ride at Six Flags New England in 2004, Knott's Berry Farm would upgrade Xcelerator's restraints.

The supports were repainted light blue in 2010.

Xcelerator was repainted in 2021 with a multi-colored track. Some portions of the track were red, yellow and black.

The ride was closed for maintenance in March 2022.

Design

Elements
Hydraulic launch from 0 - 82 mph in 2.3 s 205 foot tall outside top hat Over-banked curve Over-banked curve

Following the hydraulic launch, riders travel over a 205 foot tall outside top hat.

Trains

A train inside the station.

2 trains with 5 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 20 riders per train. Riders are secured by lap bars.

Rollbacks

Occasionally, the train will not make it over the top hat element. The train will launch, make it part way up the hill, and roll back into the launch. This is safe and can happen on any launched roller coaster.

Incident

On September 16, 2009, a cable snapped during the launch. A man and his 12-year-old son were hit with debris while sitting in the front row and subsequently taken to hospital, with the 12-year-old suffering damage to his leg. A settlement between the family and Knott's Berry Farm was reached in 2011.

Trivia

• The final round of the cancelled Cartoon Network game show, BrainRush, took place on this coaster. The final contestant would have to spit out answers fitting under a certain category (ex. American Idol winners) while riding. They would then gain the option to double their money in a final round where they would be asked only one question. If contestants answered their question right, the coaster would launch, but if they didn't, they would be forced off without getting to ride. In addition, contestants would always receive the opportunity to earn extra money by eating some type of meal before the ride.

Images

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• 

  A train on the brake run

• 

  Entrance to Xcelerator

• 

  The queue line

External links

• 
  Xcelerator on the Roller Coaster DataBase.

Articles on Knott's Berry Farm
Coasters	Present Coast Rider GhostRider HangTime Jaguar! Montezooma's Revenge Pony Express Sierra Sidewinder Silver Bullet Timberline Twister Xcelerator Former Boomerang Corkscrew Wacky Soap Box Racers Windjammer Surf Racers
Other attractions	Present Balloon Race Camp Bus Calico River Rapids Dragon Swing Hat Dance High Sierra Ferris Wheel Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to The Fair La Revolucion Linus Launcher Merry Go Round Pacific Scrambler Pig Pen's Mud Buggies Rapid River Run Sky Cabin Sol Spin Supreme Scream Surfside Gliders Timber Mountain Log Ride Wave Swinger Wipeout Woodstock's Airmail Former Gasoline Alley Gran Slammer Hammerhead Perilous Plunge RipTide Screamin' Swing Sky Jump VertiGo Voyage to The Iron Reef WindSeeker