Xcelerator

Xcelerator is a steel launched roller coaster that was built by Intamin, and is located at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.

Xcelerator
Knott's Berry Farm
Location	Knott's Berry Farm
Park section	The Boardwalk
Coordinates	33°50′45″N 118°00′03″W
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 Pictures of Xcelerator at RCDB

The ride

After the riders have been loaded onto the train at the station, the train is first hooked up to a catch car that is under the train. The train has to move back to hook onto the catch car in order to launch. After 2.3 seconds, the train is released from the catch car, and travels at a speed of 82 miles per hour (132 km/h) from the station.^[1] The train then travels over a 205 feet (62 m) tower, or top hat element, and after that it travels through a 110 ft over banked turn, and then a 95 ft over banked turn before coming to a smooth stop over magnetic brakes.

Problems

A train almost stops at the top of the hill

Sometimes, a train does not have enough speed to make it over the 215-foot (66 m) top hat element. If that happens, a train tries to go up the tower, stop, then roll back to the station. This is called a shortshot, and it is part of the ride's design. A shortshot can cause the ride to be closed for a period of time while the ride is reset and tested several times before it can be opened again. Rain, weight, the number of time its launched, the outside temperature, and overheating can cause a shortshot.

Xcelerator will not operate in the rain so that a shortshot does not happen when the launch track is wet. Then the track needs to dry until it is safe to test the roller coaster. This happens so that a shortshot does not happen.