How was XLR-8?

This was the ride that was at the defunct Six Flags Astroworld. Was it more like Ninja at SFMM, or Iron Dragon at CP? I haven't tried any of the others. Do you think it was a smart move to dump it, and not move it to another park?

Well, isn't Ninja using it for parts?!? And as so, is it possible that Ninja's better since it gets to cannibalize off XLR-8 and ID has no such luck??

In terms of ride, it was more similar to Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster at PKI. LOL, made ID look like BBW. If I had ridden it forwards, I'd probably think even less of the blasted thing. What a waste of steel, ZERO intensity.

If Ninja is using it for parts, then all the better. At least SOMEONE is getting a good ride out of it...finally! ;)

Imagine a suspended monorail ride going slightly faster than normal. That was XLR8.

Absolutely the worst of the Arrow suspended coasters. It even made Iron Dragon look good.

Whaaaaaaaa? What are you guys talking about?

I found XLR-8 to be quick, exciting and just a whole lot of fun. I had a blast on it.

I was sorry to not be able to take a spin backwards, but the lines where long.

I liked all the coasters at Astroworld, excpet the horrible SLC which was experiencing some serious train issues.

Alreight everyone, in honor of spring, let's violate the TOS. Weee! OK. What is everyone's favorite suspended?

Me? I've been on Iron Dragon, KI's Vortex, Big Bad Wolf, and Ninja. I'd probably say that was my rank from wost to best. Although the Big Bad Wolf has that drop at the end. Wow!

I love the BBW theme. But that flight through the trees down the mountain...getting faster and more intense as you go...now there's a ride. It's too bad it is frequently closed. Although I haven't been in a while.

And I think the Vortex was a LOT of fun. I even got a bit of a kick out of Iron Dragon (it's pretty OK?)

Easily Eagle Fortress at Everland. Non stop action, insane swinging, on a mountain and the thing even got airtime!

Someone posted a video of that on a different recently. After watching I thought, "That's the best suspended I've never ridden!" ;)

Airtime?!

I liked XLR-8 and I rode it twice when we were at Astroworld. This was before they turned some of the cars backwards. I would have loved to have seen this transplanted to SFA so there would be a steel coaster without inversions for the whole family.

Instead, we got Ultra Twister (which was amazing) and I'm 100% sure it'll never get put up due to fairly solid rumors of track problems. We also got their locomotive train cars, which will also never see any action from what I heard due to more problems.

Yes, its got airtime! You also get swings so major and so fast, you get the impression the train is doing barrel rolls! Just getting off the lift, going around the pre drop turns, the train is getting near 90 degrees swinging...

What is the reason Iron Dragon is so much slower than some of the other suspendeds? The layout could have potential, but it's almost as if the ride was designed to be fifteen feet lower than it is.

Seems the best are terrain coasters. Since the supports are above the tracks, and since they need to accomodate swinging trains, the supports just can't be very tall without getting prohibitively expensive. So something on flat land (XLR-8 and ID), just won't have the height to gain much speed.

I think Vortex must be the exception, but I'd bet it was pretty expensive too.

Edit: OK quick RCDB check. Vortex and ID opened the same year (is that correct?) and both cost $4 (is that correct?)...and yet Vortex is almost twice as tall (I KNOW that's correct).

*** Edited 3/21/2008 6:23:43 PM UTC by janfrederick***

well ID has the sweet fog effect. thats gotta run up the bill pretty good huh ;)

Jeeze. I meant Top Gun! Doh!

So throw all that crap out! No price in RCDB for Top Gun, but the height is similar. But is IS listed as a terrain. For some reason I don't remember really thinking it was a terrain coaster. Then again, I can't even remember the name.

BAD enthusiast!

*** Edited 3/21/2008 6:37:41 PM UTC by janfrederick***

Top Gun felt MUCH more "terrain-y" before Sonny went in... ;)

Most of the suspendeds made use of hilly terrain, which meant shorter support structures could have better drops...*and* a better price.

Given the family nature, longevity, consistant drawing power, reliability, etc., Suspended Coaster 1 was a really good value for parks. Surprising more weren't built. The one that got taken down, WAS the right one... ;)

I have only been on a couple suspended coasters. And, they are Iron Dragon at Cedar Point, and Vortex at Canada's Wonderland.

Vortex beats the Iron Dragon with no contest. It is a lot faster ride, has bigger drops, and, some really fun swinging midway through the ride, where Iron Dragon is only fun after the second lift. and maybe exciting for about 30 seconds. The rest of the ride is boring.

The only thing Iron Dragon has going for it, that Vortex doesn't, is that it's a longer ride, and has some nice scenery along it's route. That, and there is usually minimal wait to ride, as a train leaves the station probably every 2 minutes. Vortex usually has an hour wait, with two or three trains running. I heard sometimes only one. *** Edited 3/22/2008 12:31:04 AM UTC by Timber-Rider***

Suspendeds are my favorite breed of steel, but XLR-8 was baaaaaaaad. But honestly, I don't think Iron Dragon has much on it..just that end sequence. KI's Top Gun has always been one of my favorite steelies along with MM's Ninja, but I finally got to ride Big Bad Wolf last year and again last Sunday, and it is the bomb. I am trying to figure out how to get to Eagles Fortress sometime soon. Why can't there be more of those? Wow, just wow!

I'm really curious how much a new suspended on par with Eagles Fortress would cost today here in the states. All of those supports and footings have to cost a bundle. Disney should make their next mountain coaster a suspended. Oh man, the potential. :)

From what I remember of the one Astroworld unofficial site, XLR-8 was made to be moved, but never was.

XLR-8 was pretty bad. Bad as in there was near zero on the fun factor, I suppose the plusses were that it wasn't a headbanger...?

Even if it were to live on by moving it elsewhere, I'm sure riders would have a big "WTF is this?" moment after riding it. Suspendeds had their day and it was rather short-lived, and XLR-8 was easily the biggest dog of the litter. Taking the time & money to relocate that ride would not be well spent. All it would do is up the coaster count to whichever park it went to.