Xcelerator is a engineering marvel

Xcelerator is a modern wonder of the world.

Who what of thought Knott's/Intamin could create a hyper in that small footprint. I'm aw struck. Especially, the top hat with the minmial support in between the two towers.Xcelerator really will revolutionize how we will ride coasters in the future. The coaster allows alot of thrills in a very tight space.The design possibalities are now limitless.

I agree.

For those who are more inclined in an engineering sense, will the top hat of Xcelerator shake (like an Impulse or Absolutely Insane) ride becuase of its lack of suppourt.

That would complete the visual appeal of this ride.

Either way the imposing top hat framed by two overbanked turns is so visually powerful... I like it!

-----------------
Xcelerator-
0-82 in 2.3 seconds! =Wow!

Expect quite a few parks to order their own version of this new Intamin ride.

Yes it will shake. It doesn't take much for the track/supports to shake on any coaster. If they were built rigid and not shake, they'd literally fall apart at the seams. Go have a look at any coaster, it doesn't have to be a 200ft monster with a 50ft gap between supports. Even a kiddies coaster like a RollerSkater shakes (in particular around that turn over the station, if you want to see it).

I agree that it is an engineering marvel. However don't call this some new great thing - bridges have been built for the past 20 years with minimal supports in similar ways to Xcelerator. Don't get me wrong it is an amazing ride.

I haven't seen specs on this launch system, but I'll guarentee it uses far less power than the electro-magnetic systems that are floating around, almost seem to have come and gone. Whats more, this layout shows, not only that great rides can be built in small spaces, but to be honest, from the footer locations in the photos, it looks to me to be a great deal shorter than it could have been.

Just thinking about all the tight small twisted balls of steel that potentially can come out of this company in the next few years makes me excited. You've got the smoothest of any coaster, a launch that can match an S&S coaster. And finally, trains that are said to be very comfortable and open, and are capable of twisting and turning equal to a B&M. And a price tag that will be quite enticing to parks.

This ride has the potential to become big, and I just hope it does!

-----------------
So what if the best coaster in Australia is a second hand Arrow?
http://www.totalthrills.com

Im also amazed at how you can have minimal supports for such a tall coaster. If you look at the current contruction pics, where the track is right now the supports have stoped, but there is still like 70- 80' of supportless track left. I think coaster technology is moving about as fast as computer technology. There is always going to be something new and better every year. I just cant wait to get down to KBF and ride that monster! By the way does anybody know a target date for it's opening?

And i would love to see something like Xcelerator at PGA because they need some kind of launch ride! Greased Lightnin' just aint cuttin it.

-----------------
GET READY FOR THE WORLD'S FIRST FULL WORKING K'NEX BOOMERANG! OPENING IN FEB. 2002

*** This post was edited by PGASFMW on 4/10/2002. ***

The key is just the truss-style track. Triangles are an engineer's friend. There's no reason that kind of track couldn't have been produced sooner, but there was little reason to when supports generally didn't have to be so tall. Now that they do need to be taller, they're more expensive, so the fewer you need the better.

-----------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Does anyone think PKI could get one. It looks like it could fit where KK used to be. That , I think, would be better than an Arrow BATic. Plus PKI already has so many suspended/inverted coasters. I wouldn't mind a B&M inverted though. If you don't think there is enough room where KK used to be then what if they removed Days Of Thunder.

I think anything concerning PKI is possible right now. Anything you hear is jsut wild speculation and probably way, way off.

-----------------
If the shoe fits, find another one.

Jeff said:

The key is just the truss-style track. Triangles are an engineer's friend. There's no reason that kind of track couldn't have been produced sooner, but there was little reason to when supports generally didn't have to be so tall. Now that they do need to be taller, they're more expensive, so the fewer you need the better.

Also the top hat is a lightly loaded structure. It's the bottom of hills where you're pulling positive Gs that's the killer.

Jeff hit the nail on the head here. It's not that the Intamin Top Hat (or Paper clip, as I call it) has "not enough" supports. The box track with all of the cross beams supports itself quite well. Of course it still needs vertical supports, but not nearly as many as something like Arrow looper track.

Oh yeah, and it looks freaky too!

-------------
Nothing... NOTHING... can prepare you for... the Fourth Dimension!

Jeff, did you forget about Mindbender at SFoG and Shockwave at SFoT? Schwarzkopf used track like that for years!

-----------------
Webmaster of Travis's Websites of Infinite Boredom!
Less than 2 months until SFGAm opens!

Instead of moving ahead in ride design, I think most importantly we need better line queue systems (not FastPass etc.) but ways to help capacity go fast w/o a hitch. I agree Xcelerator is looking nice though.

UPDATE:

Drove by Knott's today and the "top hat" is finished! Knott's now officially has a new skyline. Both the rise to the element, the "bunny top" and the drop afterwards are done! I must tell ya, it looks terrific, my mouth is watering for this ride. I'm sure Westcoaster and ACN will have pictures up soon. :)

Now that you mention it Xcelerator is prettyu amazing. I can already tell it will be a great coaster and its in such a small space. Intamin and Knotts did an excellent job.

-----------------
Millennium Force......It has its ups and downs.

www.helpmeineedtorideacoastercauseithasbeentoolongsinceihaveriddenoneandiam goingtogocrazyoneverybodyreadingmysignaturerightnow.com
I have 32 coasters in my track record.....I'm so proud of myself.

PGASFMW said:

And i would love to see something like Xcelerator at PGA because they need some kind of launch ride! Greased Lightnin' just aint cuttin it.

If you're ofering up an Anton launched loop, we'll take it here in FL...;)

And not to mention all of the positive qualities above, but it would seem that capacity here would be very good as well.

Its a short ride, with lapbars, and can run two trains. That should produce a pretty strong capacity number. 1300 guests per hour. That is as good or better as most rides out there.

I think that this ride has huge potential all around the industry. Perhaps CP would like one... (taller, faster and longer of course)?

-----------------
Xcelerator-
0-82 in 2.3 seconds! =Wow!

rollergator said:

PGASFMW said:

And i would love to see something like Xcelerator at PGA because they need some kind of launch ride! Greased Lightnin' just aint cuttin it.

If you're ofering up an Anton launched loop, we'll take it here in FL...

I bet nobody would even realize the shuttle would be gone if we had something like Xcelerator! If i could i would be glad to give it to y'all.