Xcelerator top hat tops off

I think I'll have to move my trip to KBF up to an earlier date...May sounds good.

All I can say is that this is shaping up to be one really cool ride. Now I really can't wait to ride Xcelerator.
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hmmmm...that doesn't look so bad...I'll ride it!

My jaw dropped when the westcoaster main page loaded. Wow. Absolutely, just, wow.

*runs to mom* "Can we go back to California and visit Uncle Allen?" heh...

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Tommy Penner - Variable X
"Yes. The Force is strong in that one." - Stifler, AP2.

Wow! I think I should get paid for the design. I made a coaster like that with Knex 5 years ago.

The ride is to utilize lap-bar restraints. No horse collar restraints. Intamin AG's Sandor Kernacs confirmed this at the Knott's Coaster Solace recently.

Um, I don't think I'd like to crest the top of that tower with OTSR. Nah that would'nt work out so well. ;)

WHAT?!?!?! I cant Wait to go to Cali this SUMMER!:):):)

Dear God, how does the top that stay up?!?!?!?! It looks as if its about to fall over if any weight is put on it all!

Why did this have to be posted, I have drool all over my lap now!

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"I don't wanna grow up"
~The Ramones *** This post was edited by Twistamaniac on 4/11/2002. ***

Its Ugly. Its Bad.

That tophat has a sag.

Im packing up my bags.

And suffering jet lag.

To ride this in the Summer.

and get a sticker for my bumper.

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If Lifes a Rollercoaster, I want a Flawless

I love drooling like a tard over Xcelerator. This thing is just complete madness. I really can't wait to ride... I'm shaking just thinking about it. I'm thinking that Xcelerator will be the one roller coaster that will acutally scare me. Nothing has done that since my first ride on Goliath (Opening Day). Even X just amused me because I had been waiting for so long.

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Adam Black >> adam@mouseinfo.com
www.americacoasters.com | www.mouseinfo.com

Looks like it's right on target as far as construction goes. Hopefully testing will grace along just as smoothly as we've seen construction so far!

Dear God, how does the top that stay up?!?!?!?!

Easy... It's like a parabola. You, well, float over the top....

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Def Leppard - "X" - August 2002.

This is going to be one beautiful ride. (tear comes to eye) I've waited so, so long for a serious coaster to take root at knotts. Now im just so happy. 5 more weeks!!

LOL!

Some of the reactions I am reading remind me of when folks saw their first glimpse of S:UE back a couple of years ago. This however looks even sicker.

Stengel is INSANE.........in a very good way. =:^)

-Sean *** This post was edited by Sean F. on 4/11/2002. ***

This ride should definitely give X a good run for it's money, Although....anyone who has been on X already like myself knows X can't be topped! ;-)

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Dear God!

I hate to say it but I think Knott's is on track for another Intamin fatality this season... what is that and should humans be allowed on it?

I personally think the ride is ugly looking, but besides that it will give a great ride. It seems like construction is going pretty quickly. I can't wait for more construction shots.

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QUTOE: "The brake fins are all located on the launch... and you'll also notice the launch is at an angle, allowing the train to glide gently back into the station if there is an aborted launch/short shot."

"When a rollback occurred, I am not too sure I would want to trust Intamin's magnetic braking system given the ummm errr burps it had last year. " End QUOTE

Why would you even think this or say this? If the parks trust the brake system installed on this ride then why shouldn't you.

Based on your comments it appears that you know nothing about the cause of the accident on S:ROS at SFNE.

QUOTE: "There are actuators under the track that will push the fins into an engaged position. Personally, I think things will be fine... the launch is long enough that even if only 2/3 the fins came up due to some accident or malfunction, things would probably be just fine." End QUOTE

With the corrections made to the Intamin rides using the same braking system as on S:ROS it is unlikely that the same situation would present itself. But if only 2/3 of the brakes engaged I would be seriously concerned. There will obviously be more than is necessary, but I would question if the ride would come to a stop with 1/3 of the brakes failing.

Finally, why are people calling this a top hat? In my opinion this should be called an over-the-top element.

Eric:

The parks also trusted the braking system on The Beast, The Big One, SFNE's S:ROS and a multitude of other coasters whose breaks have failed over the years. What's wrong with being skeptical?

And we're calling it a top hat because that's what it looks like. Its not the same as previous top hats but the name is stuck and it seems as though that's what its going to be from now on.

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If the shoe fits, find another one.

Eric,

You quoted from two different person's posts, to whom were you talking to?

If you meant me, then let me shed some light on my feeling. From the first time I rode an Intamin using magnetic brakes I was concerned about failsafes. Mr Reid can attest to my initial feelings. That's just something I think about.

Just because the park is trusting them does not mean people are not going to have apprehension. I doubt I am the only person that will speculate or form an uneducated opinion before riding.

Never the less, I hope this is an incredible ride. I know that Knotts really deserves this attraction and kudos to them for putting it in.

But when, and if I ride, I will have the same thoughts I have had on SROS, and even Hypersonic.... I sure hope those brakes are working properly ;-)

Shaggy

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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.

I was talking to you Shaggy, but I appreciate the response. This is a problem with a non-threaded format.

Response to ravenguy88. We are debating the element name on another site for the fact that a top hat is the name of an inversion on The Chiller at SFGADv.

Also, in response to the brakes... I actually trust a brake system more after it has failed. I feel like one of the potential problems has emerged and as a result has been corrected eliminating one more point of failure.

Shaggy: Magnetic brakes are as perfect as brakes can come. So long as they're engaged and the train is not overweighted or traveling faster than it should be, both of which are not likely. It is a matter of physics here and you cannot defy the laws of physics. That is what makes them so incredible.

I don't recall you being scared on Millennium Force? Where you concerned about the brakes on that one.

So is your concern over the design of having the brake on a device that engages from the side of the track?

I will admit that the S:ROS incident made me question the design. Technically, if the airline hose brakes or develops a leak then the brake should fail in the closed position immediately. The weight attached to the bottom of the brake should force it to engage, but I guess that was not the case.