XLR-8
Defunct roller coaster
title: "XLR-8" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["roller-coasters-operated-by-six-flags", "former-roller-coasters-in-texas", "six-flags-astroworld"] description: "Defunct roller coaster" topic_path: "general/roller-coasters-operated-by-six-flags" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLR-8" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Defunct roller coaster ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox roller coaster"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | XLR-8 |
| image | XLR-8.jpg |
| caption | XLR-8 in 2004 showing the different orientation of cars |
| location | Six Flags AstroWorld |
| coordinates | |
| status | Removed |
| type | Steel |
| type2 | Suspended |
| opened | |
| closed | |
| manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| cost | $3.2 million |
| model | Suspended Coaster |
| height_ft | 81 |
| length_ft | 3000 |
| speed_mph | 34.1 |
| inversions | 0 |
| duration | 3:00 |
| restriction_in | 42 |
| rcdb_number | 134 |
| :: |
|name=XLR-8 |image=XLR-8.jpg |caption=XLR-8 in 2004 showing the different orientation of cars |location=Six Flags AstroWorld |section= |coordinates= |status=Removed |type = Steel |type2 = Suspended |opened = |closed = |manufacturer=Arrow Dynamics |cost=$3.2 million |designer= |model= Suspended Coaster |track= |height_ft=81 |drop_ft= |length_ft=3000 |speed_mph=34.1 |inversions=0 |duration=3:00 |restriction_in=42 |rcdb_number=134
XLR-8 (pronounced "accelerate") was a suspended roller coaster located at the defunct Six Flags AstroWorld. Manufactured by Arrow Huss at a cost of $3.2 million, the ride opened to the public in 1984, where it operated until the park's closure in 2005. It was one of Arrow's first attempts at producing a successful suspended coaster following troubles with The Bat at Kings Island, which operated briefly from 1981 to 1983.
History
Car reversal
For AstroWorld's Fright Fest 2002 event, the last four cars on XLR-8's trains were reversed, a first for a suspended roller coaster. The change proved popular and successful, and the trains remained reversed until the park's closure in 2005.
Closure
In September 2005, it was announced that AstroWorld would not reopen for the 2006 season. XLR-8 closed along with the rest of the park on October 30, 2005, and was later demolished. A portion of the trains were sent to Six Flags Magic Mountain for use on Ninja.
References
References
- (April 12, 1984). "Astroworld to introduce new coaster". The Baytown Sun.
- "XLR-8".
- (March 18, 2015). "Where Are AstroWorld's Roller Coasters Now?".
- . (September 12, 2005). ["Houston's AstroWorld theme park to close"](http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2005/09/12/daily10.html). *American City Business Journals*.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::