Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)

Last updated

Silver Bullet
Silver Bullet sign.jpg
SilverBulletCoaster.jpg
The 105-foot vertical loop on Silver Bullet, its first inversion, is placed over water.
Knott's Berry Farm
Location Knott's Berry Farm
Park section Ghost Town
Coordinates 33°50′40″N117°59′59″W / 33.84444°N 117.99972°W / 33.84444; -117.99972
StatusOperating
Opening dateDecember 7, 2004
Cost US$16,000,000
General statistics
Type Steel  – Inverted
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
ModelInverted Coaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift
Height146 ft (45 m)
Drop109 ft (33 m)
Length3,125 ft (952 m)
Speed55 mph (89 km/h)
Inversions 6
Duration2:30
Max vertical angle40°
Capacity1300 riders per hour
G-force 3
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Trains3 (max. 2 in operation) trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
Cedar Fair Fast Lane availibility.svg Fast Lane available
Silver Bullet at RCDB

Silver Bullet is a western-theme inverted roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard located at Knott's Berry Farm, an amusement park in Buena Park, California. The $16 million roller coaster was announced on December 1, 2003 and opened on December 7, 2004. A first rider auction was also held where people would bid on seats to be the first riders. The track is approximately 3,125 feet (952 m) long and the lift hill is about 146 feet (45 m) tall. The ride lasts two minutes and thirty seconds and features six inversions including a vertical loop, cobra roll, zero-g roll, and two corkscrews.

Contents

History

On May 28, 2003, a trademark for the name "Silver Bullet" was filed by Cedar Fair, the owners of the park. [1] Construction for the new roller coaster began in September 2003 with the relocation of The Church of Reflections. [2] As part of an $85 million investment in all Cedar Fair parks, Silver Bullet was announced to the public on December 1, 2003. [3] [4] The final piece of track was installed on September 30, 2004. [5] On November 5, 2004, Knott's Berry Farm launched a "First Rider Auction" in which people from anywhere in the world would bid against each other in order to be one of the first public riders on Silver Bullet on December 7, 2004. Although sixty seats were made available, only 13 of these received bids. Out of those bids, the highest bid was $200 (US), and a total of $1643 was raised with all the money going to the Speech & Language Development Center of Buena Park. [6] [7] After construction and testing was completed, the roller coaster opened first to the media, then to the public on December 7, 2004 though the initial scheduled opening was on Christmas Eve of 2004. [8] [9] [10] Silver Bullet was also one of four attractions that opened at Knott's Berry Farm in the same year and carries a western theme. [10] [11] [12]

Ride experience

The ride entrance is located in the Ghost Town section of Knott's Berry Farm. [13] Silver Bullet's layout passes through three of the park's themed areas: Ghost Town, Fiesta Village, and Indian Trails. [10]

Silver Bullet's cobra roll Knott's Berry Farm - Silver Bullet.jpg
Silver Bullet's cobra roll

After the train departs from the station, it makes a 90 degree right turn before beginning to climb the 146-foot (45 m) lift hill. Once at the top, the train goes through a pre-drop before entering the 109-foot (33 m) downward right drop. Once at the bottom, the train enters a 105-foot (32 m) vertical loop. After exiting the loop, the train makes a banked left turn leading into a cobra roll. Almost immediately after, the train goes through a zero-gravity roll followed by a downward left helix. Then, the train enters the first of two corkscrews which are separated by a banked left turn. Next, the train enters an upward left helix (the beginning of the helix is close to water) before entering the brake run. The train then makes a right turn into a second, shorter, brake run which leads straight back to the station. [14] One cycle lasts approximately two minutes and thirty seconds. [8]

Track

The steel track of Silver Bullet is approximately 3,125 feet (952 m) long, and the height of the lift is approximately 146 feet (45 m) high. Silver Bullet, along with all of Bolliger & Mabillard's other roller coasters, was manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators of Batavia, Ohio, and erected by Coan Construction Company. [15] [16] [17] The track is filled with sand to reduce the noise made by the trains. [18] Silver Bullet was also the first Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster to use magnetic brakes in the brake run. [18] The track and supports of the second brake run to the lift hill are all red. The remaining track is yellow with red rails and the remaining supports are colored white. [8] [14] [19]

Trains

Silver Bullet operates with two steel and fiberglass trains, with a third kept in reserve for maintenance. Each train has eight cars that can seat four riders in a single row, for a total of 32 riders per train. [8] The seats are colored light blue, with orange over-the-shoulder restraints and tri-color wheel coverings (red, orange, and yellow). [18]

Reception

Joel Taylor from Amusement Business praised the ride saying, "In all, it's an exhilarating 2 1/2 minutes from start to finish." He was also impressed with the ride's smoothness and overall excitement, stating that the ride is, "smooth and comfortable while delivering twisting, stomach-churning excitement." [20]

Awards

Since Silver Bullet's debut in 2004, it has consistently been ranked in the top 140 positions in Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Steel Coaster Poll. It peaked at position 99 in 2010. [21] The roller coaster has never placed on the Golden Ticket Awards. [22]

Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Steel-Tracked Roller Coaster
Year20052006200720082009201020112012
Ranking
120 [21]
110 [21]
129 [21]
126 [21]
109 [21]
99 [21]
^1
136 [21]
  1. ^ No Steel Roller Coaster Poll was held in 2011.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitro (Six Flags Great Adventure)</span> Steel roller coaster

Nitro is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Hyper Coaster model opened to the public on April 7, 2001. Since its debut, Nitro has consistently ranked high among steel coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today, peaking in third place during its tenure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolliger & Mabillard</span> Swiss roller coaster manufacturer

Bolliger & Mabillard, officially Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, Inc. and often abbreviated B&M, is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, both of whom had worked for Giovanola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GhostRider (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Knotts Berry Farm

GhostRider is a wooden roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It is located in the Ghost Town section of the park, south of the main entrance. Manufactured by Custom Coasters International, GhostRider is the longest wooden coaster on the West Coast of the United States, measuring 4,533 feet (1,382 m) long and 118 feet (36 m) tall. The ride follows an L-shaped double out and back pattern, with a station themed to a mining building. There are three trains, each themed to a different precious metal, though only two are in use at any given time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo's Chariot</span> Roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Apollo's Chariot is a steel roller coaster at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in James City County, Virginia, United States. The ride was the first Hyper Coaster designed by Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard. It officially opened to the public on March 27, 1999. This coaster is themed to the Greek and Roman god Apollo, who is the god of the sun, music, and healing. Apollo used his chariot to control the directions of the sun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nemesis Reborn</span> Inverted coaster at Alton Towers

Nemesis Reborn, previously Nemesis, is an inverted roller coaster located at the Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, England. It was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) and designed by Werner Stengel, from a concept by park developer John Wardley. It opened in the Forbidden Valley area of the park on 19 March 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumba (roller coaster)</span> Ride at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Kumba is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened in 1993. It stands 143 feet (44 m) tall and has a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Kumba features a total of seven inversions across the 3-minute ride. It is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's oldest roller coaster that is still operating, following the closure of Scorpion in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montu (roller coaster)</span> Ride at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Montu is an inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it is the park's second roller coaster designed by that company following the success of Kumba, which opened 3 years prior. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, a title it has since conceded to Alpengeist at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The ride stands 150 feet (46 m) tall and reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman: Ultimate Flight</span> Roller coasters at three Six Flags parks

Superman: Ultimate Flight is the name of three flying roller coasters currently operating at three Six Flags amusement parks in the United States, those being Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags Great America. Each of these steel coasters were designed and built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard and opened in 2002 and 2003. Since 2003, Six Flags has installed Superman: Ultimate Flight in three of their parks. Themed to the popular comic book character, Superman: Ultimate Flight simulates flying by positioning its passengers parallel to the track, supported by harnesses and facing the ground through most of the ride. In the station, riders board the train sitting down. After the train is locked and checked, the trains are raised into the flying position. After the ride, the seats are lowered back into the sitting position for the next round of riders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dæmonen</span> Roller coaster in Copenhagen, Denmark

Dæmonen is a floorless steel roller coaster at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, it reaches a height of 28 metres (92 ft), is 564.0 metres (1,850.4 ft) long, and reaches a maximum speed of 77 kilometres per hour (48 mph). The roller coaster features a vertical loop, an Immelmann loop, and a zero-gravity roll. Dæmonen replaced Slangen, a family roller coaster, and officially opened on 16 April 2004. A record number of guests attended the park that year, but the public has since given the ride mixed reviews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galactica (roller coaster)</span> Flying coaster at Alton Towers

Galactica is a flying roller coaster located in the Forbidden Valley area of Alton Towers amusement park in Staffordshire, England. It originally opened as Air on 16 March 2002 and is the first flying coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. Guests ride in a prone position, meant to produce the feeling of flight, as the train passes close to the ground, under footpaths, and narrowly past trees and rocks. The ride was refurbished for the 2016 season and reopened as Galactica. It features an 840-metre-long (920 yd) track and reaches a maximum speed of 75 km/h.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goliath (La Ronde)</span> Roller coaster at La Ronde

Goliath is a steel roller coaster at La Ronde amusement park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, it reaches a maximum height of 174.8 feet (53.3 m), a speed of 68.4 miles per hour (110.1 km/h) and a track length of 4,038.8 feet (1,231.0 m). Construction commenced in September 2005, and the roller coaster opened to the public on May 13, 2006. Goliath was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada until it was surpassed by Behemoth, at Canada's Wonderland in 2008. Six Flags announced in 2016 that Goliath would be hooked up with Virtual Reality for a New Revolution experience for the 2016 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Griffon (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster in Virginia

Griffon is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in James City County, Virginia, United States. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the Dive Coaster model opened to the public on May 18, 2007. It climbs to a height of 205 feet (62 m) and reaches a maximum speed of 71 mph (114 km/h). It features two Immelmann loops, a splashdown, two vertical drops, and was the first B&M Dive Coaster to use floorless trains. Griffon was well-received by media and enthusiasts, and it placed third in 2007 in the category of Best New Ride polled by Amusement Today for their annual Golden Ticket Awards. Since its debut, it has also consistently ranked in the top 50 among steel roller coasters worldwide in the same annual publication, peaking at #19 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dive Coaster</span> Roller coaster model

The Dive Coaster is a steel roller coaster model developed and engineered by Bolliger & Mabillard. The design features one or more near-vertical drops that are approximately 90 degrees, which provide a moment of free-falling for passengers. The experience is enhanced by unique trains that seat up to ten riders per row, spanning only two or three rows total. Unlike traditional train design, this distinguishing aspect gives all passengers virtually the same experience throughout the course of the ride. Another defining characteristic of Dive Coasters is the holding brake at the top of the lift hill that holds the train momentarily right as it enters the first drop, suspending some passengers with a view looking straight down and releasing suddenly moments later.

Wildfire (Silver Dollar City) Steel roller coaster

Wildfire is a steel roller coaster located at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the $14-million ride opened to the public on April 4, 2001. It is themed as a flying machine developed by a fictional 1880s Ozark inventor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Behemoth (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Canadas Wonderland

Behemoth is a steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. Designed and developed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), Behemoth opened to the public in May 2008 as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, a claim it held until 2012 when Leviathan opened at the same park. Behemoth is similar to Diamondback and Thunder Striker (Carowinds).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wing Coaster</span> Type of roller coaster

Wing Coaster is engineering firm Bolliger & Mabillard’s designation for its winged roller coaster designs. Winged roller coasters are a type of steel roller coaster where pairs of riders sit on either side of a roller coaster track in which nothing is above or below the riders. B&M began development on the first Wing Coaster between 2007 and 2008 leading to the opening of Raptor at Gardaland on 1 April 2011. There were eighteen B&M-designed Wing Coasters either under construction or operating worldwide as of 2024, with one more standing but not operating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SheiKra</span> Ride at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

SheiKra is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster was proposed by Mark Rose, vice-president of design and engineering for the park, and designed by Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride was planned to be 160 feet (49 m) high, but the park's executives rejected this and the height was changed to 200 feet (61 m). SheiKra reaches a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and has a total track length of 3,188 feet (972 m). It first opened on May 21, 2005, and was converted to a floorless roller coaster on June 16, 2007, following the opening of its sister Dive Coaster Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leviathan (Canada's Wonderland)</span> Roller coaster

Leviathan is a steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. Located in the Medieval Faire section of the park, the Hyper Coaster model from Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard is the first roller coaster manufactured by the company to exceed a height of 91.5 metres (300 ft), putting it in a class of roller coasters commonly referred to as giga. At 1,672 metres (5,486 ft) long, 93.3 metres (306 ft) tall, and with a top speed of 148 kilometres per hour (92 mph), Leviathan is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, taking the records previously held by Behemoth on the opposite side of the park. As of July 2020, Leviathan is ranked as the seventh-tallest roller coaster in the world, the sixth tallest coaster by drop height, and the fourth-tallest traditional lift-style coaster in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Eagle</span> Roller coaster at Dollywood

Wild Eagle is a steel Wing Coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard at the Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It is the first of its kind in the United States and opened to the media on March 23, 2012 before opening to the public on March 24, 2012. The roller coaster reaches a height of 210 feet (64 m) and reaches speeds of 61 miles per hour (98 km/h). In September 2012, the ride was voted as the best new ride of 2012 in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krake</span> Steel roller coaster at Heide Park

Krake is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. It is the first roller coaster of its kind in Germany. At a cost of 12 million euros, the roller coaster features floorless trains, 476 m (1,562 ft) of track, and a maximum height of 41 m (135 ft). The attraction officially opened to the public on April 16, 2011.

References

  1. ↑ "Silver Bullet Trademark". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Knott's Relocating Church for Major New Attraction". Ultimate Rollercoaster. September 12, 2003. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Silver Bullet Press Release  (Knott's Berry Farm)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  4. ↑ "Parks in bloom: Will business blossom?". Amusement Business. 117 (4): 6, 24. April 2005.
  5. ↑ "Final Track Piece Set On Knott's New Roller Coaster". Ultimate Rollercoaster. October 1, 2004. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Charity Ride Auction hosted by Knott's Berry Farm". Knott's Berry Farm. Archived from the original on November 22, 2004. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Silver Bullet Ride Auction Bid Page". Knott's Berry Farm. Archived from the original on November 20, 2004.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Marden, Duane. "Silver Bullet  (Knott's Berry Farm)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  9. ↑ "Silver Bullet, the West's Largest Suspended Coaster, Fires off on December 7". Business Wire. December 7, 2004. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 "In Brief Parks & Attractions". Amusement Business. 115 (50): 7. December 15, 2003.
  11. ↑ Gieszl, Eric (December 8, 2004). "Knott's Prepares To Fire Off New Attraction On Dec. 7". Ultimate Rollercoaster. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Knott's Prepares To Fire Off New Attraction On Dec. 7". Ultimate Rollercoaster. November 8, 2004. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Directions & Park Map" (PDF). Knott's Berry Farm. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 19, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Silver Bullet Front Row on-ride POV Knott's Berry Farm". Coaster Force (YouTube). November 16, 2004. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  15. ↑ Miller, Ken (December 11, 2008). "Scott & Carol Present: Getting On Track With B&M" (Interview). Interviewed by Scott and Carol Holmes. NewsPlusNotes. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  16. ↑ Guido, Anna (November 7, 2005). "Steel plant's business on fast track". Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on January 7, 2006. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Feature Projects". Coan Construction Company. Archived from the original on September 3, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  18. 1 2 3 "Silver Bullet Pictures". Ultimate Rollercoaster. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  19. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Silver Bullet, Knott's Berry Farm | Picture Gallery  (Knott's Berry Farm)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  20. ↑ "Silver Bullet". Amusement Business. 117 (3): 38. March 2005.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hawker, Mitch. "Best Steel Roller Coaster Poll 12 year results table". Best Roller Coaster Poll. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Issue Archive". Amusement Today. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.