page:  = Silver Bullet ( roller coaster ) = 
   
   Silver Bullet is a western @-@ themed steel 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 . 
   
   = = History = = 
   
   On May 28 , 2003 , a trademark for the name " Silver Bullet " was filed by Cedar Fair , the owners of the park . Construction for the new roller coaster began in September 2003 with the relocation of The Church of Reflections . As part of a $ 85 million investment in all Cedar Fair parks , Silver Bullet was announced to the public on December 1 , 2003 . The final piece of track was placed on September 30 , 2004 . 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 . 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 . Silver Bullet was also one of four attractions that opened at Knott 's Berry Farm in the same year and carries a western theme . 
   
   = = Ride experience = = 
   
   Silver Bullet 's layout passes through three of the park 's themed areas : Ghost Town , Fiesta Village , and Indian Trails . 
   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 ) loop . After exiting the loop , the train makes a banked right turn leading into the 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 . One cycle lasts approximately two minutes and thirty seconds . 
   
   = = = 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 located in Batavia , Ohio and erected by Coan Construction Company . The track is filled with sand to reduce the noise made by the trains . Silver Bullet was also the first Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster to use magnetic brakes in the brake run . The track and supports of the lift hill are red , with the remaining track being yellow with red rails and the remaining supports colored white . 
   
   = = = Trains = = = 
   
   Silver Bullet operates with two steel and fiberglass trains . Each train has eight cars that can seat four riders in a single row , for a total of 32 riders per train . The seats are coloured light blue , with orange over @-@ the @-@ shoulder restraints and tri @-@ color wheel coverings ( red , orange , and yellow ) . 
   
   = = 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 . " 
   
   = = = 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 . The roller coaster has never placed on the Golden Ticket Awards . 
   ^ No Steel Roller Coaster Poll was held in 2011 . 
   
   