Monorail disaster

[flippyshark]

This is just completely awful!

cast member dies in monorail crash (http://www.wesh.com/news/19955188/detail.html)

[CoasterMatt]

Wow, that is just terrible. :(

[Scrooge McSam]

I just can't understand this. MAPO shouldn't allow this. Even if Purple was in override, the pilot would have to continually keep the button depressed, else override would have been immediately cancelled.

So sad

[CoasterMatt]

This is much more upsetting than any "celebrity" death, imo.

38 years without a fatal accident is a damned good safety record.

[wolfy999]

Tragic....My heart goes out to everyone involved, especially the family of the boy who died.

[Moonliner]

Tragic and somewhat reminiscent of the recent metro crash here in DC. The automatic breaking system failed due to a faulty sensor. :(

[mousepod]

Wow. Such an upsetting story.

[Morrigoon]

Wow.

[Gn2Dlnd]

Pretty bad. There are, of course, a couple of threads going over at MiceChat with local news links. The photos that I've see only reveal damage to the trains themselves, no injuries. One post crash video in which you can hear a young girl become increasingly panicky, otherwise everyone seems extraordinarily calm.

[DisneyDaniel]

My heart does go out to those involved.

Here is a link to WKMG Local6 TV Website which posted a video taken by a guest:
http://www.clickorlando.com/video/19956043/index.html

Note: This scene of the accident video is a little unsettling. The video shows a cast member and guests peering into the collided monorail trying to see if the driver is OK.

[Morrigoon]

The CMs in the station handled the incident very professionally, especially when you consider that they probably know the guy in the cabin.

Very upsetting.

[Stan4dSteph]

Mark Goldhaber has a good summary of the information so far on his MousePlanet blog (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=459). I was very sad to hear this news this morning.

[innerSpaceman]

I trust the source that refers to this as coming from a trusted source.

It was about 2am, Sunday 5 July. The Magic Kingdom was open until 1am, so it was not unreasonable to keep the Epcot line running, though taking off a train might have been expected about this time.

Monorail Purple was in the TTC station on the Epcot beam, preparing to take one or two families back to their cars at Epcot. Monorail Pink was a short way around the loop, ready to back down the spur line that links the Epcot loop to the Express loop, as one would expect of a train returning to the shops.

Normally, cast in the Shop operate the two switchbeams, apply power to the spur line, then radio the operator on the platform at the TTC. They in turn make sure the Express platform is clear and ready to receive a train, and radio the train (Pink in this case) that they are clear to back into the station.

Apparently these instructions were given, but the switchbeam on the Epcot line had not been operated. Because this move over the spur isn't covered by the Mapo rolling block system, Pink was run under "Mapo Override" which limited speed to 15mph.

Backing around the Epcot loop instead of the spur, it collided with Purple at the station at about 15mph, crushing the end cabs of both trains, killing the pilot of Purple, and pushing Purple about 1/3 of it's length out the south end of the station.

There were no guests on Pink as it wasn't in service. One group of five guests were on Purple, waiting to return to their car at Epcot. The guests were uninjured and released from the scene promptly. The pilot of Pink needed Reedy Creek help to exit the cab, as he was four cars north of the platform. He was taken to hospital (probably for drug testing, as he was 200 feet from the point of contact).

Questions remain about why the switchbeams didn't operate, why a clearance was given and relayed, and why the pilot of Pink didn't notice he was on the wrong beam soon enough to stop.

Monorails at WDW are out of service until further notice. The Disneyland Monorail is operating only one train today, but may resume regular operation once the control system has been cleared as a cause.

[flippyshark]

This account seems credible, though 15 mph seems slow for the level of damage that the collision did.

I wonder if this will end the practice of allowing guests to ride up in the cab.

[Morrigoon]

Well, when you consider that the larger part of the nosecone is one ginormous plexiglass window, not so surprising

[Stan4dSteph]

I wonder if this will end the practice of allowing guests to ride up in the cab.People were allowed to ride up front and in back at Disneyland yesterday.

[Stan4dSteph]

I trust the source that refers to this as coming from a trusted source.Can you please give a link? Thanks.

[wolfy999]

With only one Monorail running not much chance of an accident involving another train.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Can you please give a link? Thanks.I would assume that this trusted source wants to remain confidential.

At first I thought 15 mph seemed too slow but I figure these things aren't built with crumple zones in mind.

What an awful thing. I hadn't had any internet contact and a friend showed me a photo of the collision on his phone. Such a shocking image.

[Stan4dSteph]

NTSB to probe crash of Disney monorail (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-disney_07jul07,0,3545685.story)- Chicago Tribune

The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday it will investigate the deadly collision on Walt Disney World's monorail, an unprecedented move by a federal agency best known for probing airline crashes.

[Moonliner]

NTSB to prove crash of Disney monorail (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-disney_07jul07,0,3545685.story)- Chicago Tribune

I expect it will take them several weeks of close examination, oh and they'll need to bring their families with them of course.

[Morrigoon]

The Orlando Sentinel posted a video of the driver that got killed, taken by a family who rode in the nosecone with him a couple weeks before the crash.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=5029407a-0f2d-4569-99ce-a7b43bbab685&src=front

[Moonliner]

Is DLR still running a single train, and are they still allowing passengers in the nosecone?

[wolfy999]

Single Train...yes, Nosecone passengers...yes.

[Mousey Girl]

They had both Orange and Blue on Tuesday.

[Morrigoon]

Saw passengers in the tailcone today

[Moonliner]

Aww geeze, now two buses collided at WDW. (http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D99FR2RO0&show_article=1&catnum=1)

Minor injuries, no deaths but still....

[Ghoulish Delight]

Does this mean the city of Anaheim's going to have to start running only 1 bus?

[Moonliner]

Does this mean the city of Anaheim's going to have to start running only 1 bus?

No but it will mean just one parking tram. Plan accordingly.