Breaking News, Monorails at WDW collide

[susiemouse]

Fox news just reported 2 monorails collided, killing one driver. They didn't have detailed info, posted local news link.

www.cfnews13.com

[Annette_VA]

Yeah, Kathy just posted the same thing on her FB page. So sad!!

Here's the link she posted:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/19954891/detail.html

[disneyholic family]

oh my god - terrible!

[disneyholic family]

sorry - this was already posted..

[IslandAdventure4]

Thats Horrible!!!

[Disneybridein2k3]

Coming on the heels of the DC Metro accident on June 23, 2009 (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,528203,00.html), this is both very sad.

[safetymom]

The accident at MK happened early this morning around 2 AM.

[jennz]

Very tragic. :(

[cdotla]

Oh my gosh...what terrible news. My prayers go out to everyone involved.

[DISNEYNV]

Horrible news!

[dis2cruise]

Oh this is so sad, my thoughts and prayers go to the family :sad1:

[Disneybridein2k3]

The accident at MK happened early this morning around 2 AM.
I was so upset about the news, I missed pertinent info. I only saw the accident happened yesterday - I didn't see it was after midnight thus making it today. Edited original post to correct. Thanks for pointing that out. Very tragic news indeed.

[susiemouse]

We have had several MBTA (commuter train) accidents in and outside of Boston over the last year and a half. The contributing factor to the last one was the driver was texting. It is so sad, my thoughts and prayers go out to the driver's family.

[Zdog]

This just cleared Associated Press at my TV station:

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Walt Disney World says a monorail at the
Florida theme park is out of service after an employee death.
The Reedy Creek Fire Department tells Orlando television station
WESH that two monorails collided around 2 a.m. Sunday, killing the
operator of one of the trains. The station says no guests were
seriously injured.
Walt Disney World vice president of public affairs Mike Griffin
issued a statement offering condolences to the employee's family
member and saying the monorail was closed.
A Disney spokeswoman declined to discuss details of the
accident.
Messages were left by The Associated Press seeking comment from
the fire department and the sheriff's office.

[TSWJan78]

Just heard this on the Today show.. How sad. Thank god there was no one up front with the driver.

[Launchpad11B]

Very sad. It's the first fatality in the monorail's 38 year history. :sad2:

[auroralark]

How could that happen? That's so sad. :(

[Mouse Skywalker]

Very sad indeed, and a tragic way to end the 4th of July festivities. My sympathies go out to the CM families involved.

[WebmasterLeah]

Here's my story about this accident:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/General_Disney_News/Monorail_Accident_at_WDW.htm

A lot of the reports give conflicting information. I will update the story as more details come out.

[mikelan6]

This is terrible that a cast member was killed.

Maybe it's time for Disney to upgrade and expand their monorail system.

[rotlex]

Oh my, what horrible news to wake up to! My prayers go out to the drivers family, as well as anyone injured or involved!

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

How terrible. My heart goes out to the family.

[Mickey_Man]

We are at the WLV right now and this story is all the buzz here. Everyone is asking the same questions - how could this have happened? What went wrong? It is all over the news and is terribly sad. Word is that the EPCOT monorails will be down today, and possibly all of the monorails. I will update if I hear anything more. Thoughts and prayers to all involved, especially the family of the driver who died.

UPDATE: They are reporting that "5-6 guests" were on board at the time of the collision and were helped out of the crashed monorail, none injured.

[disneyholic family]

edited due to popular demand

[*NikkiBell*]

I honestly do not understand how that could have happened. I thought that they had sensors, etc. to time when one train comes in and the other leaves.

[guynwdm]

I honestly do not understand how that could have happened. I thought that they had sensors, etc. to time when one train comes in and the other leaves.

They have a number of sensors to make the monorails maintain a specific distance from each other. There must have been a number of saftey things not click to allow it to collide.

My sympathies go to the family, friends and fellow cast members at the cast members death. So very sad.

[kpadalik]

Being that the accident happened at 2am, it's always possible that the driver fell asleep. I'm sure it was a long day. Nonetheless, it is a horrible tragedy. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and the Disney family :(

[zendisney]

This is very sad news. My prayers and thoughts are with the people involved.

[Hpyhiker]

How tragic. Our prayers go to the family and friends of the driver. Pixie dust to all the others on the trains.

[myladyisatramp]

Terrible tragedy lets just be thankful the monorails were not packed with people like they usually are. I am sure we will hear how this all happened be it mechanical failure of human error, either way makes for a tragic 4th. at Disney

[LilGMom]

My heart goes out to the family of the CM that died and all of the CM's Disney family as well.

[Stevegriswold]

WOW,

We just rode on the pink monorail in the front all the way around the MK loop a few days ago (Sunday June 28th). They only can fit four up there with the driver, so a few of use rode in the car directly behind the cockpit. The emergency hatch fell open and almost on my head and several of us tried to push it back up to lock it back in place but it would not stay. We told a castmember at one of the hotel stops and they had all of us move out of that car when she could not get it to close either.

More importantly the brakes did feel odd when coming into the resorts. They did not feel smooth and always jerked a great deal on and off. Even another guy next to me commented to his friends that it felt like it needed to be serviced. Could be nothing, but as many times as I have ridden these, it did feel odd, every time we would come into a resort and brake.

Steve

[MarkerMouse]

This is simply aweful. Hope they can soon determine the cause, and implement any necessary system improvements to prevent this from ever happening again.

[disneyholic family]

video from just after the crash -


http://www.clickorlando.com/video/19956043/index.html

[k5jmh]

Very sad! One of the news stations said that someone tweeted at about 9 0r 10 saying that one of the monorails was being temperamental.

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

They have a number of sensors to make the monorails maintain a specific distance from each other. There must have been a number of saftey things not click to allow it to collide.

My sympathies go to the family, friends and fellow cast members at the cast members death. So very sad.

Being that the accident happened at 2am, it's always possible that the driver fell asleep. I'm sure it was a long day. Nonetheless, it is a horrible tragedy. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and the Disney family :(

Terrible tragedy lets just be thankful the monorails were not packed with people like they usually are. I am sure we will hear how this all happened be it mechanical failure of human error, either way makes for a tragic 4th. at Disney

My bolds.

I'm going to post the link to the other thread that's talking about this since I've posted on that one already, but to summarize, I am an amtrak crash survivor, and I pay attention to trains.

The fact that this happened means that Disney has failed FUNDAMENTALLY in providing proper maintence and safety for the monorail system.

Why? Because the drivers are the first line of defense, but there are second and third lines that are in place that also failed. (read the other thread)

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2221105


Failed because maybe Disney hasn't been paying close attention to their second and third lines (maybe because they cost money) and has dropped to one line of defense...

[two-foxes]

video from just after the crash -


http://www.clickorlando.com/video/19956043/index.html

That video made me tear up. The poor guests who were trying to talk to the driver and the kids there....so sad. Speculation is not a good thing at this point, but prayers are with the driver, their family, CMs and guests.

[WaltD4Me]

I honestly do not understand how that could have happened. I thought that they had sensors, etc. to time when one train comes in and the other leaves.

I don't understand either Nikki...and to be coming into a station fast enough to have the impact to kill the driver? I just can't believe it. It's heartbreaking to see the video. No one could get to that poor driver. My heart goes out to his family.

[TSWJan78]

video from just after the crash -


http://www.clickorlando.com/video/19956043/index.html

This video was kinda hard to watch.. so so sad :confused3. My the driver rest in peace.

[BellaOfTheWorld]

WOW,

We just rode on the pink monorail in the front all the way around the MK loop a few days ago (Sunday June 28th). They only can fit four up there with the driver, so a few of use rode in the car directly behind the cockpit. The emergency hatch fell open and almost on my head and several of us tried to push it back up to lock it back in place but it would not stay. We told a castmember at one of the hotel stops and they had all of us move out of that car when she could not get it to close either.

More importantly the brakes did feel odd when coming into the resorts. They did not feel smooth and always jerked a great deal on and off. Even another guy next to me commented to his friends that it felt like it needed to be serviced. Could be nothing, but as many times as I have ridden these, it did feel odd, every time we would come into a resort and brake.

Steve

I can say the same thing. Last weekend we went to see the preview of the Hall of Presidents and rode the pink monorail and the brakes were very choppy. My wife and I commented several times that it didn't feel right and it was actually a little unsettling. The monorail also had to stop several times during the loop and we got the "waiting for further traffic clearance" announcement over and over.

I feel sick over this. I feel for the family of the CM and we were actually there last night to see the fireworks for the 4th. We parked at EPCOT, took the monorail to MK, watched the MK fireworks, then took the monorail back to EPCOT to watch those. We left just before 11 pm, a few hours before the accident.

This whole thing is awful.

[polineedyan]

Just watched the video. That is simply too much. Its awful that they had no idea how to get that door open. Glad the videographer left when asked..

[dstevens]

video from just after the crash -


http://www.clickorlando.com/video/19956043/index.html
Is it really necessary to show and watch the video? I think it's rather disturbing that somebody would even post this and others would watch. What if you or a loved one died in an accident, would you like it being made available for others to watch?

[KatMark]

Our prayers go out to the CM's family. What a tragic story. I'm not sure if this has been posted, but here is the link to an article:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/orl-disney-world-monorail-crash-070509,0,2802055.story

[Hallowishes]

just saw this on CNN and immediately logged onto the computer. this is so sad my thoughts go out to the monorail drivers family may he RIP

[mpetti]

video from just after the crash -


http://www.clickorlando.com/video/19956043/index.html

Oh my goodness this is so sad. I watched the video and it just broke my heart. God bless the driver and his family. :sad1: I hope they find out what happened for the sake of the family. The CM's who drive those monorails always do such a great job and are all hard workers. Bless them all and thank you to all the CM's.

Maryann :surfweb:

[adsrtw]

Such a terrible accident. My heart goes out to all who touched by it.

[PleaseStandClear95]

Wow, the video was too much. I'm glad I watched it but now...

There are many systems that have to fail in order for this to happen, first and foremost the visual driving rules.

I'm sure more will (or will not) come out in the coming days.

Safety always comes first. If the train was not functioning properly the "shop" would have pulled it. There is a deadman so even if the driver did fall asleep AND his hand couldn't hold by the spring-level on the throttle the train would have some to a stop automatically.

The most concering fact to me is you can see the Concourse station (Epcot station at TTC) WAY before you come up on it (even in the dark).

[MissMichelle]

I don't know why I clicked and watched that video..I wanted to see the monorail cars themselves---not an attempt to make contact with the driver who was deceased. At that point Im sure nobody knew what the outcome was going to be. This is SO sad and my heart breaks for the family and those onvolved. How horrible to have this happen :(

[KristyBDJ]

Oh my God....I'm just speechless. I can't believe this!
I have to say though...I did not watch the video above because I just don't think that I can but based on the comments I have to agree that it doesn't need to be shown. I would be really upset if that driver were my loved one. Not only that but I never can understand the people that tape incidents like that. It's like...PUT DOWN THE CAMERA AND HELP! Anyway...so sorry to hear this. We won't be there until after Thanksgiving but I know this will be on my mind then also. My love goes out to the whole Disney family including our family here at this DIS.:grouphug:

[AnneR]

This is just very sad. My heart goes out to the CM and their family.

[chigirl]

I don't know why I clicked and watched that video..I wanted to see the monorail cars themselves---not an attempt to make contact with the driver who was deceased. At that point Im sure nobody knew what the outcome was going to be. This is SO sad and my heart breaks for the family and those onvolved. How horrible to have this happen :(

I agree...I wanted to see the monorails, because I just couldn't wrap my mind around how this happened; we were in WDW 3 weeks ago and rode the monorails zillions of times, I just couldn't understand. System error? Driver error? I wish I'd never watched the video....

The little kids wearing the mouse ears all confused, the people trying to get at the driver, the desperate castmember asking the person to turn off the camera, it was just too much. WDW is such a magical place for so many, this is just sad....I feel bad for all involved. Many thoughts to the WDW family and to the guests involved.

[chigirl]

Oh my God....I'm just speechless. I can't believe this!
I have to say though...I did not watch the video above because I just don't think that I can but based on the comments I have to agree that it doesn't need to be shown. I would be really upset if that driver were my loved one. Not only that but I never can understand the people that tape incidents like that. It's like...PUT DOWN THE CAMERA AND HELP! Anyway...so sorry to hear this. We won't be there until after Thanksgiving but I know this will be on my mind then also. My love goes out to the whole Disney family including our family here at this DIS.:grouphug:

Watching the video, there really was nothing the person filming could have done, but it WAS tacky for him to tape the scene, just as it was for me to watch it. I feel bad that I did.

[PrincessKsMom]

I'm sorry, but I don't think everyone should be getting down on the poster who posted the video link, nor on the person who taped it. At that point, the videographer didn't know someone had died. What if the CM somehow managed to crawl out alive? Everyone would have watched that video over and over again. Also, if people didn't document events, we would never be able to share in the joy and grief when things happen. If you don't want to watch it don't, but don't make that decision for everyone, KWIM?

As for the CM, I'm hoping he had a heart attack or something of that nature and was deceased before the crash. We're also very fortunate no one else was injured and that there wasn't a family riding in the front compartment with the engineer at that time. Prayers for the CM, his family and all who witnessed this horrific event.

[DisneyWithMyBoyz]

I'm sorry, but I don't think everyone should be getting down on the poster who posted the video link, nor on the person who taped it. At that point, the videographer didn't know someone had died. What if the CM somehow managed to crawl out alive? Everyone would have watched that video over and over again. Also, if people didn't document events, we would never be able to share in the joy and grief when things happen. If you don't want to watch it don't, but don't make that decision for everyone, KWIM?

As for the CM, I'm hoping he had a heart attack or something of that nature and was deceased before the crash. We're also very fortunate no one else was injured and that there wasn't a family riding in the front compartment with the engineer at that time. Prayers for the CM, his family and all who witnessed this horrific event.


I totally agree with this statement. That being said, I was bawling while watching the video. I too just wanted to see the cars to see if I could grasp just what happened. The look on the children's faces and the little voice in the background that kept asking his daddy what was going on. It was just way too much. So sad. Thoughts and prayers go out to the CM and his family....as well as his to his extended Disney family.

[Princess Brittany]

This is just horrible. My thoughts go out to this cast member's family and friends.

[lovegrumpy]

Prayers go out to the cm family. Not sure I'll ride the monorail when we go in 4mths. I fell the same way about riding the red line up here in DC.

[lisajl]

Is it really necessary to show and watch the video? I think it's rather disturbing that somebody would even post this and others would watch. What if you or a loved one died in an accident, would you like it being made available for others to watch?

While it is disturbing it may help to understand what happened. At least he stopped filming when asked.

[miss missy]

I just am sad for the driver :( I won't try to figure this out, I am sure they have some "black box" type thing that will help them figure it out. They know what they are doing over there. I would think though, you will not see people able to drive up front anymore, I think those days are gone in the name of safety.

This is just a sad day for us WDW fans :( My thoughts are with the family, and the others on riding in it and the Disney family.

[WaltD4Me]

I'm thinking and sending out prayers for the driver of the other monorail too. One report said he was in shock and taken to a hospital to be checked out.

[disneyholic family]

I apologize to those who were upset by my earlier post.
I should have included a warning or not posted it at all (though it didn't cross my mind, as i didn't react in that way when i saw it on another board here).

in a discussion on the same topic on the UK board (i didn't post the video there - someone else did - i copied the link from there), i wrote the following regarding criticism of the person who took that video:


first of all, there was general confusion at the time, so no one knew what was flying....you can see they're all a bit slow to react....

second, about the taping..

i'm sure the investigators will be very happy to have that videotape to look at...

no doubt there are also security cameras in the area, but that film will certainly help them to know exactly what the trains looked like before the trains were cut open to release the driver...and to see exactly what state the passengers were as they got off the train that was hit...

i wouldn't have filmed it, but that's mostly because i never film anything and rarely take pictures, even when there's a camera in my hand...
but i'm not going to criticize the guy for doing it....some people just automatically start to photograph whatever they see....in order to document it....it's a reflex...without thinking about it..

[fla4fun]

Prayers go out to the cm family. Not sure I'll ride the monorail when we go in 4mths. I fell the same way about riding the red line up here in DC.

I will still ride the monorails. But IF they still let people ride up front, I don't know that I would want to do that anymore. If anything would have scared me off the monorails, the fire they had several years ago would have kept me away. I'll be at BLT a month from now and if the monorails are running by then, I'll be riding them. I've been in a lot of close calls on the buses (none of them by fault of the bus driver) and I haven't been scared off of those either.

I'm hoping that like a tragic airline crash, they will investigate, find out what the problem was, and take whatever steps they need to in order to prevent another occurrence. My prayers go out to the family of the CM involved and the families who were on board when the accident happened.

[princesskelz]

very very sad.
i was on both monorails this week:scared1:
my heart goes out to the family.:guilty:

[KristyBDJ]

I'm sorry, but I don't think everyone should be getting down on the poster who posted the video link, nor on the person who taped it. At that point, the videographer didn't know someone had died. What if the CM somehow managed to crawl out alive? Everyone would have watched that video over and over again. Also, if people didn't document events, we would never be able to share in the joy and grief when things happen. If you don't want to watch it don't, but don't make that decision for everyone, KWIM?

As for the CM, I'm hoping he had a heart attack or something of that nature and was deceased before the crash. We're also very fortunate no one else was injured and that there wasn't a family riding in the front compartment with the engineer at that time. Prayers for the CM, his family and all who witnessed this horrific event.

I'm not trying to get down on anyone or pick any fights...I just don't understand why in those situations your instincts tell you to tape the tragedy rather than run to help, regardless of the actual extent to which you can help. My camera would have gone flying and my but would have been on top of that monorail trying to help. Or if you cant be of any help...it is uneccessary to whip out the camera. As far as posting the link...I'm sure that the poster was only trying to inform all of us, and I totally understand that, it's just too much information in my opinion, however I have not actually watched it.

[HappyGrumpy]

I hope we can all assume "positive intent" for the person shooting the video!

Who knows it may aid in the investigation!

If he had run up to the window and tried to film the deceased driver then THAT would have been tacky! We never know how we will react until we are in a situation like that.

My heart breaks for the family who lost their loved one as well as the driver of the other train. I agree with what was posted earlier and that how this happened in the TTC with ALL safety steps in place is mind blowing.

Now its a wait and see.

[noladave]

I think that is the end of anyone riding up front with the driver. There's no insurance company in the world willing to take that risk right now.

There will be so many investigations going on - civil and criminal, investigators looking at the health of the driver, and any medications he/she was on, also any phone records. After that, you will have mechanical logs that will have to be searched - how many times has that train been worked on, and for what. Also, there should be an automated system that prevents another train from coming into the station like that - was it working, and if so, why did it fail??

A lot of questions to be answered on this. Many legal fees to be spent. In the meantime, I would suspect an immediate suspension of all ride alongs up front. Possibly forever.

And if for some reason, Disney chose to allow ride alongs up front, would you really risk your family's health, after seeing that video??

[DisneyDoc1895]

Some things to consider. The impact of the trains was significant, but those people (other than the driver) walked out uninjured. That is incredible engineering. In that aspect, the system worked.

Obviously the question is why the trains were permitted to collide, and a safety system did not stop them before it happened. But these things happen. Safeties fail. We have seen this over the past few months around the country. It will be investigated and the system will be better as a result.

Autopsy will help prove if the driver had passed out or was incapacitated from a medical cause or if he died of traumatic injuries. My guess is he was unconscious upon impact.

Keep riding the monorail. It is still safer than driving your car to the park.

Re videoing - its what we do as humans. We watch video of disasters and reality TV. So someone has to tape it. In this case, there was nothing anyone else could do. 2-3 guys were trying to get in but it was clear would take a prolonged extrication by Reedy Creek to make entry.

Just some thoughts.

[cdotla]

Quite honestly, I think when DIsney gets the monorail back up and running is when I would most feel comfortable riding it. They will be going over everything with a fine tooth comb to ensure this never happens again.

I certainly hope they don't eliminate the upfront riding. The past safety record speaks for itself.

[CampbellScot]

how tragic. I just can't believe it.

As for the video, I am sure that the person videoing the event was not trying to be exploitative. This is the age of technology. It's what people do. It's second nature for some.It's not like he showed up after hearing of the crash. He was right there and probably in shock himself. Blasting him for not "helping" seems a bit judgmental. We weren't there. We have no idea what was going on. I'm fairly certain that those who will be investigating will be glad to have video of what happened directly following the crash, if only to see the positioning of the trains. I'm sure that Disney isn't thrilled that this video is all over the place, but what was filmed showed cast members and guests alike doing what they could to help. Nothing shameful in that. The man making the video also stopped as soon as he was asked.

It's a terrible situation all around. I just can't believe it happened. My prayers go out to all involved...including the children standing there on the platform. What a traumatic thing to witness. :sad1:

[AKLFan3]

My thoughts and prayers are with the driver and the driver's family. I always feel really safe riding the monorail and I value the cast members who work so hard to make sure all of us have a magical vacation at WDW.

[calypso*a*go-go]

I'm thinking the video will probably be pulled very quickly. I watched and agree it is heartbreaking since we already knew what the outcome was...however it did help me understand the situation much better as I had read a few of the news articles and didn't realize the collision actually occurred inside the monorail station -- I was worried that it happened on the track somewhere and had horrible visions of the two cars suspended above the ground making the rescue effort even more difficult.

My heart goes out to everyone involved -- so very tragic. :(

[miss missy]

just updated at 115pm :( sad for any age, but he was only 21 yrs old :(

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/19954891/detail.html

[brighteyes]

ITA that the guy filming had no idea that the monorail driver was dead, it would seem that NO ONE did, because they were all banging on the window tyrying to speak to him. That is sad...:sad2:

I also agree that investigators are going to be looking at that tape and be glad to have it as well.

And to what another pp said, the family was helped off the train by other monorail attendants, and probably weren't escorted off the platform so they could be assessed when emergency crews arrived. That is my thought.

This was probably also filmed immediately after the crash and I am sure everyone did the best they could considering the circumstances. For all we know the family could have been escorted away after the filming stopped. Who knows?

If I was staying at a monorail resort, never mind the inconvenience of not having the monorail, but the fear that would keep me from getting on it once it was up and running would be another thing. :scared1:

My thoughts and prayers go out to all involved in this crash. Especially the driver and his family :hug:

Very very sad.

Stephanie

[tiggspring]

My husband and 3 kids had a Driver named Austin about this age he was wonderful. If a Pix comes into the Paper or TV please post it . Its amazing how connected you can feel with people you meet so briefly. He said it was his dream job and was so wonderful with my kids. Would like to let family know how special he made our kids feel if it was him. No matter who it was it is so sad :sad1:

[k5jmh]

Document, Document, Document!! That is the one thing I preach when doing security surveys of our facilities at work. I tell the field guys to camera cameras and video cameras to capture all the information they can. It is good practice in business. He was just in the right place at the wrong time.

Most of the Cameras at WDW at Pan, Tilt, zoom cameras and are rarely looking at an event when it happens. Those cameras are then pointed to a location after an incident has been reported.

My condolences to the family and his work family.

[steve76]

My thoughts go out the the Cast Member's family, friends and colleagues, and to all those involved in the incident and in dealing with the incident afterwards. It's very sad news.

Disney will find out what happened and make sure that it doesn't happen again. I will not let this incident stop me riding the monorail.

[Joshua_me]

I clicked on the still photos, that was enough (more than enough) for me to see, I can't bring myself to watch the video.

Three thoughts occurred at the same time for me when I first heard this on CNN:

1) How horrible for all involved.

2) I've got to go get on The Dis to find out more.

3) Cut-backs everywhere, shoddy maintenance, has it led to this ?

It's that third thought that haunts me the most. Disney has a way of clamping down information from all sources even in this technological age.

I suspect the video will "vanish" and that we may never know what really happened.

If the accident had occurred just a couple hours earlier, the monorail would have been packed (maybe over-packed, as often happens) and then who knows what could have happened.

All I know is my thoughts and prayers go out to the young man's family and friends.

[brighteyes]

My husband and 3 kids had a Driver named Austin about this age he was wonderful. If a Pix comes into the Paper or TV please post it . Its amazing how connected you can feel with people you meet so briefly. He said it was his dream job and was so wonderful with my kids. Would like to let family know how special he made our kids feel if it was him. No matter who it was it is so sad :sad1:


So sad for sure, If this was indeed your driver, I am sure the family will be comforted to know how special he made your kids feel. :sad2::sad:

Stephanie

[Decorated_Dust]

When I saw this, I thought it was a joke. A bad one, but a joke nonetheless. I just could not process that Disney monorails would crash. I'm still having a hard time with it. I had been hearing for years about all of the safety precautions they had. I guess in this case, they stopped working.

However, when I heard about this, I could not help but think about all of the horrible train accidents that have happened in the past year all because of texting. I know this is horrible to think, but I have a feeling the driver was texting. I'm not going to speculate any further since there is no way we can know, and he is dead and deserves respect, but it is a suspicion I can't shake. I can see how the monorail drivers would become somewhat dependant on the equipment, particularly at 2 AM. I'm not making a judgement call since I would probably do the same thing, and I think most people here would say the same.

I hope that Disney can resume normal operations soon. I realize they will be looking at safety on the trains, as they should, but we need to remmeber that the monorail system is very safe. Millions upon millions of people have been transported on this line and there has been about 4 accidents and no deaths since 1971. This tragedy would only be the first death ever. It should not be a reason to do any drastic overhauls to the monorail system. Like I said, this sounds to me like a deadly combination of an equipment malfunction and human error.

My prayers are going out to the family. What a horrible thing to happen.

[WaltD4Me]

And if for some reason, Disney chose to allow ride alongs up front, would you really risk your family's health, after seeing that video??

With all due respect, personally, I probably would.

If I never did anything where something bad has happened I would never do anything. I recently took my nephew on one of those Power Tower drops rides, even knowing of the horrific accident where a girl lost her feet. People still go on Mission Space and RNR, they fly in airplanes and drive in cars. People still live in places where there have been earthquakes and hurricanes. What if, God forbid, the people in the back cars of that monorail had been injured, would you never ride the monorail at all again?

Will Disney allow guests to ride in front of the monorail again? I have no idea. Probably not, but if they did, I would take a ride there again.

[disrailfan]

Out thoughts and prayers go out to the driver and his families and fellow cast members. We are friends with someone we know that is a Monorail Driver, we met him on the DVC Member cruise last year. I am thankful to hear that it was not him.

We are due to be in Disney World on Saturday the 11th. I guess we will have to wait and see if things are back up and running by that point.

I do know from talking to our friend that there are a great many safety measures that are in place to keep things like this from happening. Most of the safety features have manual overides though.

Hopefully they get to the bottom of this and can correct the counter measure that failed.

[chickie]

Very, very sad. My heart goes out for the driver and his family and friends.

[cdotla]

I am finding it hard to think about anything else except how the driver's family must be feeling right now.

What most of us associate with WDW are our happiest, most magical moments. Unfortunately that will not be the case for this poor family.:sad1:

[calypso*a*go-go]

In looking at the photo -- I think it's a miracle the other driver was unhurt. I'm shocked to see the deceased cast member was only 21...it seems as though most of the monorail drivers we've encountered were much older, I just always assumed being a "monorail pilot" was a position you had to work your way into after several years.

Do we know the age of the other driver involved? It seems a lot of speculation is swirling around the deceased driver due to age, inexperience, etc...however it could be an error on the part of the other driver. Or both parties might not have contributed to the accident at all -- may turn out to be 100% equipment failure of some kind.

Whatever happened, I'm sure the reason will be reported as soon as the investigation is complete and the monorail will be non-operational for awhile.

I personally feel the whole system is in need of some major refurbishment. During our last visit we rode up front and couldn't help but notice the windshield was so marred (that's the best description I can come up with) that it was actually difficult to see out of. Enough so that we decided we really didn't need to try to jockey for a position upfront anymore.

[tiggspring]

Decorated Dust I have to disagree. Knowing how the sytem works he could have been texting and the train still would have stopped. Here is a great description of the system. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World_Monorail_System
Lets see what happend

[tink576]

Just so sad

[LimoFam5]

My husband works for a big railroad and everytime we go on vacation to Disneyworld, my husband and I and our two girls always ride up front with the driver....NO MORE, I freaked out!
I told my hubby about this story and the first thing he said was....."was the driver texting or on the phone, or did someone miss a signal???"...I told him the story did not say, but he said those two reasons are the most common among train crashes.
It is so sad....I pray for the driver and his family.

[DisneyWithMyBoyz]

Earlier this morning, it was reported on one of the news sites that the deceased driver was a monorail vetran who was married and had 5 children.

Then it came out that the deceased driver was the 21 year old.

I wonder if the injured driver was the married man with 5 children then or if was all just one big rumor.

[fakereadhed]

While this is a terrible turn of events, it is amazing how many trips those monorails have taken without something like this ever happening. Probably a mind-boggling number of hours of operation. I hate to see people questioning their future safety before all the details are known.

[Blumonkeyboy]

I clicked on the still photos, that was enough (more than enough) for me to see, I can't bring myself to watch the video.

Three thoughts occurred at the same time for me when I first heard this on CNN:

1) How horrible for all involved.

2) I've got to go get on The Dis to find out more.

3) Cut-backs everywhere, shoddy maintenance, has it led to this ?

It's that third thought that haunts me the most. Disney has a way of clamping down information from all sources even in this technological age.

I suspect the video will "vanish" and that we may never know what really happened.

If the accident had occurred just a couple hours earlier, the monorail would have been packed (maybe over-packed, as often happens) and then who knows what could have happened.

All I know is my thoughts and prayers go out to the young man's family and friends.
One things for sure, that videos not going anywhere. Ive downloaded it for that very reason. So ssad

[andrewilley]

I have not seen any independent confirmation of this, but I've read a posting that says that monorail Purple may have been stuck in or near the station following a breakdown. How does the safety system register train positions on the track I wonder, could a power failure of Purple have caused it to not show up on the MAPO automatic system? The poor driver of Pink may not have known anything about it until too late. All supposition at this point, of course.

[Edit: on the aerial photos, it looks as though the roof escape hatches on Purple have been opened; not sure if this was before or after the crash]

Andre

[moburg]

In looking at the photo -- I think it's a miracle the other driver was unhurt.

Thats the front of one train, and the back of another. The other driver was at the other end of the train, not in the middle of that wreckage.


More details need to come about what happened. Did the driver fall asleep? Was there some communication failure? Brake failure?

I had the thought of what WDW would do with the policy of allowing passengers in the operator's car. If the driver just fell asleep, passengers would have prevented this accident. If other technical issues, then probably not, and the liability issue will probably shut down that passenger practice.

But too early to tell now.

[LimoFam5]

where can i find the video

[wdwfreeksince88]

With all due respect, personally, I probably would.

If I never did anything where something bad has happened I would never do anything. I recently took my nephew on one of those Power Tower drops rides, even knowing of the horrific accident where a girl lost her feet. People still go on Mission Space and RNR, they fly in airplanes and drive in cars. People still live in places where there have been earthquakes and hurricanes. What if, God forbid, the people in the back cars of that monorail had been injured, would you never ride the monorail at all again?

Will Disney allow guests to ride in front of the monorail again? I have no idea. Probably not, but if they did, I would take a ride there again.

I totally agree. Our prayers are with the family of the driver, but this would not stop me from going on the monorail or from riding up front. It would not surprise me if disney stopped rides up front but I hope they don't.

[moburg]

I have not seen any independent confirmation of this, but I've read a posting that says that monorail Purple may have been stuck in the station following a breakdown. How does the safety system register train positions on the track I wonder, could a power failure of Purple have caused it to not show up on the MAPO automatic system?

Andre

Based on the video, I would have to say it was the purple train that was in motion. The family was coming out of the purple train, one or two doors back from the front, and the station CM was pointing into the purple operators car saying the driver was in there.

[disneyholic family]

Thats the front of one train, and the back of another. The other driver was at the other end of the train, not in the middle of that wreckage.


More details need to come about what happened. Did the driver fall asleep? Was there some communication failure? Brake failure?

I had the thought of what WDW would do with the policy of allowing passengers in the operator's car. If the driver just fell asleep, passengers would have prevented this accident. If other technical issues, then probably not, and the liability issue will probably shut down that passenger practice.

But too early to tell now.


but there's apparently a safety system that's supposed to stop the monorail if it gets too close to the one in front of it....

this is from the article about the young driver:

According to a former Walt Disney World monorail driver, the vehicles were outfitted with a safety system called Mapo. The former driver, who said he drove the current Mark VI monorail trains, said as soon as the monorail train gets within two checkpoints of another train, it automatically stops.

The former driver said he believes there are about 150 to 200 feet between checkpoints. He said drivers whose monorail train had to be shut down three times were removed permanently from their position.

so i wonder if there was some kind of technical snafu.....since it sounds like it's supposed to stop automatically...

[angelsmith52]

This is just horribly sad news! My prayers and condolences go out to the families!!!!

[Stinasmom]

Wow... this is tragic. Very sad as others have said.

Wondering though...
Was the driver that was killed driving the blue monorail? Did the blue hit the front or back of the pink monorail? Was the pink one at rest?

Not sure if anyone knows the answers yet to these questions, but with all due respect, I am still a bit curious...

BTW, I heard an interview with a monorail driver on a podcast sometime ago and it sounded common that College Program CM's become monorail pilots...

[calypso*a*go-go]

Thats the front of one train, and the back of another. The other driver was at the other end of the train, not in the middle of that wreckage.

Thank you -- the situation is much clearer for me now.

[moburg]

Is it really necessary to show and watch the video? I think it's rather disturbing that somebody would even post this and others would watch. What if you or a loved one died in an accident, would you like it being made available for others to watch?

I disagree. The video is news. It is your choice to watch it or not.

[Blumonkeyboy]

If i may, I find it interesting that whne i go to youtube, and try to find other angles to get a better outlook, several videos have been removed due to Terms of Service viotation.... Yea, a vacation video violates TOS?

[calypso*a*go-go]

Does anyone else thinks it's odd that no one was trying to pry the door open? I guess everyone was in shock and wasn't quite sure what to do. Also, it seems to be within seconds of the accident...but still you'd think someone would be doing anything in their power to get that door open.

[moburg]

In the meantime, I would suspect an immediate suspension of all ride alongs up front. Possibly forever.

And if for some reason, Disney chose to allow ride alongs up front, would you really risk your family's health, after seeing that video??

Agreed, at least for the foreseeable future, passengers in the operators car will be forbidden.

Pending the cause of this crash, if they resumed the policy, I would have no issues at all riding up front with my family.

[Nursejilly]

So sad!! At least no one else was fatally injured! It probably could have been much worse. My prayers are with the family of the CM:sad1:

[PrincessKsMom]

Does anyone else thinks it's odd that no one was trying to pry the door open? I guess everyone was in shock and wasn't quite sure what to do. Also, it seems to be within seconds of the accident...but still you'd think someone would be doing anything in their power to get that door open.

Pry it open with what exactly? Did you watch the video at all? When something like this happens most people are in shock and still can't believe it actually happened. I just can't imagine what you think they should have done. :confused3

[Mr. Plutes]

My husband works for a big railroad and everytime we go on vacation to Disneyworld, my husband and I and our two girls always ride up front with the driver....NO MORE, I freaked out!
I told my hubby about this story and the first thing he said was....."was the driver texting or on the phone, or did someone miss a signal???"...I told him the story did not say, but he said those two reasons are the most common among train crashes.
It is so sad....I pray for the driver and his family.

I also work for a big railroad in the east as a train conductor. the first thing I thought was a missed signal. On the headend of the train there are cab signals. what that does it tells track status info to the engineer. it displays the wayside signal aspect and displays allowable speed info about the tracks ahead. there is a speed enforcement system to go along with the cab signal to warn engineers of dangerous conditions and to apply the brakes and bring the train to a stop if the engineer ignores his cab signals. I don't know what system Disney runs...don't know what their safety features are, but that's the first thing that came to me. It could have been inactive signals, or malfunctioning systems...could've been anything. But, my heart goes out to the family of that cm, as well as anyone who was there when it happened - adults and children alike.

[WebmasterLeah]

Here is our updated story with info about the monorail's safety system.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/General_Disney_News/Monorail_Accident_at_WDW.htm

[mommyceratops]

The whole thing is just so sad...

Personally I started to watch the video and then remembered someone had died. I could not watch.

Other than a safety feature that has malfunctioned -- I had a friend who used drive the monorails he would often talk about 12 hour shifts and over time during busy seasons. He hated the Epcot to TTC run because it was so long especially at night...

It is all so sad and my prayers go out to the families involved and CMs at Disney!

[disneyholic family]

Does anyone else thinks it's odd that no one was trying to pry the door open? I guess everyone was in shock and wasn't quite sure what to do. Also, it seems to be within seconds of the accident...but still you'd think someone would be doing anything in their power to get that door open.

it was right after the accident - they're all stunned.....only a few people run right for where the driver is....(that fight or flight response)....they're just starting to get their bearings when the video is stopped....

right after the video stopped, they did start to work on the door - you can see that from the still photos that are in the news article....
you can see those men trying to open the door.....

[calypso*a*go-go]

Pry it open with what exactly? Did you watch the video at all? When something like this happens most people are in shock and still can't believe it actually happened. I just can't imagine what you think they should have done. :confused3

I mentioned in my post that everyone involved was probably in shock. What I think they should have done is have some kind of emergency response training, and possibly have a way to get the door open with a crowbar or something. It was just a thought I had, no controversy intended. I apologize if my post was interpreted the wrong way. I feel just as horribly about this as everyone else.

[calypso*a*go-go]

it was right after the accident - they're all stunned.....only a few people run right for where the driver is....(that fight or flight response)....they're just starting to get their bearings when the video is stopped....

right after the video stopped, they did start to work on the door - you can see that from the still photos that are in the news article....
you can see those men trying to open the door.....

Thanks Beth -- I didn't see your post until after mine.

[wdwiala]

Just so horrible. So sad. I feel for the families and friends of the driver who died as well as the driver who lived. :hug:

[zulemara]

from miceage:



Hi guys,

I'm a former Mark VI railie, and I stay in touch with a fair number of folks in the department. Here's what I've heard. I'm going to stress that it's what I've heard, and I can't represent this as absolute fact. Take that for what it's worth.

The short, short version is that Monorail Central cleared Monorail Pink in reverse into the Concourse (the Epcot side of the TTC) station without being aware that Monorail Purple was still in the station. Pink was cleared with MAPO override, meaning that the driver would have disabled the anti-collision system (there are a variety of legitimate reasons for doing this), and would have been acting on faith that Central wouldn't have cleared him into a dangerous situation because it sometimes is difficult to see everything you'd want to in the cab mirrors, particularly at night on a curve such as the one he was backing along. For whatever reason, Purple just sat in the station without attempting to avoid the accident, and was struck by Pink moving at the full 15 mph allowed during MAPO override. From what I understand, the driver of Purple was a new transfer from another department. Why Central would not have made sure the station was clear before moving any trains is a bit of a mystery, but I've heard that no one was actually in the control console (the control tower-looking place at Concourse) at the time. To my knowledge, there were no electrical or mechanical problems in play here. Again, I have to stress that I'm relating what I've heard, and I was not there. This is a second-hand account from others more familiar with the situation.

Okay, speculation time.

Why would Purple have just sat in the station and let himself get hit? Well, it was a new driver from what I understand, and when Pink got close enough to trigger Purple's MAPO system, it's quite possible that the driver of Purple freaked a little bit (any time a driver gets an unexpected red MAPO light, it gets their attention), and was so intent on looking at his console trying to figure out what was going on that he simply did not see Pink barreling down on him. I suppose it's also possible that the Concourse station didn't have power at the time, preventing Purple from leaving, but I rather doubt that was the case.

Why would Central clear a train into an occupied station? Inattention, most likely. As I said, I'd heard that Central was not at the console at the time of the accident. IMO, if this is the case, it's the root cause of the accident and whoever was Central should be strung up.

[slapwhitey]

This is very sad and tragic.....kinda hard to watch actually considering we've all been on those things numerous times.

When my DW told me this morning I thought she was making it up....not really sure why she'd make that up. The reason I thought no way was because just last week I was listening to a "psychic" on a local station out here. I don't know if any Canadians out there listen to the EDGE out of Toronto but their local "Psychic Nikki" was on and she said there would be an accident with the monorails at Disney World. I only remember this because the colleague I share an office with was telling me to watch out as I'm there so often. I'm not trying to make light of this situation but that was a little messed up to me. I typically don't buy into these things.

Again, a very sad situation and our thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved.

Chris

[tiggspring]

We just found out that this was not our Pilot Austin there is a picture with the following news story for those who thought they knew him. http://www.clickorlando.com/news/19954891/detail.html#

[disneyholic family]

from miceage:



Hi guys,

I'm a former Mark VI railie, and I stay in touch with a fair number of folks in the department. Here's what I've heard. I'm going to stress that it's what I've heard, and I can't represent this as absolute fact. Take that for what it's worth.

The short, short version is that Monorail Central cleared Monorail Pink in reverse into the Concourse (the Epcot side of the TTC) station without being aware that Monorail Purple was still in the station. Pink was cleared with MAPO override, meaning that the driver would have disabled the anti-collision system (there are a variety of legitimate reasons for doing this), and would have been acting on faith that Central wouldn't have cleared him into a dangerous situation because it sometimes is difficult to see everything you'd want to in the cab mirrors, particularly at night on a curve such as the one he was backing along. For whatever reason, Purple just sat in the station without attempting to avoid the accident, and was struck by Pink moving at the full 15 mph allowed during MAPO override. From what I understand, the driver of Purple was a new transfer from another department. Why Central would not have made sure the station was clear before moving any trains is a bit of a mystery, but I've heard that no one was actually in the control console (the control tower-looking place at Concourse) at the time. To my knowledge, there were no electrical or mechanical problems in play here. Again, I have to stress that I'm relating what I've heard, and I was not there. This is a second-hand account from others more familiar with the situation.

Okay, speculation time.

Why would Purple have just sat in the station and let himself get hit? Well, it was a new driver from what I understand, and when Pink got close enough to trigger Purple's MAPO system, it's quite possible that the driver of Purple freaked a little bit (any time a driver gets an unexpected red MAPO light, it gets their attention), and was so intent on looking at his console trying to figure out what was going on that he simply did not see Pink barreling down on him. I suppose it's also possible that the Concourse station didn't have power at the time, preventing Purple from leaving, but I rather doubt that was the case.

Why would Central clear a train into an occupied station? Inattention, most likely. As I said, I'd heard that Central was not at the console at the time of the accident. IMO, if this is the case, it's the root cause of the accident and whoever was Central should be strung up.

so are you saying that the driver who was killed was in the stationary train, and it was the other train that reversed into him??
that's an even more horrifying scenario......i mean, in both cases it's terrible because he's killed, but in the one you're describing, the train came barreling into him....

[tinkbutt]

I just can't believe this!!

[disneyholic family]

We just found out that this was not our Pilot Austin there is a picture with the following news story for those who thought they knew him. http://www.clickorlando.com/news/19954891/detail.html#

they show his facebook picture - how very very sad....his poor family...

so sad....

[tinkerbell615]

My heart bleeds for this young man's family and friends. Also for the other CM and those on the scene. I can only image the fear of the children and adults that were on the train. I hope all of them are able to get past this.

[ms.ojo]

This is just such a horrible situation. My prayers too go out to all the families and friends of those involved.

Our last trip to Disney we rode in the front car 3 times! (were staying at CR) it was amazing. Will I do it in Oct? Accidents can happen any place, any time, true enough. But I'm not sure I'll be ready to take that ride w/ my family so soon. Time will tell.

On a diff't note, what a shock it must be for everyone visiting the parks today. Those on the Monorail loop now taking bus transportation.. Those arriving by car to TTC??? I guess they're taking the boat or buses today to get to MK. To all these vistors, an inconvenience. To the CMs having to redirect them and explain what happened...a lonnnng emotional day.

Sooo sad.

[momof2intx]

This is very, very sad and shocking! If my 10 year old son hears about this, it will be very difficult for me to ever get him on a WDW monorail again!

We sat up front with our driver last trip in Feb. I wonder if they will continue to let guests sit up front or discountinue the practice due to this.

Poor guy, he was so young!

[zulemara]

so are you saying that the driver who was killed was in the stationary train, and it was the other train that reversed into him??
that's an even more horrifying scenario......i mean, in both cases it's terrible because he's killed, but in the one you're describing, the train came barreling into him....

yes, that is essentially what the poster from mice age is saying.

I find it interesting...all the speculation, all the morons on news sites blaming the kid who got killed, when in fact he was sitting in position as he was supposed to, Pink backed into him, and it's someone at central's fault that it happened!

[disneyholic family]

yes, that is essentially what the poster from mice age is saying.

I find it interesting...all the speculation, all the morons on news sites blaming the kid who got killed, when in fact he was sitting in position as he was supposed to, Pink backed into him, and it's someone at central's fault that it happened!

OMG....if that version is true it would mean that the driver who's alive accidentally killed the driver in the rear train....how completely horrible for him....even though it wasn't his fault, he's going to feel terribly terribly guilty....

[Button]

Just plain awful. Gives me chills. Lets please take this time to remember a cast member that has led us to our dreams and filled are hearts with joy and fun. God bless x

[Mr. Plutes]

from miceage:



Hi guys,

I'm a former Mark VI railie, and I stay in touch with a fair number of folks in the department. Here's what I've heard. I'm going to stress that it's what I've heard, and I can't represent this as absolute fact. Take that for what it's worth.

The short, short version is that Monorail Central cleared Monorail Pink in reverse into the Concourse (the Epcot side of the TTC) station without being aware that Monorail Purple was still in the station. Pink was cleared with MAPO override, meaning that the driver would have disabled the anti-collision system (there are a variety of legitimate reasons for doing this), and would have been acting on faith that Central wouldn't have cleared him into a dangerous situation because it sometimes is difficult to see everything you'd want to in the cab mirrors, particularly at night on a curve such as the one he was backing along. For whatever reason, Purple just sat in the station without attempting to avoid the accident, and was struck by Pink moving at the full 15 mph allowed during MAPO override. From what I understand, the driver of Purple was a new transfer from another department. Why Central would not have made sure the station was clear before moving any trains is a bit of a mystery, but I've heard that no one was actually in the control console (the control tower-looking place at Concourse) at the time. To my knowledge, there were no electrical or mechanical problems in play here. Again, I have to stress that I'm relating what I've heard, and I was not there. This is a second-hand account from others more familiar with the situation.

Okay, speculation time.

Why would Purple have just sat in the station and let himself get hit? Well, it was a new driver from what I understand, and when Pink got close enough to trigger Purple's MAPO system, it's quite possible that the driver of Purple freaked a little bit (any time a driver gets an unexpected red MAPO light, it gets their attention), and was so intent on looking at his console trying to figure out what was going on that he simply did not see Pink barreling down on him. I suppose it's also possible that the Concourse station didn't have power at the time, preventing Purple from leaving, but I rather doubt that was the case.

Why would Central clear a train into an occupied station? Inattention, most likely. As I said, I'd heard that Central was not at the console at the time of the accident. IMO, if this is the case, it's the root cause of the accident and whoever was Central should be strung up.

if thats the case. there should be an investigation on how things are run on the monrail. that is inexcuseable to run the monrail system that way. there should always be a person on the leading end of the monrail to be the eyes and ears of the monrail operator.

[exwdwcm]

wow, what horrible news. I've been unplugged most of the weekend and log in to this awful news. ugh. prayers go out to his family and friends.

[Decorated_Dust]

Okay, now that the new details have come out, I feel pretty horrible about my previous statement. With all of the previous train accidents as of late, I could not help but think the deceased driver was at fault, but that is not the case according to the Mice Age poster. I definitely feel for that other driver who backed into the other monorail. What an awful thing to have on your conscience, even if it wasn't his fault. Those folks in the tower should be fired, if not worse.

Also, I did watch the video, mostly out of morbid curiosity. It broke my heart, but also showed the great heart of those guests who chose to stay and help. I was also cheering for that cast member who did not let the man with the camera continue. One minute was enough. I do feel bad for those kids, though. I hope this does not give them traumatic memories of Disney in the future.

[FireDancer]

This is terrible news. I feel for both drivers regardless of how it turns out. Accidents happen and while any death because of them are a tragedy I always hope that something is learned from them so that we are all safer in the future.

I don't see any reason not to publish the video. This is the age of citizen journalism and it is what happens. I love being able to see the raw coverage without the filter of the main stream press regardless of whether the story is of triumph or tragedy.

[mommyceratops]

Wow...

It is all so sad.

[wishspirit]

I'm not trying to get down on anyone or pick any fights...I just don't understand why in those situations your instincts tell you to tape the tragedy rather than run to help, regardless of the actual extent to which you can help. My camera would have gone flying and my but would have been on top of that monorail trying to help. Or if you cant be of any help...it is uneccessary to whip out the camera. As far as posting the link...I'm sure that the poster was only trying to inform all of us, and I totally understand that, it's just too much information in my opinion, however I have not actually watched it.

I think, without watching the video, it is very hard to comment on the behaviour of others. He wasn't the only person there, a CM was trying to deal with it, as were a few other members of the public. He could not of helped and from reports they had to torch their way in, so more than just brute strength was needed.

[alaskanmommy]

This is so tragic. My husband heard about this while surfing and I couldn't believe it. My heart goes out to Austin's family and whomever made the error that caused this.

That being said we will definitely be riding in the front again if Disney allows it. I'm certain that from this accident forward they will be more safe than ever.

[DisneyWithMyBoyz]

I think it's the little boy's voice but he keeps asking his daddy something over and over again. I can't quite get what he's asking, but his voice sounds so panicked. It gave me chills. Those poor kids......

[splashmt]

We've just checked out of the Poly this morning at about 10:30. We got home around 3:00 to hear a relative of ours tell us about the accident. We feel so aweful!! Nothing was mentioned this morning by any cast members about what happened. They must have all been told to not talk to guests about the accident. We did notice a monorail 'stalled' near the loading area above us as we walked out the door to the parking lot. I didn't think anything about it, but it was on the express track, come to think of it. The parks were open so late last night because of the 4th of July. That poor family. Our hearts and many prayers go out to the young men involved in the accident as well as the family.

[mainegal]

I do not know the whole story of what happened. I will let Disney do the full investigation.

I am very sad for all involved and their families.

[andrewilley]

if thats the case. there should be an investigation on how things are run on the monrail. that is inexcuseable to run the monrail system that way. there should always be a person on the leading end of the monrail to be the eyes and ears of the monrail operator.

If you are mid-beam and need to reverse somewhere, that would not be possible as you can't get to the other cabin internally within the train.

The reversing theory would fit in with the video too, with people not actually knowing whether the pilot was in the cab of the stationary monorail at the time of the collision.

Andre

[Mr. Plutes]

If you are mid-beam and need to reverse somewhere, that would not be possible as you can't get to the other cabin internally within the train.

The reversing theory would fit in with the video too, with people not actually knowing whether the pilot was in the cab of the stationary monorail at the time of the collision.

Andre

We all know you can't get to other cabin. but if they were going to do this move, someone should of got on the other end at the last stop. remember safety first that what i'm taught at work.

[mel&me]

Just plain awful. Gives me chills. Lets please take this time to remember a cast member that has led us to our dreams and filled are hearts with joy and fun. God bless x

Could not have said it any better myself.
Blessings to all involved and especially to Austin's family.

[TSWJan78]

We all know you can't get to other cabin. but if they were going to do this move, someone should of got on the other end at the last stop. remember safety first that what i'm taught at work.

Or install cameras... Many cars have back up cameras.. why can't the monarail?!?

That being said we can speculate all we want but I feel so horriable for the driver who lost his life along with his family and friends but also for his coworkers who were working that night and could not help him. May they all find Peace :grouphug:

[drakethib]

Whoever or whatever fault or malfunction,at the end of the day it doesn't really matter right now.

A young life was lost.

Concentrate on that.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who are grieving and hurting.

[jen3003]

My thoughts and prayers go out to Austin's family and for all the others involved in this tragic accident.

:grouphug:

[SamSam]

OMG! We've been out of town for the Fourth, and basically away from news, so I just read this on the internet and came straight to the Disboards because I knew there would be a thread on it. I haven't had time to read through all of them, but I wanted to add my thoughts and prayers for Austins family, friends and co-workers. Very tragic.

[rtobe]

As others have said, we should not lose sight of the fact that a young person lost their life in this tragedy. My condolences to the young man's famly and the Disney CM extended family.

[PleaseStandClear95]

Theres a lot of theories floating around. Pink backing-up makes sense (in some regard). Coming into Concourse in reverse there's a curve which would block a visual sight. But then why would purple be in the station with the doors closed. You can see in the video that the door to the first car was manually opened using the little handle on the side of the train.

As for the "Central" command not being in their post. This is really not that big of deal. From that seat the only beam-way and stations that he/she could have visually seen was Concourse, and the two main track @ TTC. Don't forget there are the stations in Magic Kingdom, Poly, GF, Contemporary, and EPCOT. None of the switches (except for the ony just outside TTC on the way to the Contemporary) are able to be seen from this location. Yes -if someone would have been in the console then something may could have been done to kill the power.

Actually - I just had a thought. Back in the 90's when I was there on the 'rails a couple of us had to wear a little garage door opener type device on our belts. This device killed the power on in the station. It was required to have these operating and they were tested very often. The primary purpose was to kill the power for the safety of the guests but in this case...

If someone would have killed the power the Emergency breaks of the monorail would have applied and the stopping distance would have been quite short (at 15 MPH). Anyway - more what-ifs.

While we're all thinking about Austin and his family lets not forget the other driver and all of the other cast and guests who were witness.

Chris

[zulemara]

Theres a lot of theories floating around. Pink backing-up makes sense (in some regard). Coming into Concourse in reverse there's a curve which would block a visual sight. But then why would purple be in the station with the doors closed. You can see in the video that the door to the first car was manually opened using the little handle on the side of the train.

As for the "Central" command not being in their post. This is really not that big of deal. From that seat the only beam-way and stations that he/she could have visually seen was Concourse, and the two main track @ TTC. Don't forget there are the stations in Magic Kingdom, Poly, GF, Contemporary, and EPCOT. None of the switches (except for the ony just outside TTC on the way to the Contemporary) are able to be seen from this location. Yes -if someone would have been in the console then something may could have been done to kill the power.

Actually - I just had a thought. Back in the 90's when I was there on the 'rails a couple of us had to wear a little garage door opener type device on our belts. This device killed the power on in the station. It was required to have these operating and they were tested very often. The primary purpose was to kill the power for the safety of the guests but in this case...

If someone would have killed the power the Emergency breaks of the monorail would have applied and the stopping distance would have been quite short (at 15 MPH). Anyway - more what-ifs.

While we're all thinking about Austin and his family lets not forget the other driver and all of the other cast and guests who were witness.

Chris
they still wear those garage door looking devices to shut down the power...which makes you wonder, why wasn't it shut down when it was apparent a collision was going to happen?

[Superjoint_Ritual]

I was more concerned about this than Michael Jackson.

[carmie3377]

I was more concerned about this than Michael Jackson.

I know, me too. When I heard Michael Jackson died, I did a quick google to confirm and that was it. I've been reading updates all day long about the monorail incident. So tragic that someone so young had to lose his life. My heart aches for his family.

[LudwigVB]

Theres a lot of theories floating around. Pink backing-up makes sense (in some regard). Coming into Concourse in reverse there's a curve which would block a visual sight. But then why would purple be in the station with the doors closed. You can see in the video that the door to the first car was manually opened using the little handle on the side of the train.

As for the "Central" command not being in their post. This is really not that big of deal. From that seat the only beam-way and stations that he/she could have visually seen was Concourse, and the two main track @ TTC. Don't forget there are the stations in Magic Kingdom, Poly, GF, Contemporary, and EPCOT. None of the switches (except for the ony just outside TTC on the way to the Contemporary) are able to be seen from this location. Yes -if someone would have been in the console then something may could have been done to kill the power.

Actually - I just had a thought. Back in the 90's when I was there on the 'rails a couple of us had to wear a little garage door opener type device on our belts. This device killed the power on in the station. It was required to have these operating and they were tested very often. The primary purpose was to kill the power for the safety of the guests but in this case...

If someone would have killed the power the Emergency breaks of the monorail would have applied and the stopping distance would have been quite short (at 15 MPH). Anyway - more what-ifs.

While we're all thinking about Austin and his family lets not forget the other driver and all of the other cast and guests who were witness.

Chris

The report I've heard is that Pink was trying to back up onto Express, and that Shop misinformed Central that the switch was on. Without further speculation as to what procedures were violated and who is to blame, this seems to be the most logical explanation as to how this accident could possibly have happened. The loss of a life, the trauma of those who were involved and who witnessed it, the shock of us watching the news, and the reality check for those seeking an escape while on vacation in the world of magic that Walt promised them make the story so sad.

[JeniferRabbit]

I know everyone is saying 'thank god no families were in the cockpit', but my thought was, if there were, they would have very likely been able to stop it. If he fell asleep, they could've woken him up, or if he went unconsious, they could've figured out how to stop the train and avoid the crash.

Such a tragedy - thoughts go out to the family.

[noladave]

am I the only person that sees something wrong with constantly overriding the safety system?? To me, overrides are for rare uses, not constant (maybe daily, or even multiple times a day) events.

While I don't drive a monorail, or pretend to be a safety officer that is responsible for procedures at a giant corporation, I think Disney needs to re-think their procedures.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but going with the backing up theory - would you really do this without some kind of visual aid, especially when the collision/safety system is being overridden??

Lot's of questions to be answered. It will be interesting to see just how much information gets out about this. The family of the young man should see a complete investigation, and be able to have their own legal representative present during the investigation.

[Thumper & Bambi]

I was more concerned about this than Michael Jackson.

AMEN to that! I thought I was the only one who felt this way!:thumbsup2

[kpadalik]

If Monorail Pink was only backing up at a max of 15 MPH, would it really have been able to cause so much damage to Purple? Also, if the poor driver of Purple saw Pink backing up towards him, wouldn't he have tried to at least get out? I don't know...just some thoughts on this horrible tragedy. Prayers to his family :(

[andrewilley]

We all know you can't get to other cabin. but if they were going to do this move, someone should of got on the other end at the last stop.

Yes, that did occur to me too. Personally I'm rather uncomfortable with a routine procedure of driving a monorail backwards with the MAPO system disabled, and with the driver located in the front cabin essentially 'blind' to the track that the vehicle is traversing.

As one poster has said, a simple 'reversing' camera located at both ends of the train and viewable from both pilot seats would be a minimal cost solution that might make such procedures a lot safer.

Andre

[PleaseStandClear95]

Quick remark on the constant disabling comments.

Typically the system is only By-passed during switching operations. The switches and spurs don't have the MAPO responders on them which means the system must be bypassed. I won't go into the technical details, but it wouldn't be possible for the current system to work with switches open or during switching operations.

There's a reason a person is driving the train, and safety is that reason. It appears in this case we had a cascading failure of multiple people and non-people safety systems.

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

If Monorail Pink was only backing up at a max of 15 MPH, would it really have been able to cause so much damage to Purple? Also, if the poor driver of Purple saw Pink backing up towards him, wouldn't he have tried to at least get out? I don't know...just some thoughts on this horrible tragedy. Prayers to his family :(

15 mph on a train weighing several thousand tons equals a ton of kinetic energy. Think of the analogy that it's easy to stop a fast moving feather or raindrop, but nearly impossible to stop a slow rolling car down a hill.

The ends of the monorail trains are mostly plexiglas and fiberglass-not a lot to absorb all the energy of a train, which is why it's so crunched.

That video will be very helpful to the castmember's family as they pursue legal proceedings against Disney.

For those of you who think it's tacky to take videos-recording the truth of an incident and making as many people aware of it as possible is always a good thing. Remember, Disney is magic second, corporate behemoth first.

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Quick remark on the constant disabling comments.

Typically the system is only By-passed during switching operations. The switches and spurs don't have the MAPO responders on them which means the system must be bypassed. I won't go into the technical details, but it wouldn't be possible for the current system to work with switches open or during switching operations.

There's a reason a person is driving the train, and safety is that reason. It appears in this case we had a cascading failure of multiple people and non-people safety systems.

I think that's what bothers me the most-how much internal decay is going on there that we don't see until something like this happens-where not one thing messes up, but there are fundamental screw ups all the way down the line that suggest lack of maintenance, lack of training AND lack of oversight...

Actually what bothers me the most is that a young man had to die for the truth to come to light here.

[Schrute Farms]

That video will be very helpful to the castmember's family as they pursue legal proceedings against Disney.

For those of you who think it's tacky to take videos-recording the truth of an incident and making as many people aware of it as possible is always a good thing. Remember, Disney is magic second, corporate behemoth first.


It's telling that the cast member working the platform was most concerned with "no cameras" than anything else once he realized it was being filmed.

[SpaceMtnFan]

I saw this story on the news this morning. I am sad for the family of the Monorail Pilot. Still the Monorail is the safest way to get around Walt Disney World. This was serrious accident that had Tragic death that was terrible. My prayers go out to the family of the Monorail Pilot and the passengers that were hurt on both Monorails:sad1:

[LudwigVB]

The monorail reopened today after an inspection by OSHA. Disney has added additional verification procedures for switch positions (which substantiates the version I heard of what happened) and supplemented their safety protocols.

[lugnut33]

first of all, there was general confusion at the time, so no one knew what was flying....you can see they're all a bit slow to react....

second, about the taping..

i'm sure the investigators will be very happy to have that videotape to look at...

no doubt there are also security cameras in the area, but that film will certainly help them to know exactly what the trains looked like before the trains were cut open to release the driver...and to see exactly what state the passengers were as they got off the train that was hit...

i wouldn't have filmed it, but that's mostly because i never film anything and rarely take pictures, even when there's a camera in my hand...
but i'm not going to criticize the guy for doing it....some people just automatically start to photograph whatever they see....in order to document it....it's a reflex...without thinking about it..


Just some comments:

My condolences go out to the family of the cast member, very sad indeed.

I quoted the above because while the video may have been intense, I agree with what the poster has to say. The NTSB will be very happy to have that video not only from a what happened stand point, but from a safety training stand point. It's obvious the Disney cast member next to the train had no training whatsoever in regards to safety. The guests were doing more than him.

I also believe this is going to come down hard on Disney:
In his online profile, Wuennenberg referred to working 12- and 14-hour shifts at Disney recently. Park spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez would not say how long Wuennenberg had worked the day of the collision, calling it personnel information and citing the ongoing investigation.
That doesn't mean the driver was at fault, but anyone along the line working that those long shifts could be at fault.

I expect the NTSB to also thoroughly examine the maintenance logs. I'm sure OSHA will also be right on this.

Now to my opinion and my opinion only: This will ultimately come down to human error caused by all the cutbacks happening in the name of shareholder value. I truly believe cast members at WDW and DL are really overworked and underpaid, whether that be monorail pilots, monorail maintenance personel, or even monorail station attendants.

[disneyholic family]

The monorail reopened today after an inspection by OSHA. Disney has added additional verification procedures for switch positions (which substantiates the version I heard of what happened) and supplemented their safety protocols.

given that version of what happened - basically human error - it makes sense that it would have been permitted to reopen...
accidents do happen....and hopefully lessons are learned and appropriate procedures implemented to prevent them from happening again....
but how awful for everyone who was directly involved, especially that poor boy and his family....terrible...

[safetymom]

For all those people that criticize the CM standing on the monorail platform he could have been in shock!! I think we need to give him the benefit of the doubt until we have walked in his shoes.

[jennipooh]

For all those people that criticize the CM standing on the monorail platform he could have been in shock!! I think we need to give him the benefit of the doubt until we have walked in his shoes.

I agree. Also, I saw absolutely nothing wrong with what the CM was doing. I do not know Disney protocol for this sort of event, but he seemed to be doing everything within his power to stay calm and keep control of the situation while trying to help the trapped CM.

[lugnut33]

For all those people that criticize the CM standing on the monorail platform he could have been in shock!! I think we need to give him the benefit of the doubt until we have walked in his shoes.

I'm not blaming the CM for standing there. What I'm saying is it's obvious that safety and rescue proceedures had not been practiced.

[safetymom]

We don't know the whole story. We saw one persons view of what they were looking at.

[cap'njack.]

I was shocked to see that this had happened.

I hope the investigation gives the family closure on what happened to thier son.

[Liljam]

I'm not blaming the CM for standing there. What I'm saying is it's obvious that safety and rescue proceedures had not been practiced.

I have followed this thread and in reference to the CM asking that the camera be turned off - I actually felt that he looked in the cabin and at the moment he realized there was a obviously deceased person inside, he asked for the camera to be turned off. I'm sure there were other reasons as well, but I noticed in the video, there was a moment at which he looks startled after looking in the cabin yet tries to remain calm as if not to scare the guests and says "no taping"... It's all sad. Just so sad.

[sc9500]

My thoughts and prayers with the CM's family and friends and all directly and indirectly involved in this tragedy. Hopefully new safety procedures and systems will come out of this. On a side note - I did not watch the video and can see both sides regarding the filming of the accident. I have learned that sometimes you cant get stuff that you've seen out of your head.

[WaltD4Me]

I'm not blaming the CM for standing there. What I'm saying is it's obvious that safety and rescue proceedures had not been practiced.

I don't know how that can be determined from a minute and a half of video. We have no idea what the CM did before or after that. Someone told the CM help was on the way. Later pictures show the door had been opened, sadly I don't think there was much else in this situation that the CM could do.

[TheTXTaylors5]

:flower3: My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Austin Wuennemberg. It is such a tragedy. He was so young and seemed to love his job. I am sure he will be dearly missed. :sad1:

:surfweb: I looked at the monorail past accident records. They only have five incidents (including yesterdays):

(from wikipedia.com)
On June 26, 1985, a fire engulfed the rear car of the six-car Mark IV Silver monorail train in transit from the Epcot station to the Transportation and Ticket Center. This fire predated onboard fire detection systems, emergency exits, and evacuation planning. Passengers in the car kicked out side windows and climbed around the side of the train to reach the roof, where they were subsequently rescued by the Reedy Creek Fire Department. Seven passengers were hospitalized for smoke inhalation or other minor injuries. The fire department later determined that the fire started when a flat tire was dragged across the concrete beam, heated due to friction, and ignited.

In 1974, a monorail train crashed into the train ahead. One driver and two passengers were injured.

On August 30, 1991, a monorail train collided with a diesel maintenance work tractor near the Contemporary Resort as the tractor drove closely in front of the train to film it for a commercial. Two cast members were treated at a hospital for injuries.

An electrical fire occurred on a train pulling into the Magic Kingdom station on August 12, 1996. The driver and the five passengers onboard exited safely. Two bus drivers who witnessed the fire and assisted were overcome by smoke and treated at a nearby hospital.

On July 5, 2009, a 21-year-old cast member from Kissimmee, Florida, was killed when the monorail train he was driving collided with another monorail train. The incident happened on the Epcot line at the Transportation & Ticket Center station around 2:00 a.m.as one train was being transfered from the Epcot monorail line to the Magic Kingdom line. Two employees and five guests who were on the trains were uninjured. OSHA and park officials inspected the monorail, and the monorail reopened on July 6, 2009, after new sensors and operating procedures were put in place.

It is pretty amazing how efficient the system has run for so many years without an incident. Personally, I have no problem riding it again. It was an accident. Disney is not in a safety bubble. An accident can happen there too. Just look at the car accident records recently on Disney property. :scared:

:idea: I listened to an interview with a past Monorail Pilot (he wanted to remain anonymous). What he said made allot of sense and may be what happened in this case. He said they have to pull the monorail past the station at TTC and then a switch is hit to put it on a separate line and then they back up to get onto the other line to where they take the monorail for the evening. To do this they have to override the safety system onboard. From reports of the recent accident, it is "speculated" no one hit the switch to change tracks. So, the monorail pilot drove back into the other monorail. Note, this is just speculation. But, sounds very close to what happened on Sunday. Only an "official" report will tell the true story. I am curious why the media seems to be blaming the deceased for the crash. Why do they do that? If the above ends up being true, the other driver seems to be at fault. I assume the other pilot was in the train going backwards since he came away with minor injuries. Then again, the blame game will not bring Austin back to his family. Such a shame and tragedy. :sad2:

:goodvibes Jennifer

[zulemara]

I don't think the drivers have the capability to change the switches. I believe that comes from the monorail shop, is communicated to monorail central, and then the order is given to the drive to backup. It seems to me there was an error with the switching mechanism that the shop was not aware of.

[PleaseStandClear95]

Correct. Only Monorail Shop has the ability to change the switches that switch Epcot to MK Express.

The other switchs between the CO and MK are manually operated by a maintenance employee physically at the switch.

The pilot can only control forward, backward, and speed.