Disney Implements New Monorail Safety Rules

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

http://www.wftv.com/news/20072414/detail.html

Posted: 9:12 am EDT July 16, 2009
Updated: 1:48 pm EDT July 16, 2009

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Monorail drivers at Walt Disney World have some new procedures to follow. Sources have told Eyewitness News that the theme park has made some safety changes in the wake of the crash that killed 21-year-old pilot Austin Wuennenberg.

Disney will only confirm it has 'supplemented' its safety procedures when it comes to track switches.

However, a former monorail pilot with friends still in the department told Eyewitness News those changes include not allowing passengers in the front cabin with the pilot or letting pilots drive the trains in reverse while on a track switch. Also, a coordinator must now be in the tower at all times.
Copyright 2009 by wftv.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[Endeavour105]

http://www.wftv.com/news/20072414/detail.html

Posted: 9:12 am EDT July 16, 2009
Updated: 1:48 pm EDT July 16, 2009

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Monorail drivers at Walt Disney World have some new procedures to follow. Sources have told Eyewitness News that the theme park has made some safety changes in the wake of the crash that killed 21-year-old pilot Austin Wuennenberg.

Disney will only confirm it has 'supplemented' its safety procedures when it comes to track switches.

However, a former monorail pilot with friends still in the department told Eyewitness News those changes include not allowing passengers in the front cabin with the pilot or letting pilots drive the trains in reverse while on a track switch. Also, a coordinator must now be in the tower at all times.
Copyright 2009 by wftv.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[dioxide45]

[/B][/COLOR]

Only the link should have been provided.

 

[dburg30]

Yea, but if the link doesnt stay active then all the sudden no one knows what was on the link, so most people also copy the text. I did find it somewhat funny myself though


On a serious note, I have many times thought that even though this was a horrible accident and a young man lost his life, I was so thankful that no guests were in the front. I'm sad that people wont be allowed up front anymore, but I can fully understand Disney's position.

 

[CarolA]

(Wouldn't it have been better to implement the rules BEFORE you started running the monorail again? Hopefully they did and this article is just late!)

 

[Letsbgoofy]

We have ridden in the front of the monorail many times. When I heard about the accident, I thought (and hoped) one of the first safety changes would be to not let guests in the front.

 

[Tara]

(Wouldn't it have been better to implement the rules BEFORE you started running the monorail again? Hopefully they did and this article is just late!)

One of the articles announcing that the system was going to start running again said there were new safety procedures in place for track switches, but that Disney didn't fully reveal them. I do believe it was mentioned that guests weren't being allowed to ride up front - it could be that was a temporary ban that they decided to make more official. But the way the article reads, it's all based on a former employee's information gleaned from current employee friends and simply provides details Disney didn't provide earlier.

 

[DVC-Don]

There was a temporary ban on passengers in the drivers cab after the accident. It is now permanant.

 

[KSBelle]

I am sorry to hear they have implemented this. I would have still ridden up front.
I mean, we all plan to continue riding the buses and they have had several accidents with them.

 

[cigar95]

There was a temporary ban on passengers in the drivers cab after the accident. It is now permanant.

Well, unless and until a decision is made to change it, that is. Recall that the crown of the Statue of Liberty was closed "permanently", but after several years, it reopened earlier this month.

I'm hoping that after some time has passed, whether that's a few months or a couple years, the front cabin will be available to guests again.

 

[dburg30]

I am sorry to hear they have implemented this. I would have still ridden up front.
I mean, we all plan to continue riding the buses and they have had several accidents with them.

But you dont ride 'in the front' of the bus. Probably for this reason. I have a feeling that you could be hurt pretty badly while standing just behind the yellow line, but being behind that line probably vastly improves your chance of surviving a certain speed crash. Probably how the buses are made. Just my opinion.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

i have and still would ride up-front.
anyone else ever wonder if riders up-front are distractions for the driver.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

i have and still would ride up-front.
anyone else ever wonder if riders up-front are distractions for the driver.

I'm sure we were for our driver. Our boys were perfectly behaved buy my dh is such a chatty kathy and chewed the poor man's ear off. All about where's he's from, how he started working for Disney, blah, blah, blah....

He does this with water taxi drivers at Universal hotels too.
Also while waiting in lines for attractions, etc.
He's way more outgoing than I am and it's funny how I missed all that when I took our boys to WDW w/o him. lol!

I imagine it's hard to drive with screaming babies, jumping toddlers, etc.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

i have and still would ride up-front.
anyone else ever wonder if riders up-front are distractions for the driver.

If we still had the option I would also choose to ride up front because it was a great experience. As for the drivers getting distracted I am sure parents would tell their kids to behave while the Monorail was moving, plus I am sure they would be more distracted by looking out the window at the view.