Driver killed in monorail crash....

[SandrA9810]

I would sit up front in a heart beat.

More than just a system fail had to cause this accident. It wasn't just the driver or just MAPO to cause this. And people were going beyond precautions to get people off the train to end the night.

 

[zeroed]

The chances of this happening again are slim to none. I would happily ride in the front again without concern.

It's my fellow Disney tourists who are driving while reading maps and signs to the parks that terrify me. The monorail is waaaaay safer.

 

[Robo]

Still much to be learned.

Very sad.

 

[chell]

In my anterior post:
God Bless CM Family.
I feel that Monorails are a most secure and safe transport system.
The Walt Disney World monorail system has been in continuous operation since 1971.
The current model of monorail began operation in 1990, with the full fleet of 12 in service by early 1991. The Mark VI has a higher passenger capacity as well as improved air conditioning, door systems and improved safety features.
The 13.6 mile monorail system will carry over 150,000 guests to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot parks on an average day.
More than 1000.000.000 guests from 1971, only 1 tragedy ends bad.

When you look at the numbers the monorail really is extremely safe.

This would explain everything if true. It also would mean that the safety systems did what they were supposed to do and would have been disabled. It would be human error causing the accident and a possible freaked out driver of the other train not able or being able to move the train backwards. Either way, I would call it an accident. Dumb if human error, but not unbelievable. We are human, we make errors.

IF it was in fact due to error because of another person I feel so sorry for them. I can't imagine the guilt and anguish they will feel for the rest of their life. Not only will they have to see, hear and read negative comments, they will have to look themselves in the mirror every single day and know what mistake they made. It could have been an honest mistake if it was human error.

No matter what, my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved.

 

[DreaminDisney]

Sad!

 

[CLR4321]

Once the Monorail system does re-open will the news of the crash make anyone think twice about sitting in the front car with the Monorail driver? I can see others no longer wanting to do that because of the shock and etc, however we should also not be scared of sitting in the front and realize the accident was something no one thought would happen.

Nope, I would still sit up front in a heart beat. After this, once they have determined the cause of the accident (I didnt see it in the news, but this thread may have more info than the article had), I am certain all monorail pilots will be trained on how to prevent the cause of this accident. If the monorail trains themselves could have been designed with a piece that could have prevented the death of the pilot, I am sure they will be retrofitted appropriately. It is a good thing the accident happened when it did, as the death toll may have been more grim had more people been in the train....especially the typical 4 who ride up front. I will only assume there were none up front during the accident.

 

[pdmedic]

Wow what a tragedy prayers go out to the family and friends of the driver. That being said I wonder what caused this I would assume either the computerized safeguards failed or the driver over rode them either way a tragic occurrence.

 

[SandrA9810]

Just on CNN, they had a phone coversation with a guy. From the sound of it. The guys you see trying to open the cab were on the ground when it happened and ran up to the station as it got pulled into station. There were not on the train because they helped open the door for the first cab to let the family of 6 out. I'm sure the pic you see of it outside the station was taken by the same person that took the video. At 2am, i'm sure it was very dead.

My question is why was the family on the monorail to begin with?? if MK was open to 1am and they parked at Epcot, they would've gotten off at Epcot. Why were they coming from Epcot to TTC if Epcot was closed way earlier??

 

[marius97]

Nope, I would still sit up front in a heart beat. If the monorail trains themselves could have been designed with a piece that could have prevented the death of the pilot, I am sure they will be retrofitted appropriately.

I haven't read every last post in this thread, but this was my thought too. As a stay at home dad, I watch a ton of History/Discovery Channel. On one of them, I saw a piece about how trains now have a device on the front of them that greatly lower the chance of one train riding up into the cab of another during a crash. I wonder if they did not have that feature why not.

More importantly, our prayers go out to the family of the driver lost. As well to all those involved, from the other driver, to the family on board to the witnesses. They will never be able to forget what they saw last night.

 

[parkers*momma]

ok, I'll fess up, I have been known to ride the monorail all the way around again. When I get on, and my stop is the very next one, I might ride it all the way around just for the heck of it. This is what that family might have been doing...enjoying the sites one last time before the left for the night.

 

[penguintux]

What an awful accident.

 

[ChrisnKim913]

Just saw the video on Screamscape. Very disturbing

 

[DSNYGRL_JKS2006]

.

 

[blinkangel44]

Please edit your post-- That video has been deleted from the DISboards. There's an announcement somewhere within these 16 pages.

 

[my2boysrtwicethefun]

How sad! My thoughts & prayers are with his family and friends.

 

[joy13]

DISTURBING doesn't even describe the video ! its SO odd, this all happened UNDER the roof of the Ticket and Trans. Center!

Being a former cast member myself, there was SOOOOO much safety behind those monorails.. things like this were impossible.. WHAT THE HECK!?

He was 21 years old!! What in the world could have gone wrong.. and HOW fast was that monorail going my GOD!

I dont want to assume anything but weird.. this has to be one of the last runs of the night, being 2am!

The moderators have asked that the link to the video not be posted - you may want to edit your post. I know that you may not have read all 16 pages, but the request is a few pages back,

 

[joy13]

Prayers go out to all involved.

 

[Kelli Pooh]

It is a sad day. My thoughts are with the cast members and families involved. I know I actually gasped out loud when I heard the news.

 

[SandrA9810]

For those wondering about the fire in 1985, that happened because of the brakes overheating causing the fire in the back. The pilot from that monorail still works at Disney today, and says that's one of the worst things he's ever seen.

 

[J3nn78]

After reading a PP posters link that said the pink was the one reversing on an over-ride out of the station and looking at the crash pics, it makes sense. The pink train is into the purple.

It makes much more sense for human error in the control tower on the override than it does for multiple systems failure and driver failure too. Also explains even more why the other driver was so distraught that he had to be taken to the hospital. Yes, I am sure any driver would be upset, but if that driver was actually the one following control tower orders and reversed into this one, he would likely be completely overcome.