Monorail Collision in WDW

[BabyPiglet]

So, it wasn't a head-on collision right? Like, that's impossible.

Has there been anymore information released? I thought they stopped automatically if they got too close to another monorail? Why wouldn't he try to stop it if he saw another one? This is so bizarre!

 

[JulielovesDisney]

So, it wasn't a head-on collision right? Like, that's impossible.

Has there been anymore information released? I thought they stopped automatically if they got too close to another monorail? Why wouldn't he try to stop it if he saw another one? This is so bizarre!

It wasn't head on. The one rammed into the back of the other, by the sounds of it.

And I'm very curious to see what malfunctioned and how those two collided. My thinking is that somehow the computer systems were down and whatever kind of tracking devices that shut the monorails down when they get too close to one another, stopped working. And maybe the brakes on that monorail stopped working too. Apparently, people who rode that monorail previous days noticed the brakes were different from other ones. So maybe it was due for a repair, but it broke before they could fix it?

 

[BabyPiglet]

It wasn't head on. The one rammed into the back of the other, by the sounds of it.

And I'm very curious to see what malfunctioned and how those two collided. My thinking is that somehow the computer systems were down and whatever kind of tracking devices that shut the monorails down when they get too close to one another, stopped working. And maybe the brakes on that monorail stopped working too. Apparently, people who rode that monorail previous days noticed the brakes were different from other ones. So maybe it was due for a repair, but it broke before they could fix it?

But you'd think they'd just completely stop using it if the brakes were screwed up? I would hope so.

I just watched the video. Wow, it's really intense and scary.

 

[DollfieDreams]

my friend and i are speculating that there was no mechanical error. it was human error, most likely falling asleep at the controls (i wouldnt put it past this. 2am? fourth of july weekend? driving that dark route in between MK and epcot? id get tired too) if anything. those monorails are checked every morning and every night extensively and if there was even the slightest problem, it would not be used, hence why there are 12 of them in the fleet.

shes been at epcot all day working and has been texting me. no new news yet, but she said she'd keep me posted. she says its very freaky there without the monorails running; like somethings missing.

the video on clickorlando.com gave me chills. my imagination went wild, if you know what i mean.

 

[BabyPiglet]

I hope Disney releases some information soon. This is so bizarre and confusing. I just do not understand how this could happen.

 

[princesskelz]

my friend and i are speculating that there was no mechanical error. it was human error, most likely falling asleep at the controls (i wouldnt put it past this. 2am? fourth of july weekend? driving that dark route in between MK and epcot? id get tired too) if anything. those monorails are checked every morning and every night extensively and if there was even the slightest problem, it would not be used, hence why there are 12 of them in the fleet.

shes been at epcot all day working and has been texting me. no new news yet, but she said she'd keep me posted. she says its very freaky there without the monorails running; like somethings missing.

the video on clickorlando.com gave me chills. my imagination went wild, if you know what i mean.

i have asked the driver this question before. he told me if someone were to fall asleep at the head the accelator is spring loaded. if a train were to get too close to another one the spring would go up and automatically stop the train from moving any more.

and Jenny most likely Disney wont release anything about the cause until the FULL investigation is complete. which could take a few days. im just as eager as you are on knowing what happend.

 

[imabrat]

i have asked the driver this question before. he told me if someone were to fall asleep at the head the accelator is spring loaded. if a train were to get too close to another one the spring would go up and automatically stop the train from moving any more.

and Jenny most likely Disney wont release anything about the cause until the FULL investigation is complete. which could take a few days. im just as eager as you are on knowing what happend.

Yes, but the pilot can over-ride the auto-system. That's the scary part.

 

[princesskelz]

Yes, but the pilot can over-ride the auto-system. That's the scary part.

true. didnt think of that
god i wish my cousin didnt work at disneyland! she could have kept me updated.

 

[BabyPiglet]

i have asked the driver this question before. he told me if someone were to fall asleep at the head the accelator is spring loaded. if a train were to get too close to another one the spring would go up and automatically stop the train from moving any more.

and Jenny most likely Disney wont release anything about the cause until the FULL investigation is complete. which could take a few days. im just as eager as you are on knowing what happend.

Yeah, it's an automatic thing.

Yes, but the pilot can over-ride the auto-system. That's the scary part.

Yeah, but why would he? Why would he over-ride it?

I've also heard that the pink one backed into the stationary purple one. Like he was trying to back up for the track switch so he could go park in the storage area, but the track was never switched so he rammed into the purple train.

But another person said, looking at the pictures, it looks like the pink one is slightly elevated, which I'm pretty sure could only happen if the purple one hit it.

 

[Sparx]

Yeah, it's an automatic thing.

Yeah, but why would he? Why would he over-ride it?

I've also heard that the pink one backed into the stationary purple one. Like he was trying to back up for the track switch so he could go park in the storage area, but the track was never switched so he rammed into the purple train.

But another person said, looking at the pictures, it looks like the pink one is slightly elevated, which I'm pretty sure could only happen if the purple one hit it.

not true. think about backing over something in your car, your car will rise up. i hit a truck in a parking lot one time, and my car kinda ran up the side of it. (it was almost a side swipe, but i was going really slow and backing into a parking spot, so there was no damage)

 

[BabyPiglet]

not true. think about backing over something in your car, your car will rise up. i hit a truck in a parking lot one time, and my car kinda ran up the side of it. (it was almost a side swipe, but i was going really slow and backing into a parking spot, so there was no damage)

Really? I always thought if A hit B then A would kind of ram under B? If that makes any sense. But I guess it just depends. Not that I even know what I'm really talking about, haha.

 

[Sparx]

Really? I always thought if A hit B then A would kind of ram under B? If that makes any sense. But I guess it just depends. Not that I even know what I'm really talking about, haha.

i really think that if pink backed into blue, the force it would be moving with would cause it to pick itself up a little bit. but that logic comes from seeing cars wreck into things.

 

[DollfieDreams]

my friend from disney has also been pitched the idea of it being thrown into over ride.

possible reasons? it was late at night, and these are the times when new pilots are trained or begin to feel comfortable navigating the tracks alone. perhaps he did not mean to activate the over ride system, or maybe he did to know how to opperate it if ever the auto-pilot were to give out. im not saying he was new, i have no idea, its just speculation.

the brakes not working to me seems unlikely.

edit: apparently, when a train goes into over ride, a recording of the pilot's cabin is initiated. i dont know if its a video or just a sound recording, the information wasnt clear. a manager working with my friend now suggested that perhaps if it went into over ride they are trying to review this recording to see if they can figure out what happened.

:/ very troubling.

 

[BabyPiglet]

Lol, I don't know. Like I said, it was another poster who said that, and it made sense to me.

 

[Disney.Ears]

News articles released the name of the driver so I searched him on Facebook & found a picture.

Rest in Peace

 

[DollfieDreams]

...he looks way fammiliar...

:[ sad.

 

[Disney.Ears]

It is really sad, considering he's like on a monorail in the picture

 

[BabyPiglet]

News articles released the name of the driver so I searched him on Facebook & found a picture.

Rest in Peace

Aw, and that's on the monorail, too.

 

[princesskelz]

my friend from disney has also been pitched the idea of it being thrown into over ride.

possible reasons? it was late at night, and these are the times when new pilots are trained or begin to feel comfortable navigating the tracks alone. perhaps he did not mean to activate the over ride system, or maybe he did to know how to opperate it if ever the auto-pilot were to give out. im not saying he was new, i have no idea, its just speculation.

the brakes not working to me seems unlikely.

edit: apparently, when a train goes into over ride, a recording of the pilot's cabin is initiated. i dont know if its a video or just a sound recording, the information wasnt clear. a manager working with my friend now suggested that perhaps if it went into over ride they are trying to review this recording to see if they can figure out what happened.

:/ very troubling.

oh god i would HATE to be the officer who has to watch that video

i believe he was one of our drivers this week.
i remember sitting up front of the train. he seemed nice.

 

[Disney.Ears]

His full name is Austin Wuennenberg.
Now the big question is, will his family sue Disney after the full investigation is done?

oh god i would HATE to be the officer who has to watch that video

i believe he was one of our drivers this week.
i remember sitting up front of the train. he seemed nice.

Noway :O That's so scary!