Monorail Crash Kills Operator

[JimMIA]

Just want your opinion on this observation. Since it's probably safe to assume that this was the worst possible set of circumstances

I do think this was pretty much a "worst possible case" scenario.

From what I've been able to piece together from CM posts, the Purple train was stopped at TTC, waiting to leave for Epcot, and would have been controlled by the lead CM on that platform. The Pink train was apparently being transferred from the Epcot track to the MK track, and would have been controlled by the monorail central control point. Since the two trains were being controlled by different people in different locations, it is quite possible that the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing.

And, as Skier Pete pointed out, there were probably several other problems layered on top of each other as well.

...the fact that none of the passengers were seriously injured would mean that only the pilots are in any real danger in the case of collision?

NO. It doesn't mean that at all. The only thing we can derive from this particular crash is that the passengers in the rear of the same car as the driver apparently suffered no injuries.

If anything had been different, we might have had a very different outcome.

If any of the cars had been heavily loaded, it's likely that at least some of the passengers would have been slammed into seats, bulkheads, poles, or each other and been injured. People in a crowded car could panic and stampede over each other.

If the Purple train had been moving forward even slightly, the physics of the whole crash change dramatically. Instead of energy being absorbed by pushing the Purple train backward, you would have significant additional energy generated by the Purple train moving forward -- and that would give you much greater impact.

We already discussed the importance of speed in previous posts -- even a slight increase in speed of the Pink train would have greatly increased the force of the impact. Much greater speed could have knocked cars completely off the track to the ground 15-20 feet below.

We can't assume anything from this crash except that the monorail cars are obviously not very crash-resistant.

But we should also remember that the WDW monorail has a very good safety record. This is the only fatal accident in 38 years of operation.

 

[thefirebuilds]

I'm sure you are right. I've been reading some posts on a news site from a former WDW monorail driver, who said similar things. His main point was that even if the Pink train had been cleared to override the automatic safety system and also cleared to back up, there should have been at least three additional safety precautions in effect.

The first is that there is supposed to be a CM with a handheld radio at the switching point who watches the tracks to ensure that the train is in fact being directed to the correct track.

The second is that there is always supposed to be another driver riding in the cab at the rear of the train, watching backward. (That was obviously not the case in this accident or we would have had two fatalities instead of one.)

And the third is the driver is supposed to be watching behind the train through a rearward periscope, although this former CM said that would be very hard to do because of other things the driver would be required to watch in front of the train at the same time.

If any one of those precautions had been actually followed, it seems like the crash would not have happened.

and since there never ever had been an incident like this we as people get complacent and likely forgo those kind of precautions... like how i've never died in a car accident so I do 80mph all the time. If I do 65 I'm probably far less likely to have an accident or die in the ensuing wreckage. You know what they say about building a better mouse trap.

 

[JimMIA]

and since there never ever had been an incident like this we as people get complacent and likely forgo those kind of precautions...

Absolutely. The one nagging thought I just can't get out of my head is that I hope Disney didn't eliminate the CM watching the track and the second driver in the rear as a penny-pinching, cost-cutting brainstorm due to the economy. I'd be very surprised if they'd do that, but you never know.

 

[Joolish1313]

I have confidence that Disney will act in the best interest for all parties including future guests by investigating this horrible tragedy, and prevent any future incidences.
My condolences to the family of the driver.

 

[barandalson]

according to Wesh.com the monorail has reopened

 

[WI WDWGIRL]

And you can also take a survey if you want to ride it again. Yes is winning at 82% when I just looked.

 

[thefirebuilds]

And you can also take a survey if you want to ride it again. Yes is winning at 82% when I just looked.

I don't mean to discount the guy's death by any means, cuz it's certainly not the way I'd choose to go, but you all understand he was far more likely to die driving that hour to work every morning than on this well protected, multiple-safetied ride, right?

 

[JimMIA]

And you can also take a survey if you want to ride it again. Yes is winning at 82% when I just looked.

I'm surprised it's not 95+% yes. The monorail system has a very, very good safety record despite this tragic event.

 

[WI WDWGIRL]

And yet when you look at some of the videos at weth.com all they seem to focus on are the negatives, the accidents that have happened. I am terribly sorry for has happened, but hopefully something good will come of it.

 

[krbq]

Absolutely. The one nagging thought I just can't get out of my head is that I hope Disney didn't eliminate the CM watching the track and the second driver in the rear as a penny-pinching, cost-cutting brainstorm due to the economy. I'd be very surprised if they'd do that, but you never know.

The possibility that Disney's cost-cutting may have something to do with the accident has also occurred to me. It wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[JimMIA]

The possibility that Disney's cost-cutting may have something to do with the accident has also occurred to me. It wouldn't surprise me at all.

I really hope that's not the case for several reasons.

First of all, as a parent, I'd hate to think my child died because some bean-counter was trying to run the trains on the cheap.

And secondly, if that proves to be the case, it will generate the Mother of All Lawsuits!

I don't think Disney would do that, but the thought does nag a bit with all the other cutbacks they've been doing lately.

 

[theweave]

According to an article on Wesh.com:

http://www.wesh.com/news/19963457/detail.html

Highlights:

- NTSB joins investigation
- Monorail re-opened with new safety practices in place.
- Disney has "temporarily" suspended the practice of having guests ride up front, for the respect of the drivers.

I understand the last one, who wants to be pilot with people inundating you with questions like "Are you nervous?", "Is it safe to ride up here?" etc.

Hopefully they will eventually let people ride up front again but am not too sure of it either.

 

[JimMIA]

Hmmm...this doesn't sound all that good.

The Miami Herald is running a story saying OSHA is conducting an investigation to see if "workplace safety rules" were violated prior to the accident. I could be wrong, but I don't think OSHA just jumps in without a complaint from employees in a situation like this.

Also, speaking about the reopening of the monorail, the Disney spokesperson, Zoraya Suarez, is quoted as saying, "''All I can say is there are additional verifications. We've supplemented our safety procedures and protocol.''

The combination of these two stories sounds to me like someone messed up bigtime.

Why would you need to supplement your safety procedures and protocol with "additional verifications?"

 

[Lukas87]

OSHA automatically investigates any workplace deaths, there dont need to be complaints for it to happen.

 

[krbq]

I don't know about OSHA, but according to the Orlando Sentinel it's unusual for the NTSB to investigate an accident of this type. The same article reports on discussions with monorail pilots about the rail switching procedures and what might have gone wrong. Here's a link:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-disney-monorail-cause-070709,0,1816667.story

 

[thefirebuilds]

Hmmm...this doesn't sound all that good.

The Miami Herald is running a story saying OSHA is conducting an investigation to see if "workplace safety rules" were violated prior to the accident. I could be wrong, but I don't think OSHA just jumps in without a complaint from employees in a situation like this.

Also, speaking about the reopening of the monorail, the Disney spokesperson, Zoraya Suarez, is quoted as saying, "''All I can say is there are additional verifications. We've supplemented our safety procedures and protocol.''

The combination of these two stories sounds to me like someone messed up bigtime.

Why would you need to supplement your safety procedures and protocol with "additional verifications?"

If you read the wiki article on Disney incidents it mentions fines from OSHA in just about every incident where Disney was found at fault, so it's evident from that they put their nose in on most issues, and I think that's a large part of their position.

 

[thefirebuilds]

I don't know about OSHA, but according to the Orlando Sentinel it's unusual for the NTSB to investigate an accident of this type. The same article reports on discussions with monorail pilots about the rail switching procedures and what might have gone wrong. Here's a link:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-disney-monorail-cause-070709,0,1816667.story

I'm finding the opposite, that the NTSB is pretty generally involved in many types of transportation investigations, from the scope of size of september 11th all the way down to semi truck crashed bearing hazardous materials. I'd say that the highly used monorail falls well within this scope and let's be honest, the monorail incident in itself is highly unusual and irregular just by relation of its namesake alone.

 

[thefirebuilds]

I don't think Disney would do that, but the thought does nag a bit with all the other cutbacks they've been doing lately.

we really need to face the fact that all corporations and most people are faced with this decision right now. Understaffing is rampant and the tightened employment market is causing a major issue with morale and overall customer service.

I think it's interesting to note that from at least January of 2007 to January of 2009 there was not a single commercial airline fatality resulting from a crash

This article is worth noting:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/16/AR2009011602252.html

How many have occurred now since that plane was put in the Hudson? We've known the economy is in trouble, we know airlines suffered from it, we know that if their flights are understaffed and theyre CUTTING experienced pilots and CUTTING experienced stewardesses that they're obviously cutting maintenance crews and all the other terribly important safety structures in place that prevent fatal airplane crashes. Let's face facts, safety mitigation is simply risk management - how much PR flack are we going to take for a crashed plane, the cost of civil lawsuits or the cost of replacement of equipment (many millions for an airplane, many millions for litigation) balanced with the cost of staying in business.

Now of course Disney has a lot more at stake, which si the brand image, but honestly can you fault them (before 7/1) for making the tough decisions? Multiple safety traps in place, well trained employees, carefully orchestrated procedures and nearly 4 decades without a fatal incident on one of the most populated transit systems in the world. Hindsight is 20/20 but the earlier poster said he was a monorail pilot, many cost saving measures may have passed since the point he has left. It's likely the system has seen a million miles since any such changes.

And again, I don't mean to trivialize this guys life, but if were shot by an intruder in his home, killed in an automobile accident, had a heart attack in his bed at home he would not be a BLIP on anyone's radar except of his family. In all seriousness, I wouldn't want to go that way, but the guy seemed to love his job from what coworkers and friends said, and like any of us there are inherent risks in our chosen profession. I work at a financial institution, I started after 9/11, I work in a "bomb proof" and highly secured area but I know there are risks every day to doing my dumb cubicle job...and I know those risks would be greatly reduced if I stopped eating fatty foods and driving 60 miles a day to work.

I'm just saying...

 

[jnwings]

The possibility that Disney's cost-cutting may have something to do with the accident has also occurred to me. It wouldn't surprise me at all.

It would definitely surprise me. Dis doesn't typically cut corners when safety is involved.

 

[TiggerFreak]

It would definitely surprise me. Dis doesn't typically cut corners when safety is involved.

I agree, remember Safety Is the first word In S.H.O.W!