Monorail Crash

[chinsmom1997]

Of course thoughts, prayers and condolences go to all involved.

I do wonder if this will end the riding up front.
In the end it will be interesting to see how all this did happen. That is what I think everyone finds so shocking. An electrical fire could be understood. But a fatal crash?! That is very shocking and a complete surprise.
I would think they cannot open the monorail back up until a full investigation by state. Wouldn't this fall under DOT?

Again, my first thought was the poor CM and his/her family.

As I live in the Orlando area, it was reported on the Local News that WDW has suspended all guest riding in Captain Cabin indefinitely.
The Cast Member that was killed was only 21 years old, and a senior at Setson University. He was getting ready to graduate this fall. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
Sheri

 

[Donald_Quackers]

That spur is near the Contemporary on the way towards the MK. It is a two way spur so that trains can transfer to/from the barn to either the Resort or Express Lines. We stood on our balcony at the CR one morning and watched the operation take place. Very interesting.

That's what I thought, but wasn't sure. I hadn't seen the switch in operation.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

That's what I thought, but wasn't sure. I hadn't seen the switch in operation.

In the past late at night while staying at the Contemporary I saw one of the Monorail's switch onto the other track and then go behind Space Mountain, so it's really intresting to see in person.

 

[maryliz]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet: It seems to me that purple must have been stopped at the station waiting for clearance to leave for EPCOT. He had passengers, so they must have been going TO EPCOT to get to their cars. There would have been no reason for anyone to be returning FROM EPCOT, since it had closed 4 hours before the incident. So, any reports about purple moving/coming into the station would not be correct. If he was moving, he was moving out of the station, toward EPCOT and monorail Pink.

Does this make sense or am I way off?

I've been wondering about this as well ... the video was clearly taken IN the station, but other accounts, including those from people who were waiting for trams at the TTC have said that the contact point was outside of the station. Did they somehow move the trains into the station right after the accident and that's when the video was taken?

 

[DIS1130]

It is an interesting process, however, from what I understand they have completely changed the way that they do it at nights- it's just a shame that this is what it took to change. I also find it horrible that the news and media are building it up to be that Austin was too young or not doing things correctly. When it comes down to it, he is the only one who was doing things correctly by trying to reverse.

My question is, does anyone know what happened to the other driver? I know that Disney is apparently keeping his identity hush hush- for good reason. But I can't imagine that he would want to continue even working at Disney (I know that I wouldn't) but does anyone know if he was fired or transfered out?

 

[mizzoumom]

Thank you to all who have posted current information about this tragic accident. Being in the middle of the country makes the news out here more local than what is happening in Orlando.

 

[brighteyes]

It is an interesting process, however, from what I understand they have completely changed the way that they do it at nights- it's just a shame that this is what it took to change. I also find it horrible that the news and media are building it up to be that Austin was too young or not doing things correctly. When it comes down to it, he is the only one who was doing things correctly by trying to reverse.

My question is, does anyone know what happened to the other driver? I know that Disney is apparently keeping his identity hush hush- for good reason. But I can't imagine that he would want to continue even working at Disney (I know that I wouldn't) but does anyone know if he was fired or transfered out?

I would imagine that right now he would be on some sort of stress leave indefinately.

Stephanie

 

[seashoreCM]

The pink monorail driver was probably just following orders and following a procedure which was "standard" up until now.

He got a radio message that he was clear to back up, and he did so.

Further investigation may reveal whether he was going too fast anyway.

The backing maneuvers need to be encompassed by the automatic signalling (MAPO). With signal lights that face both ways on sections of track that are used for movement in both directions and that will show red when there is another train up ahead relative to the direction of movement..

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

For those that have watched the news videos on the Orlando TV websites am I the only one who thinks they are making it sound worse about the two Monorail managers that were at Denny's during the time of the crash. Obvioulsy they should have been there during that time and not left a maintenance Cast Member in charge, however the Orlando media is saying how they were across the street from WDW which is not really true. If you notice all the TV stations are reporting across the street in front of the WDW entrance gate at Lake Buena Vista/535, since it's the only entrance area where they can stand. Also it's technically the only entrance across the street from WDW since guests can walk from Downtown Disney to the Crossroads Shopping Plaza, however all the other WDW entrances are not located across the street from anything like that since cars are coming from the various Interstates or toll highways. So is the Orlando media making things sound worse by saying the managers were across the street, when it's only true from that one specific entrance.

 

[Endeavour105]

For those that have watched the news videos on the Orlando TV websites am I the only one who thinks they are making it sound worse about the two Monorail managers that were at Denny's during the time of the crash. Obvioulsy they should have been there during that time and not left a maintenance Cast Member in charge, however the Orlando media is saying how they were across the street from WDW which is not really true. If you notice all the TV stations are reporting across the street in front of the WDW entrance gate at Lake Buena Vista/535, since it's the only entrance area where they can stand. Also it's technically the only entrance across the street from WDW since guests can walk from Downtown Disney to the Crossroads Shopping Plaza, however all the other WDW entrances are not located across the street from anything like that since cars are coming from the various Interstates or toll highways. So is the Orlando media making things sound worse by saying the managers were across the street, when it's only true from that one specific entrance.

Don't you know that Don Henley's song "Dirty Laundry" was written about the local Orlando reporters and TV news stations here?!?!?!

There has been a lot of 2nd guessing and speculation by many who haven't the slightest concept or knowledge of the monorail operations regarding the incident that is useless.

Wait for the final investigation reports to come out...until then, leave it alone.

But, noooooooo - the local idiot reporters don't care if they get anything right - except for getting their faces in front of the camera under the guise of the "public's right to know" - as they're so caught up in their own imagined self-importance. In other words, Yes, the local reporters are making it worse.

I'm all for the Moderators of the Disboards closing all the threads related to the recent monorail tragedy out of respect of the bereaved and the deceased.

 

[KJMAX1]

I gotta ask people who might know...But was Austen working at Disney in AK at the Tusker House before the renov? If so I had encountered him and told GS about him. He was helping with counter prep for food, and was very new it appeared. When I had to carry the food for my whole family of 9, he helped me to our table with all the food and then went back and got all our drinks. I was shocked because Ive never had this type of service at a CS. I told him I would come back to carry all the food but he told me not to worry and he insisted on helping.

Does anyone know if this is the same Austen?

 

[ParrotBill]

My question is, does anyone know what happened to the other driver? I know that Disney is apparently keeping his identity hush hush- for good reason. But I can't imagine that he would want to continue even working at Disney (I know that I wouldn't) but does anyone know if he was fired or transfered out?

It is now being reported on CNN (also know as MJNN- the Michael Jackson news network) that 3 people have been suspended with pay during the investigation:

* The driver of Pink
* A maintenance center employee
* A monorail manager

There must be reasons to investigation decisions/actions of each. We've seen prior monorail castmembers say that the driver of Pink should have realized they were not on the spur, and that the platform manager should have know what was happening and been able to hit a power kill switch, and of course we know maintenance is involved because it is supposed they said the switch was changed when it was not.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Here's the CNN story:

Disney monorail workers placed on leave after crash
By Rich Phillips
CNN

updated 6:12 p.m. EDT, Thu July 9, 2009

(CNN) -- Three Disney monorail workers have been placed on paid leave just days after two monorail trains crashed at the Orlando, Florida, theme park, killing one of the train's operators, according to a Disney spokeswoman.

Walt Disney World spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said the action was "part of an investigative process, not a disciplinary action."

The three workers were a monorail maintenance shop member, the monorail pilot of one of the trains and a transportation manager.

Disney would not name the employees.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the Sunday morning accident, is expected to be at the park for several days.

"To this point in the investigation, no anomalies or malfunctions have been found with the automatic train stop system or with any mechanical components of the switch or with either trains," the NTSB said in a statement.

The crash killed operator Austin Wuennenberg, 21. The operator of the other train was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released. Additionally, six passengers on Wuennenberg's train were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Wuennenberg was piloting the "Purple" train. The other train, known as the "Pink" train, was operated by one of the employees who has since been placed on leave. The Pink train was instructed to go back through a track switch that would take it from the monorail's Epcot loop to the Magic Kingdom loop.

"For undetermined reasons that are currently under investigation, the switch had not changed position needed to allow the Pink train to be routed to the Magic Kingdom loop," putting the Pink and Purple trains on a collision course, the NTSB statement said.

NTSB investigators believe that Wuennenberg attempted to put his train into reverse before the collision, attempting to avoid the crash.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating Wuennenberg's death, would not comment, citing the ongoing investigation.