Monorails Collide at WDW - One Killed

[Disneyland RR Guy]

Originally Posted by Young at Heart

I just woke up on the West coast and saw the terrible news. My deepest sympathies to the CM's family and the WDW cast. This will be a terrible shock.

Question; don't the WDW monorails have block lights, like the railroad does? DLR's monorails do, to warn about a monorail train on the block ahead.

Yes they have a moving block light system
another picture from a different angle

http://www.clickorlando.com/2009/070...39_640X360.jpg

1 Dead In Disney Monorail Crash - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando

[Young at Heart]

Originally Posted by KevinYee

Now that shot is *really* interesting. Why is the underside of the track twisted? Is this the spot of impact? Was it damage before the crash (it caused the crash) or was it from after?

sigh, I might have to go to WDW this weekend after all.

It looks like the underside of the train to me. I didn't know the WDW monorails had a double beam!

Kevin, for us DLR folks that will doubtless be joining the thread, what's the TTC parking lot?

[KevinYee]

Those CNN photos, by the way, look to me like Monorail Red, not Monorail Pink. Might be the lighting, though.

[KevinYee]

The TTC is the Ticket and Transportation Center. You might think of this as an outsider as the "Magic Kingdom parking lot".

[Disneyland RR Guy]

Originally Posted by Young at Heart

It looks like the underside of the train to me. I didn't know the WDW monorails had a double beam!

Kevin, for us DLR folks that will doubtless be joining the thread, what parking lot are you talking about?

Just a heads up the picture of the under area is from the one in seattle not WDW. CNN has a picture from a previous accident in seattle

[sambadude]

Just heard the news over here in Australia! So very sad how awful And those photos are truly shocking to look at! I'm interested to hear how something like this could've happened! Just gotta be patient I guess.

[KevinYee]

Now that makes more sense. I thought i was going crazy!

Originally Posted by Disneyland RR Guy

Just a heads up the picture of the under area is from the one in seattle not WDW. CNN has a picture from a previous accident in seattle

[Disneyland RR Guy]

Originally Posted by KevinYee

Now that makes more sense. I thought i was going crazy!

I think we all are.

JUST got an email from anaheim they might cancel their monorail system today, due to the accident.

All of WDW monorails are closed today including magic kingdom loop

[Stitchy]

Originally Posted by Disneyland RR Guy

No

On August 30, 1991, a monorail train collided with a diesel maintenance work tractor near the Contemporary Resort as the tractor drove closely in front of the train to film it for a commercial. Two cast members were treated at a hospital for injuries.

Wow.

So, is this the first time two monorails have collided? Have they always had the alarm system to alert them to another close monorail?

[tonyrr1]

Originally Posted by Disneyland RR Guy

Just a heads up the picture of the under area is from the one in seattle not WDW. CNN has a picture from a previous accident in seattle

Thanks for noting that. I was thinking the CNN photo looks like a collision out on the beam, where the others appear to be inside the TTC. I was getting ready to think "conspiracy theory" or something...

[KevinYee]

Originally Posted by tonyrr1

Thanks for noting that. I was thinking the CNN photo looks like a collision out on the beam, where the others appear to be inside the TTC. I was getting ready to think "conspiracy theory" or something...

see post #2. My theory is that the accident happened out on the beam (in the parking lot) and they moved the monorails to the station to evacuate.

[mechurchlady]

I used to belong to a site and Big Wallaby was a driver, I pray it was not him. I do not understand how this could have happened and hope it was not one of the CMs I know. I will try to find out from a friend who works out here.

I remember how much they talked about monorail safety and how safe the monorails were. hoping and praying. so sad.

[tonyrr1]

Originally Posted by KevinYee

see post #2. My theory is that the accident happened out on the beam (in the parking lot) and they moved the monorails to the station to evacuate.

Kevin... I was just studying the CNN photo and coming to the same conclusion. Great minds think alike; mine just thinks a little more slowly... lol.

Of course, now I'll be curious to know whether the causative agent was a systemmic failure of some type (either a safety system failing or perhaps a power failure on the part of the train that was struck that rendered its marker lighting inoperative) or an operator failure (disregarding block signals, being distracted in the cockpit, etc.)

You mentioned there were systems that interacted with the trains that ensured they could not occupy the same space on the system. I'm not sure I got this answer from your posts, so I'll ask - does the controlling system, when sensing a train is approaching another train's "turf" , only alert or warn the pilot of the approaching train, or can the system actually slow and stop it or cut power to it?

[wdw4us2]

I have been getting updates via a MK Cast Member. Mostly the same news that's available online.

For a time line of previous WDW Monorail mishaps, go to this link:

Disney Monorail Crash Kills Driver - Central Florida News 13

Lisa

[ducksman]

I think DL's system being closed today is a sure thing. While they have their differences, the DL safety system shares a lot of similarities to the WDW system. It'd be a good idea to keep both closed until the cause of the accident is determined, especially since this is most likely some sort of mechanical or computer failure and not due to human error.

This is really sad news. To be a monorail operator making so little money and be killed like this. Horrible.