Disney Monorail crash kills driver

[mrcoaster]

I have a feeling that the driver either lost consciousness or fell asleep, as the reports I heard say they could find nothing obviously wrong on the initial inspection. It was very late and his train was empty, and there was no way that he couldn't have seen the parked train in front of him.

I wonder if the poor man had some physical problem or simply was overworked?

Since it was so late, i wonder if they where manually overriding safety measures to try to move the trains along faster, and either go confused or wasn't paying attention.

No way. Not a chance. Things were NEVER moved along faster by skipping safety protocols when I was there. Not when doing testing, certainly not when guests were on board. The time saved by overriding the safety protocols, and bringing a train in on override would have been seconds, and would get you fired, or at least out of driving a train permanently.

Somebody may have screwed up, somebody may have intentionally screwed up...who knows? Overriding saftey protocols to "move things along faster?" Extremely unlikely.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Hey, coaster.

Thanks for all that info. I hope nobody actually did this deliberately. Sounds like a TV murder plot.

 

[JAG]

I never thought of it that way. I have always felt safe in Disney. A little scary cause we we are going in a few weeks. One of the things I wanted to do was ride in the front of the monorail.

Oh please..... one person... ONE person has died in a monorail crash at Disney.... how many do you think died on their WAY to Disney?

Probably an awful lot. I did not know it was a college program kid.

I still plan on trying to get in the front, just not sure they will allow anyone to do it anymore.

Hi Mrcoaster. Appreciate your insight.

 

[mrcoaster]

According to my sources, it wasn't a college program kid. Just a part-time kid who happened to be in college. He lived in the area and was taking classes.

Disney said today that the accident happened while they were doing a track switch, which involves overriding the MAPO (anti-collision) system. The computer will show the track isn't closed and the only way to move the train in the area of the switch is to use the override. There are very specific procedures for moving during a switch. The train that was hit must have just switched from the Magic Kingdom line or was about to switch to that line. There are a lot of possibilities, but where this happened makes it a little confusing with regards to a regular switch at the end of the night.

During late night switches, trains may operate in reverse and override the MAPO system (on instructions from Monorail Central only). Usually, other trains are held until a switch is done. Hard to say what might have happened here. Monorail Red might have been cleared in reverse through the TTC station, while Monorail Purple (the train with the guests and the young driver who ultimately died) was approaching.

Still, if one train was on override, the second train sure should see him coming, and get a warning light. If both trains were cleared to override and go toward each other at the same time in close proximity, then we'd have what happened. Still, these procedures are done every day/evening, and people get pretty experienced at the operations. It isn't brain surgery, but you do need to pay attention. Without more details, it sounds like somebody just made a horrible mistake in clearing trains improperly, and for some reason (unaware, not paying attention, no time?) the second driver couldn't react.

In any case, it is still very sad, and they have implemented some extended procedures during switches to make sure where trains are and where they are clear to before movement.

 

[Kail]

Here is my son and I riding in the front of the monorail last April. The card he's holding up says "Monorail co-pilot".

 

[mrcoaster]

Got an update from former colleagues in Rails...

Apparently, the forward train (Pink) was getting ready to switch tracks to the Magic Kingdom loop. Monorail Pink was cleared in reverse back into the TTC station, overriding the anti-collision system (which happens during a switch). The clearance was given, but the switch had never been moved. It was still linked to the EPCOT track, so Monorail Pink was operating in reverse into the station they thought was the MK station side, but was instead the EPCOT station side. Meanwhile, Monorail Purple (the train with the guests and the driver who was ultimately killed) was cleared into the station using the override. The driver of Purple never had a chance to slow, stop and reverse. Unfortunately, the station console wasn't being manned at the time (like it should have been). If it had, somebody could have killed power when they saw the two trains approaching (max speed entering the station would have been 15 mph each, so there should have been plenty of time).

Some terrible mistakes were made. They've updated the procedures, but the previous safety procedures just weren't followed like they should have been, and there was a lack of awareness. Very sad. Should never have happened.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

Wow! Terrible chain of events. Sounds like a few mistakes occurring all at the same time caused this accident. Poor kid.

 

[RJDiogenes]

That's terrible. The people responsible will have a lot on their consciences.

 

[JAG]

Seems like the NTSB is going to help investigate the crash. Occupational Safety and Health Administration dispatched to two investigators from its Tampa field office to examine the accident.

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

 

[FordSVT]

Does MR Coaster still hang around in these parts? He used to drive a monorail and this made me think of him, though he was a flight attendant last time I talked to him a few years back. Perhaps he made the right move. I was at disney a month ago. hard to believe it could happen. I often wonder why the whole system isn't automated to prevent human error.

Transportation systems are usually run by people to prevent machine error, and to be able to react faster in an emergency situation.

This is the first fatality in the history of the monorail system at Disney, and given then number of people who use it I'd bet money it's still the safest form of transportation (as Disney likes to say).

It will be interesting to see what the investigation brings forth.

 

[RevDMV]

Thanks for the update mrcoaster, most accidents like this(train, air) result from a long chain of events like you described.

Without further details I'm guessing the driver was unlucky and hit his head on something hard, give the relatively low speeds and lack of passenger injuries.