Disney Monorail Crash
Two Walt Disney World monorails crashed into each other at about 2 a.m. Sunday, July 5th, at the end of Disney’s popular 4th of July celebration. Monorail pink and monorail purple crashed near the Magic Kingdom’s Transportation and Ticket Center, where guests board the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, its resort hotels, or Epcot. One driver was killed, according to the Orlando Sentinel, and six guests were on board but were not seriously injured. The two monorail trains were reported to be transporting guests to and from the Epcot theme park.
News media are currently offering conflicting reports of where the crash took place, with many news outlets reporting that the collision took place at the Epcot monorail station, while others report that the crash occurred at the Magic Kingdom’s Transportation and Ticket Center. Central Florida News 13′s photos show the two monorail trains locked together at the Magic Kingdom’s Transportation and Ticket Center.
This tragic accident was entirely preventable. Disney’s monorails operate on two separate tracks on two loop systems. One loop travels past the Magic Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom resorts. The express monorail track takes guests to the Transportation and Ticket Center and the Magic Kingdom, and the resort monorail track makes these stops and additional stops at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort, and the Polynesian Resort. At the Transportation and Ticket Center, guests can also board a separate monorail that travels along a different loop track to Epcot and back.
Monorail trains normally travel along their respective tracks, with each monorail traveling in the same direction on the track. This way, it is impossible for monorails to crash into each other head-on. Disney uses a sophisticated safety system designed to prevent monorails from crashing into the rear of another monorail train. Monorails test this system regularly while carrying passengers, who are advised that the monorail’s computer system automatically shuts down once the monorail comes within a certain distance of another monorail train. It is not clear how this system failed early Sunday morning, resulting in the death of the driver who crashed into the rear of another monorail train.
Sunday’s monorail crash raises several questions:
1. Why didn’t the monorail’s fail-safe computer system kick in, shutting down the monorails’ computerized operating systems when they came too close to each other?
2. Since Disney’s monorail system has a communications and navigation system similar to an air traffic control tower, how did this tragic accident occur?
3. Each monorail train is equipped with front and rear headlights and a horn, in addition to a communications system. Why didn’t the driver stop when he or she saw the other monorail train ahead?
4. Did the driver suffer from exhaustion, a heart attack, or some other health condition at the time of the crash?
5. What steps will Disney take to make the monorail system safer for drivers and guests?
CNN began reporting the monorail crash early this morning, broadcasting horrifying images of monorails pink and purple locked in a fatal embrace. Monorail drivers are often retirees who enjoy working at Disney for the employee benefits and the atmosphere. The monorail is rather simple to control: push the lever forward to control direction and speed; backward to reverse. There is no steering wheel. Disney allows up to four guests to ride inside the driver’s cab while it is in motion.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash. Meanwhile Disney World copes with a shocking accident, the death of a cast member, adverse publicity, and its own search into the causes of this gruesome accident, which should have been averted.
Walt Disney World has issued the following statement:
“Today, we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to his family and to those who have lost a friend and co-worker. The safety of our guests and cast members is always our top priority. The monorail is out of service and we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to determine what happened and the approximate next steps.” — Mike Griffin, Walt Disney World Vice President of Public Affairs.
source:www.examiner.com
