Tram collision at MK

BwanaBob

BwanaBob

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
OK everybody...this is merely a report...not a slam on anybody, so don't get all bent out of shape!

Went to see Wishes tonight with my girls...

pulled into MK parking around 6:30 pm and went to the west side of parking lot (trying to get my usual 'up-front' spot).

First thing I noticed was they're doing significant parking lot enhancements (paving and foundation work) to the areas directly south of CM parking (guest lots). Area was closed off.

While I'm gawking at this, I noticed a LOT of WDW vehicles in the tram lane between CM parking and "Minnie" lots. As I got closer, I found out what all the commotion was about...

Looks like someone tried to make a turn around the first island back towards the TTC and managed to side-swipe the poles on the 'Minnie' side of tram lane. Really mangled up two of the guest cars pretty good. Had one of the poles still embedded in the side of the car, while the first car was approx. 8' in front with the purple/seat sides of the car ripped off and hanging in a mangled mess. Not sure if anyone was on the tram when it happened (no-one was around but disney officials and maintenance workers assessing the damage).

And wouldn't you know it...the ONE time I don't bring my lousy camera!!!

The people I asked either played really dumb, or honestly didn't know what had happened. I'm sure a little of both. I'm sure people were wondering why the trams were dropping them off on the opposite side of the lot (east wing) for 'Minnie' parking. Looks like they routed the rest of the trams all the way around the back of the lot to access the rest of the parking in the rear.

Oh well. It was all cleared when I left around 10pm.

I'm sure someone won't be driving trams anymore!:eek:
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
I remember one time at AK, a guest fell off the tram... not good at all.
 
BwanaBob

BwanaBob

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
...and then there was this one time...at band camp!...

(sorry Rob!...couldn't resist!:D )

Seriously, though...People just don't get it why CM's seem 'rude' when it comes to ensuring people stay behind the yellow lines, behind the poles, etc...

It's times like these they come out of the woodwork screaming, "Why wasn't there a CM screaming to obey the rules, nag, nag, nag...."

'Cause stuff, unfortunately, happens!

Just don't be the one idiot not paying attention!
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
true true... at least this time they weren't hurt. They jumped out after their cap... YES A CAP, and ended up hitting the ground hard.
 
cherrynegra

cherrynegra

Well-Known Member
Oh if there were ever a job to feed the dark evil side of my personality, it would be a CM working on the trams. I was amazed at how people would ignore the CMs instructions, which are really for their safety, when riding or exiting/boarding the trams.

"No more boarding of the trams thank you. No more, no sir...ma'am....no more.....I SAID NO MORE BOARDING YOU $$%%## D@## MO#$$@^%& IDIOTS!!":lol:

Yes, I would be fired at the end of the day, but at least I'd save a few lives on the way. And just all that venting would be worth it.
 
lnsemsf

lnsemsf

Well-Known Member
Best tram related incident I ever saw was at back in 1999 or 2000 at MGM late one night after the park closed. I had been at another park and got dropped off to get my car. As I was walking from the bus stop I saw one of the parking trams which was just parked in the tram lane. As I walked past it, i noticed the front cab was turned sharply to the right and was up and over one of the tall palm trees which line the side. It looked like he was just driving along and then veered to the right and upended the tree, not sure why that happened. Disney security was all around, and the driver was still sitting there, with a look of extreme embarrasment or disbelief on his face. Kinda one of those "I'm not going to be working here tomorrow" looks. I asked the next time I was in the park what had happened and the cast member at guest relations I talked to said he hadnt heard about it, but would look in to it and give me the answer on my next visit. By my next visit he had quit, and I never got my answer. Only thing I can guess is somebody or something darted out in front of him and he swerved quickly to avoid it because it was sharply turned towards the tree, as opposed to the whole thing being angled slightly as if he wasnt paying attention. I checked the news that night and it wasnt big enough news to make it, so nobody was hurt severly, if at all. The planter did remain empty for quite awhile though, I always noticed it when I walked by the trees and pointed out the empty planter to friends.
 
Mad Stitch

Mad Stitch

Well-Known Member
I operated trams at the studios when I was a cm in the college program. I’m not surprised to read about this accident. Those trams act like a whip when you go through a turn. If you didn’t reduce the speed by at least half when going through the turn, the back cars would swing out and hit the poles. I’ve seen a couple of newbes come close to doing it in training.
 
Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Mad Stitch
I operated trams at the studios when I was a cm in the college program. I’m not surprised to read about this accident. Those trams act like a whip when you go through a turn. If you didn’t reduce the speed by at least half when going through the turn, the back cars would swing out and hit the poles. I’ve seen a couple of newbes come close to doing it in training.
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I must say when we were there in October we were at the end of that whip! One of our drivers was whipping around the corners and we were sliding from one side of the seats to the other. We were hanging on to our kids for dear life! I just kind of assumed he knew how fast he could safely go, and it felt worse then it was.
 
BwanaBob

BwanaBob

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I wonder how many tram cars are in the boneyard?

Nah! What am I thinking? They just sell them off cheap to Sea World/Universal!
 
cherrynegra

cherrynegra

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by TAC
Disney would wait until the end of the day to fire you? My wife says that if I got a job at Disney and had to work with "the public," I wouldn't last an hour! :lol: She's right!

How about laser beams along the sides of the tram? If a guest attempts to board or unboard the tram, they are cut off LITERALLY! :cool:
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Yes, or they can assign long range tasers to the CMs. Nothing like a heap of guests on the side of the road.

"When I say 'No Boarding,' I mean no boarding!!" That'll learn 'em.:lol:
 
Kwit35

Kwit35

New Member
Those trams can be pretty scarey sometimes. My friend used to work at Bush Gardens and was witness to a woman falling out of a tram. She was run over and killed. Very sad.
On a lighter note, I love the tram ride when the drivers are in a silly mood. When it is late and you are tired, the funny things they say can really end the day on a good note.
 
lamarvenoy

lamarvenoy

New Member
While hiring an employee he explained why he was fired from Hershey Park...he flipped a tram one night while messing around after hours with a couple of other employees. They were making quick turns to whip around the cars and went a little too far and jackknifed the last car causing half of the train to mangle and flip. He was only 20 when it happened and was just one of those stupid things you wish never happened.
 
STGRhost

STGRhost

Member
Best tram related incident I ever saw was at back in 1999 or 2000 at MGM late one night after the park closed. I had been at another park and got dropped off to get my car. As I was walking from the bus stop I saw one of the parking trams which was just parked in the tram lane. As I walked past it, i noticed the front cab was turned sharply to the right and was up and over one of the tall palm trees which line the side. It looked like he was just driving along and then veered to the right and upended the tree, not sure why that happened. Disney security was all around, and the driver was still sitting there, with a look of extreme embarrasment or disbelief on his face. Kinda one of those "I'm not going to be working here tomorrow" looks. I asked the next time I was in the park what had happened and the cast member at guest relations I talked to said he hadnt heard about it, but would look in to it and give me the answer on my next visit. By my next visit he had quit, and I never got my answer. Only thing I can guess is somebody or something darted out in front of him and he swerved quickly to avoid it because it was sharply turned towards the tree, as opposed to the whole thing being angled slightly as if he wasnt paying attention. I checked the news that night and it wasnt big enough news to make it, so nobody was hurt severly, if at all. The planter did remain empty for quite awhile though, I always noticed it when I walked by the trees and pointed out the empty planter to friends.
Click to expand...

Agh! I was just about to post this! I was working in Guest Relations then, and my roommate was actually shadowing one of the main entrance managers that night. He wasn't involved initially, as he got stuck in the parking lot, directing traffic, but he got to help with the clean up. I was stuck in the lobby, and we had lots of folks asking about it. Thing is, the managers would often purposely give us little to no information about things like that, so we had no choice but to say we didn't know anything (Usually the truth if an hourly says it). I got to hear all about it when we got off of work. We were parked at that end of the CM parking lot, so he showed me the tree. Still can't believe someone tried to drive a tram up it. :lol: I'm pretty sure no one was seriously injured. I have NO idea what happpened to the CM, but I'm willing to bet he/she doesn't work parking anymore.
 

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