Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
In this case, it was something like an axle on the train jamming. Roller coasters CAN get stuck upside down, but its very, very, very rare and has happened only a few times ever.
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Epcot Monorail Being Evacuated
- Thread starter peachykeen
- Start date
In this case, it was something like an axle on the train jamming. Roller coasters CAN get stuck upside down, but its very, very, very rare and has happened only a few times ever.
Grumpy1973
Active Member
What about all of those FP's that those guests booked 60 days ago!?!? 
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Yep. Not something I dreamed up. DH & I make funny references to it from time to time. Survivors.
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
any link? I cant find it lol.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Or wish I was dead.Actually wait.... maybe there IS some merit to the "I thought I was going to die" thing....
Were there any tour groups on the monorail?
Maybe that's what they meant!!!!
EDIT: Apparently guests were singing "Let It Go" to pass the time... that would've been enough for me to think I was gonna die... lol...
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
No. So many people were going on their page laughing at them or telling them they were out of line for claiming to be "survivors" considering what that storm eventually did that it was made private or something. I'm not a FBer so I'm not sure what can be done to keep the page private. @Master Yoda from here got on it before it went all private do maybe he can help locate it or give additional info. At the time it was all quite the hullabaloo on another fan forum...quite humorous to us here.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Mechanical failure that engaged a safety system intended to prevent a derailment (imagine that happening in a loop!). Outside of that sort of failure, it is pretty much impossible on a gravity coaster. A slightly greater chance exists on launch coasters like Rock 'N Rollercoaster because an underpowered launch could provide just enough energy to only get that far. With Rock 'N Rollercoaster I image the slightly more likely possibility would be a valley in the roll over between Inversions 1 and 2, with the front cars starting into Inversion 2 and the rear cars exiting Inversion 1. Once the train has cleared Inversion 2 it should be able to clear the rest of the course without incident (unless the mid-course breaks improperly interfere).
Mem11
Active Member
You can't get stuck on a loop. Centrifical force makes sure you go either all the way it roll back down.
Yes, but one should never make an absolute statement, because they are usually absolutely wrong
I'm sure these guys would agree...
I do like the Chinese's innovative solution - no fancy fire rescue for them, just pull the sucker down...
Tom
Beta Return
I'm still confused on the issue of no tractors being able to access the train. A tractor can get from shop to the Epcot beam just fine - it's just an inconvenience for Express.
If this train stopped on the switch they just recently added - the one dedicated to the tractor that parks along the Epcot line - that means the train was not blocking any of the switches that connect Epcot to Express. Those switches are nowhere near each other.
It can only block one or the other, not both. If it stopped on the spur switch, the Epcot tractor could come out. If it stopped on the new switch, the tractor could come from shop.
Unless I'm completely missing something.
If this train stopped on the switch they just recently added - the one dedicated to the tractor that parks along the Epcot line - that means the train was not blocking any of the switches that connect Epcot to Express. Those switches are nowhere near each other.
It can only block one or the other, not both. If it stopped on the spur switch, the Epcot tractor could come out. If it stopped on the new switch, the tractor could come from shop.
Unless I'm completely missing something.
Tom
Beta Return
As for dying on the monorail.....that would be my fate if they even hinted at having to climb out the roof hatch and walk on top of the monorail. No sir, not happening....unless the thing is one fire. Even then, it would be a toss up. Heights and I do not get along.
Besides, wheelchair bound guests can't be expected to exit that way, so I'd just take the door with them
Besides, wheelchair bound guests can't be expected to exit that way, so I'd just take the door with them
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Yes, but one should never make an absolute statement, because they are usually absolutely wrong
I'm sure these guys would agree...
I do like the Chinese's innovative solution - no fancy fire rescue for them, just pull the sucker down...
That is a launched coaster.
Mem11
Active Member
That's nice - they're still stuck on a loop.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Launched coasters have a different source of energy that can be variable versus gravity coasters.
CDavid
Well-Known Member
That's what I was thinking too, until @peachykeen pointed out, and I remembered, that the tow tractor switch and spur is actually located at the south end of the spur from the express beam to the Epcot beam, so any monorail train stopped at exactly that point would indeed block tractors from either location. Even before that switch was installed, tractors could also have been blocked by a train stuck on the switch to the shop spur near the Magic Kingdom.
If I recall correctly, Disneyland (at least) once had a similar problem with a disabled monorail stuck on the shop switch, and after evacuating the train, had to tow it off the switch from the ground.
stevehousse
Well-Known Member
Omg I was at the park the day that this happened! It was so scary to think that could happen! So much pandemonium at the park which actually was a good thing because literally every one tried to get up close (there r 2 main areas those loops can be seen from the park) and everyone flooded those areas leaving the rest of the park with barely any wait times. It is very rare, but I think it's every riders worst fear when riding a coaster! I couldn't imagine being stuck upside down for 2-4 hours!
An the main reason why they just couldn't "pull it down" was because of the axle and wheel part literally falling apart and broken. You can't push the train from anywhere on the coaster with something that broke, as derailment becomes an issue...the difference in what u saw was that the coaster car was still fine, it just needed a push to get going again, completely different.
An the main reason why they just couldn't "pull it down" was because of the axle and wheel part literally falling apart and broken. You can't push the train from anywhere on the coaster with something that broke, as derailment becomes an issue...the difference in what u saw was that the coaster car was still fine, it just needed a push to get going again, completely different.
Tom
Beta Return
I just pulled up Google maps...... how 'bout that! I didn't realize they were one-in-the same, or that the new tractor was so close. That's definitely quite the predicament there.
Mem11
Active Member
I agree, but I was responding to this post...
You can't get stuck on a loop. Centrifical force makes sure you go either all the way it roll back down.
Which was a response to this post...
Which is also a launch coaster... Anyway sorry for the thread drift.
Fantasmicguy
Well-Known Member
Yes, but one should never make an absolute statement, because they are usually absolutely wrong
I'm sure these guys would agree...
I do like the Chinese's innovative solution - no fancy fire rescue for them, just pull the sucker down...
Well I stand corrected.
landauh
Active Member
Just for background: I am an ex-Monorail pilot and one of the other tractors could be used. The issue in this case is time as the other trains would need to be moved in order for the tractor to get in position. Current policy is to get guests off the trains as soon as possible and then worry about moving the train. Also RCFD have specially designed trucks for evacuations instead of using cherry pickers.