Monorail Accident

[TalkingHead]

has there been any updates on what has actually happened yet?...did they collide in the station or outside of it?

I haven't seen much of the TV coverage, but how is it that we don't have a better idea of what happened yet?

ABC New's coverage lasted approximately 15 seconds and said 2 monorails collided. They showed aerial shots of the trains at the TTC, but that was it. I suppose the brevity of the coverage shouldn't be surprising since ABC is owned by Disney.

Judging from the taboo youtube video, there were obviously eyewitnesses and guests onboard Purple, so how is it we don't know more about which train hit which, how much time passed after the collision and the movement into the TTC station, etc etc.

 

[JoeZer]

Just out of curiosity I did a search for the perosn that passed away and I did not find any facebook page.

Looking over the amount of time that passed between the initial finding of the CM's Facebook page and this reply I would be led to think that Facebook has either taken down or hidden the page out of respect if they have been advised of this tragedy. Or...may have pulled it due to the, potentially, uncharacteristic increase in traffic to his page itself.

Just a thought...


~JoeZer

 

[TalkingHead]

I don't recall seeing this eyewitness account in this thread. This is from the Sentinel:

A witness painted a hectic picture of the deadly collision of two monorail trains at the Walt Disney World resort early Sunday morning.

The crash that killed 21-year-old monorail pilot Austin Wuennenberg "was the most horrific thing I have ever personally experienced," said Gary Vinson, Jr., who was standing in line waiting for a tram when the accident occurred.

"You could tell from the sound it was going faster than normal, then came the impact which sounded just like a terrible automobile accident," said Vinson, in an email. "I could see a passenger banging on the window....All of the bystanders kept yelling, 'Don't jump' and 'Stay in the train.' Then the train backed up toward the bay, tearing off more pieces that were protruding."

----

Going faster than normal? Could this lend credence to the idea that there was a braking failure?

 

[MyLittleAngels]

21-year-olds (and younger) won WWII.

While your comment is true, it needs to be said that the 21 year olds of the WWII era, and today's 21 year olds are from two massively different molds.

 

[devoy1701]

Just thought I should chime... This is indeed a sad event and my thoughts are definitely with the family of the pilot and the whole Monorail Team of Cast Members.

In the hundreds of times I ride on the monorail a year, I have never once thought that something like this could have happened. We even were sitting up front in a monorail with a pilot one afternoon when they were doing a "collision test". Seeing the updates from Steve this morning and later seeing the pictures completely shocked me.

I am very sorry for all involved in this tragedy.

 

[imagineer boy]

You know what annoys me? Every time the news reports on an accident at any of the Disney parks they always say "There was an accident today at a place that's SUPPOSED to be the happiest place on earth." As if its all Disney's fault.

 

[devoy1701]

While your comment is true, it needs to be said that the 21 year olds of the WWII era, and today's 21 year olds are from two massively different molds.

I resent that statement.

 

[meekoman]

Very sad day. First the water transportation castmember earlier this year now this. Thankfully, the two monorails were not filled to capacity.

 

[The Conundrum]

Would I have criticized him for videotaping the heroism? Yes, because why wasn't he helping out in the first place? Too many people now a days care little about others and only think of themselves. It's sad really, what's even sadder is that this is being debated.

There were already like 10 people trying to rescue the guy. Any more ppl would have just increased confusion and panic

 

[BwanaBob]

I don't recall seeing this eyewitness account in this thread. This is from the Sentinel:

A witness painted a hectic picture of the deadly collision of two monorail trains at the Walt Disney World resort early Sunday morning.

The crash that killed 21-year-old monorail pilot Austin Wuennenberg "was the most horrific thing I have ever personally experienced," said Gary Vinson, Jr., who was standing in line waiting for a tram when the accident occurred.

"You could tell from the sound it was going faster than normal, then came the impact which sounded just like a terrible automobile accident," said Vinson, in an email. "I could see a passenger banging on the window....All of the bystanders kept yelling, 'Don't jump' and 'Stay in the train.' Then the train backed up toward the bay, tearing off more pieces that were protruding."

----

Going faster than normal? Could this lend credence to the idea that there was a braking failure?

...and just HOW does the average guest know what the sound of 'faster than normal' is?

If I didn't know any better reading this guy's statement, I'd swear it was Armageddon.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Very sad news no matter how it happened. Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of this CM.

 

[The Conundrum]

...and just HOW does the average guest know what the sound of 'faster than normal' is?

If I didn't know any better reading this guy's statement, I'd swear it was Armageddon.

The newspaper probably told the guy to spice up the story no doubt

 

[MyLittleAngels]

I resent that statement.

I'm sorry you do, but that doesn't make it any less true. I think almost everyone would agree that people from that era and people from the current era are majorly different. Never did I say that people from this era were rendered incapable by age, just that by virtue of differences in society, all of the world is different these days as opposed to back then.

 

[janoimagine]

There were already like 10 people trying to rescue the guy. Any more ppl would have just increased confusion and panic

Read the rest of Skyways comment. His comment was hypothetical and my reply was directed at that.

 

[The Conundrum]

I'm sorry you do, but that doesn't make it any less true. I think almost everyone would agree that people from that era and people from the current era are majorly different. Never did I say that people from this era were rendered incapable by age, just that by virtue of differences in society, all of the world is different these days as opposed to back then.

You have no clue what you are talking about. 21 year olds today are far more sophisticated.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

just HOW does the average guest know what the sound of 'faster than normal' is

I would consider myself the "average guest", but I would know if the monorail was moving faster than normal. I am there at least 3 times a week, and have gotten used to the tone of a monorail moving at a regular speed. I also know how fast they move compared to how fast I walk. If that guest was a local, they may be similarly informed.

 

[janoimagine]

You have no clue what you are talking about. 21 year olds today are far more sophisticated.

Explain what you mean by more sophisticated.

 

[Missing20K]

retracted:

Condolences to the family and friends.

 

[TalkingHead]

Explain what you mean by more sophisticated.

They can abbreviate words in text messages.

 

[The Conundrum]

Explain what you mean by more sophisticated.

They have more knowledge of how the world works