Monorail Accident

[Nemo14]

This thread has been so informative - thanks to all who shared their knowledge and passion for the whole monorail system. We've always enjoyed riding up in the nose, and have tremendous respect for all the pilots. My heart breaks for the loss suffered last week, clearly for Austin's family of course, but also for the entire family of CM's and former CM's who have suffered so much. Prayers for all of you!

 

[mikeymouse]

We had a brake test when we got on the first resort monorail of the day ... going into MK for the RR tour back in '07. We had to get on resort at TTC as express wasn't up yet. There was a pre-recorded spiel by the same announcer who does the usual spiel. This guy is good, but I miss the previous one.

 

[board57796]

These tests were discontinued a few months ago. Now it is only done once when the train first comes out before it is loaded, so as it is now you will not see the test performed or hear that spiel anymore.

Oh really? Interesting, I didn't know theyd done away with afternoon checks. Although I guess it would still be POSSIBLE to hear the spiel though, if you were in the train behind the new train brought out for the day, right? Because that train would have to do a MAPO check on the new train, so the new train could do its reverse. But that's the only time I could think of the spiel being used now, if afternoon checks are not done anymore.

I would like to thank you for your posts. Like I said in my post, I left the rails in 2005. And the policies were a lot different then. Your knowledge of the rails is excelent, keep up the good work. We lost a fellow pilot, hopefully we will learn from the tragic accident, and never lose another pilot. RIP Austin.

You're very welcome. I'm glad everyone has a better understanding now of how much Pilots have to know and think about, we don't just "push a button."

 

[MonorailMarkVI]

Oh really? Interesting, I didn't know theyd done away with afternoon checks. Although I guess it would still be POSSIBLE to hear the spiel though, if you were in the train behind the new train brought out for the day, right? Because that train would have to do a MAPO check on the new train, so the new train could do its reverse. But that's the only time I could think of the spiel being used now, if afternoon checks are not done anymore.

Yes that is correct. The afternoon tests have been replaced by what is called an Amber test, the train holds at a normal holdpoint and radios in that it does indeed have the correct Amber light, but the brakes are not tested anymore.

 

[KeeKee]

Get your hankies out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O25NsqIGpjY

 

[figmentmom]

Get your hankies out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O25NsqIGpjY

How sad...what a nice young man he must have been.

 

[Figments Friend]

"One Rail, One Family"

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[Figments Friend]

These tests were discontinued a few months ago. Now it is only done once when the train first comes out before it is loaded, so as it is now you will not see the test performed or hear that spiel anymore.

This is disheartening...

 

[Bluewaves]

"One Rail, One Family"

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Are the pilots wearing mourning ribbons? I know a couple weeks ago we lost a state trooper here in PA and my security department wore mourning bands for 2 weeks afterwards, we may not be police officers but we go to the same basic training to be certified by the state as guards, I couldn't imagine what that loss must feel like in the much smaller community.

 

[UltimtMickeyFan]

I had to make a trip to the contemporary today and road the resort line from TTC around to the contemporary. I noticed that at each station stop in between that each person working on a platform had the emergency shutdown switch hooked to their belts. Is it normal for everyone to be wearing one or is this leaning towards something new?

I was also at the contemporary load platform at about 5pm and they were apparently moving a train to a different line at the switch near the MK station and there was ALOT of radio transmissions during the process that you could hear from the CM's radio working the platform.

 

[Figments Friend]

Are the pilots wearing mourning ribbons? I know a couple weeks ago we lost a state trooper here in PA and my security department wore mourning bands for 2 weeks afterwards, we may not be police officers but we go to the same basic training to be certified by the state as guards, I couldn't imagine what that loss must feel like in the much smaller community.

Yes, some have chosen to wear a maroon and black ribbon as shown in the picture above. I find it a nice 'slient tribute'. It's there for those 'in the know' and just appears to be part of the regular Pilot Costume to those 'out of the loop'...so to speak.

The 'wings' pin is awesome. I wish i had one of my very own! I closest thing i have is my plastic 'Eastern Airlines' pin one of the flight attendents gave me on my first trip on a airplane when i was 10. Still have it.....

 

[gatorglenn]

"One Rail, One Family"

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That is very nice. All of your monorail drivers keep your heads up through this tough time. Us old-timers are still with you........

Glenn

 

[jakeman]

I just had dinner tonight with two ex-rails CMs and this was all discussed ... thankfully other more cheerful topics were as well. (Oh, and can I further my 'agenda' by saying MK was absolutely a pig pen tonight since the same lack of fundamentals, that slippery slope eventually does lead to a path where people's lives are at stake?)

The sad thing is as we sat I recalled that I spent a night at MNSSHP with one of them in 2006 where we sat at Cosmic Ray's for a snack and this topic came up ... the consensus then was 'if something doesn't change, someone's gonna die.'

Guess what?

Disney needs to wake up. Safety is the most basic thing. It even comes before triangles on SSE, pintrading, timeshares and the sheriff.

I am sickened and saddened beyond belief that Disney allowed -- and they did -- this situation to happen (one of the rails CMs who reportedly stood around looking like a deer in headlights and did nothing to try and avert it was standing around at TTC about an hour ago looking the exact same way.)

If people want to defend why the MK was filthy tonight, they can attempt it. But there's no defending Disney for allowing this to happen ... and for one family life will never be the same again.

This is the same crap as Anaheim during the late 90s, early 00s ... and tragically, the same results.

The only difference is this time Disney WILL get its head handed to it ... this time even the Orlando media is going after them with a vengeance.

Oh well, back to my magical WDW vacation ... I'll see you all a little later.

So you must have official information that there is a systemic failure in Disney training and not an individual failure on certain cast members part? There is a huge difference between the two.

If you do have this information please share it.

If this is the fault of Disney management at any level, I'll be the first to be calling for reforms. However, what we shouldn't do is jump to that conclusion until the official report.

 

[jt04]

So you must have official information that there is a systemic failure in Disney training and not an individual failure on certain cast members part? There is a huge difference between the two.

If you do have this information please share it.

If this is the fault of Disney management at any level, I'll be the first to be calling for reforms. However, what we shouldn't do is jump to that conclusion until the official report.

This tragedy fits his agenda and since he is a person of no class, he can't help but exploit it even before the facts are in. Totally predictable behavior on his part. If a manager was at fault then I am sure Disney will deal with the situation. If somebody ignored the rules, then that is a completely different situation. I find 74's finger pointing before the truth is known and so soon after the terrible tragedy to be beyond reprehesible. Disgusting. It actually causes my stomach to churn. I can't imagine how the folks at WDW feel. But of course that is of no concern to wdw74.

Please wait until the facts are known as people's well being and health can be effected here. The report will be out soon enough.

 

[jakeman]

This tragedy fits his agenda and since he is a person of no class, he can't help but exploit it even before the facts are in. Totally predictable behavior on his part. If a manager was at fault then I am sure Disney will deal with the situation. If somebody ignored the rules, then that is a completely different situation. I find 74's finger pointing before the truth is known and so soon after the terrible tragedy to be beyond reprehesible. Disgusting. It actually causes my stomach to churn. I can't imagine how the folks at WDW feel. But of course that is of no concern to wdw74.

Please wait until the facts are known as people's well being and health can be effected here. The report will be out soon enough.

Fair is fair jt.

This isn't a thread for personal motives or agendas of any sort.

WDW1974 implied that he had information pointing to a systemic failure of Disney training and management. I asked him to share it and simply pointed out that we don't have any official information beyond the initial NTSB report.

If you found anything offensive in his post, I would suggest that you report it through the appropriate channels.

While thread drifts are very common here, I don't feel this a thread where that needs to occur and will not partake or have my words used to promote such.

Nerdrage vendetta's against individuals or companies have no place being associated with a tragic accident that resulted in a loss of life.

 

[jt04]

Fair is fair jt.

This isn't a thread for personal motives or agendas of any sort.

WDW1974 implied that he had information pointing to a systemic failure of Disney training and management. I asked him to share it and simply pointed out that we don't have any official information beyond the initial NTSB report.

If you found anything offensive in his post, I would suggest that you report it through the appropriate channels.

While thread drifts are very common here, I don't feel this a thread where that needs to occur and will not partake or have my words used to promote such.

Nerdrage vendetta's against individuals or companies have no place being associated with a tragic accident that resulted in a loss of life.

Music to my ears.

I can't tell you how angry I am at the people exploiting this situation before the facts are in. And I am not one who easily is driven to feeling anger but I truly do. And the sad and tragic part is it is the exact people you would have suspected would exploit this terrible situation.

I deeply apologize if my remarks seemed aimed at you, they were not. I just refuse to respond directly to the person in question or any others here like him. I don't know how they sleep at night.

 

[jakeman]

Music to my ears.

I can't tell you how angry I am at the people exploiting this situation before the facts are in. And I am not one who easily is driven to feeling anger but I truly do. And the sad and tragic part is it is the exact people you would have suspected would exploit this terrible situation.

I deeply apologize if my remarks seemed aimed at you, they were not. I just refuse to respond directly to the person in question or any others here like him. I don't know how they sleep at night.

I do realize that they were not aimed directly at me, but my quote, I felt, was being used to make a dig at WDW1974.

Again, I don't feel that this is the place for any of that, on either side.

I am simply looking for additional information and WDW1974's post implies that he may have that.

 

[jt04]

I do realize that they were not aimed directly at me, but my quote, I felt, was being used to make a dig at WDW1974.

Again, I don't feel that this is the place for any of that, on either side.

I am simply looking for additional information and WDW1974's post implies that he may have that.

Understood. And it wasn't a "dig" at wdw74 as much as it was a suggestion people not exploit the tragedy to advance there usual gripes.

That is all.

 

[Amused to Death]

one of the rails CMs who reportedly stood around looking like a deer in headlights and did nothing to try and avert it was standing around at TTC about an hour ago looking the exact same way.

The very first night that the trains were back in operation, I rode the resort monorail into the TTC on the way back to the Poly, it was around 11:00 PM, and a monorail CM, I'm guessing somewhere around 60 years of age, was standing on the TTC platform yawning the entire time we were sitting there... not at all comforting... as he couldn't have been very alert.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

"One Rail, One Family"

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Thanks for posting that...I saved the image if you don't mind.