Tom
Beta Return
It sounds like a bit more mothering could have done some good.
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Monorail Front-Riding
- Thread starter kingdaniel97
- Start date
It sounds like a bit more mothering could have done some good.
stlbobby
Well-Known Member
The flaw in this reasoning is there were no passengers in the front car during the tragic accident. There is no way riding in the front car even slightly contributed to the accident because no one was in the front car other than driver.
I'm sure Disney has some reasoning behind not allowing riding with the driver. It may or may not be a good reason, it may just be an overreaction, or it may me mandated by an outside authority, but I'm sure they have a reason. I also think this is a situation where Disney would be better served to explain their reasoning rather than ignore the situation.
Tom
Beta Return
Right. Long story short, this accident wasn't caused by a distracted driver.
I've been thinking, and I can't come up with any other mass transit system (or amusement ride) that allows passengers/guests to ride with or near the driver.
The closest you get is with a city bus, but they still have that magic white line that you must stay behind (to keep the driver's line of sight clear and to keep passengers away from the driver).
I always loved riding up front, with my last time being on my honeymoon 2 years ago. It will be a missed experience for sure, and eventually the World will cycle through all of the guests who had once known about the ride-in-front option, thus bringing an end to the non-stop questioning.
janoimagine
Well-Known Member
Were you aware of the accident prior to asking this question?
stlbobby
Well-Known Member
If WDW honestly found in reviewing their policies due to the crash that passengers up front are a genuine liability and removed them for safety reasons that is totally reasonable, but they should say so.
It would be as simple as releasing a short press release or giving CM's that work on the monorail a standard answer for guests. Quickly word would spread and the questions would stop.
But for some reason Disney is afraid of even referencing the accident, or anything negative, thinking it somehow validates things. When the reality is the mystery only prolongs the controversy.
It would be as simple as releasing a short press release or giving CM's that work on the monorail a standard answer for guests. Quickly word would spread and the questions would stop.
But for some reason Disney is afraid of even referencing the accident, or anything negative, thinking it somehow validates things. When the reality is the mystery only prolongs the controversy.
Since their is a law suit pending regarding the death of the pilot I think the last thing Disney wants to do is start telling people the front cab is inherently unsafe.
Tom
Beta Return
Good point. The lawsuit may have more to do with the "no up front" policy than anything else.
Regardless, I don't think it would be in Disney's best interest (in terms of PR) to explain to every guest why the policy is in place. There's no need to keep re-living the incident, or to invite even more negative press.
An answer from a CM of "I'm sorry. We no longer allow guests to ride with the monorail pilots, out of concern for guest safety" is overly sufficient.
s8film40
Well-Known Member
I was referring to 2001.
s8film40
Well-Known Member
Nobody needs to ride the monorail at all it's not a transit system getting people to and from work it is supposed to be something fun, a photo opportunity, and a good experience with castmembers. This is WDW after all not the NY subway system.. The monorail is there to make the ride to the park more fun and interesting the front cab is part of this experience. I've had the privilege of riding in the front as well as driving the monorail. Now I can say with a great deal of experience that if a pilot can't drive the monorail with the simple distractions of guests in the front, they shouldn't be driving at all, plain and simple. I've seen pilots who can drive a monorail calmly and professionally with someone standing directly in front of them yelling at them as they drive, nothing would scare me more from a safety perspective than a driver who said they can't drive with people up front because it distracts them. I'm not sure how your "closer" to the situation, but I respect your opinion. I think you should step back and look at the picture as a whole, speaking as someone who sat in the same seat as Austin Iv'e often thought about how I would feel about the changes Disney has made since the accident if it had been me, and I wouldn't be very happy.
Disney1971
New Member
Not anytime soon.
They are not planning on allowing this to continue anytime in the foreseeable future. The only way that it will resume is if they re-classify the monorail as an attraction which would not subject them to the harsh transportation safety regulations and allow front riding passengers.:shrug:
SORRY GUYS!:zipit:
They are not planning on allowing this to continue anytime in the foreseeable future. The only way that it will resume is if they re-classify the monorail as an attraction which would not subject them to the harsh transportation safety regulations and allow front riding passengers.:shrug:
SORRY GUYS!:zipit:
s8film40
Well-Known Member
Or they could automate the trains and make the front cab just another part of the train, I'm surprised they haven't done it already.
Disney1971
New Member
The operation of the trains on the tracks and the complexity of moving them between tracks and to and from the garage has too big of a margin of error to trust that to automation. The trains are removed and moved to various tracks and are serviced almost on a daily basis. Also the Mark VI Monorails do not have the technology needed to upgrade to any sort of automated driving.
stlbobby
Well-Known Member
I never suggested they relive a tragic moment in WDW history with every uninterested guest, but releasing a press release explaining the change and having a consistent company line for the CM's when asked is a much better plan than what they are doing now.
From a PR standpoint, they are keeping the story alive by not directly addressing it. By not providing a concrete reason or plan to the public they invite discussion and conjecture that just keeps the story alive. If they had released a short statement stating why the front cars were no longer available and given all the cast members a simple pat answer to repeat to guests the controversy would have died away.
The very fact that this thread has reached 5 pages proves my point. If Disney had provided any type of definitive answer on the subject the discussion would have been over rather quickly. Once the OP asked his question someone would have either quoted or linked the press release and the thread would have died with a few other people backing up the answer and the occasional, "That's exactly what I was told by a CM."
But since there is no official story everyone continues to discuss it, offering opinions on why it happened and how long it will continue.
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Well, officially, the NTSB told them not to allow guests in the front pending the investigation. Disney just never started again after that.
CaptainEO95
Member
Sorry, I really doubt it after the crash. I sure miss being able to sit in the front of the Monorail. It was a unique experience. 
totaldisneygirl
Active Member
According to a CM, they do not believe that it will come back because of the accident that occurred. He said that Disney couldn't take the risk of having guests in the front with the driver if a driver was killed.
s8film40
Well-Known Member
Actually switching trains in an automated setup is much easier. With the Las Vegas monorail for example they go through a switching process each time the train reaches each end of the line, this would be almost impossible with Disney's manual system. Out of the ordinary situations are controlled remotely. Mark VI monorails do have the technology to be converted to an automated system very easily. Obviously they wouldn't just go out and flip a switch but it would be an easy process as the system already has most of the equipment that would be needed. Transponders and sensors tell the monorail computers exactly where the train is how fast it is going how fast it should be going and when it should start accelerating or braking.
Heres a quote from Bombardier:
kaos
Active Member
So ummm.... does this mean that the front of the monorails is off-limits to guests now? :lookaroun
Moreso than guests in the front cab, there should be a pilot in the rear cab during switching operations. Had there been a rear pilot, a simple radio call of "track switch negative" would have avoided the entire incident! Why not focus on that? Streetcars and commuter trains the world over have a conductor or engineer in the rear cab when reverse and switching operations occur. Why has this never been implemented at WDW? DL still allows guests in the front cab because it is classified as "Attraction" instead of "Transportation"
Moreso than guests in the front cab, there should be a pilot in the rear cab during switching operations. Had there been a rear pilot, a simple radio call of "track switch negative" would have avoided the entire incident! Why not focus on that? Streetcars and commuter trains the world over have a conductor or engineer in the rear cab when reverse and switching operations occur. Why has this never been implemented at WDW? DL still allows guests in the front cab because it is classified as "Attraction" instead of "Transportation"
s8film40
Well-Known Member
The problem is the core issue is that the pilot wasn't paying attention. Had someone been in the rear cab when the accident occurred it's likely there may have been two fatalities instead of one. Until they address the real issue there is always going to be a risk of similar or different accidents occurring.
I don't think DL's classification as an attraction has anything to do with why it's allowed there but not WDW.