News Monorail Red in motion with guests on board and doors open

[Kingtut]

Who said anything about a ladder? Notifying the driver via the emergency intercom would have allowed him to manually drive the train slower and/or to reverse it to the station, if that were closer than the destination.

The control system SHOULD have automagically notified the driver - who then can stop the train - assess the situation - contact Starfleet Command - tell the passengers to stay away from the doors ( could have been problems with more than just one door - they just didn't come open) - see if Starfleet wants to have someone visually look at the train ( from the ground) or just move slowly to the next stop where maintenance staff should have been already told to go as soon as SFC was notified. Then once the condition of the train was determined the desired actions could be safely implemented

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I guess here's the question I pose to anyone defending Disney...would you have ridden it like that? It's all fun and games playing it's OK until you're the one on there.

Beyond that, it's pathetic to try and make any excuse that this is in any way acceptable. It's not just a costs and profits...it's a failure to provide a safe and decent quality product. If this is OK for the monorail, it makes you wonder what they really consider safe for the rides/attractions.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I guess here's the question I pose to anyone defending Disney...would you have ridden it like that? It's all fun and games playing it's OK until you're the one on there.

Beyond that, it's pathetic to try and make any excuse that this is in any way acceptable. It's not just a costs and profits...it's a failure to provide a safe and decent quality product. If this is OK for the monorail, it makes you wonder what they really consider safe for the rides/attractions.

I think I’ve only seen one nutcase post defending Disney and dismissing this as no big deal.

 

[flynnibus]

Not calling driver was not a crime committed by the passengers nor was it required of them

The problem with this thinking is... this assumes you and the guests know best and have all the information needed. The operating procedures and policies are setup by the people who actually understand the constraints and risks and they setup the system to minimize risks.. especially from human judgement.

By seeing something and not doing anything, you could potentially be contributing to a greater problem escalating. Without the power of hindsight, you really don't know what this problem represents and the risks that MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY APPARENT TO YOU. That's why they should have used the intercomm.

By judging what is serious or not... you've said the random guest is qualified to say how the monorails should be operating or not. Let that sink in...

 

[psuchad]

An open door is a safety concern, not an emergency. As long as everyone stays away from the open door, they are fine to allow the train to navigate to the next station. Common sense is important and should tell you not to do anything stupid. The people in the pictures below don't seem to have a problem with open doors.

That does not excuse the system's failure to issue an open door alert. But, if it did alert the driver, the best solution would be for the driver to instruct everyone to stay seated until they arrive at the station.

I once rode a train in Philadelphia that was on fire. The breaks locked up on the last car and friction caused them to catch fire. The conductors moved everyone to the front cars and every stop they put out the fire and checked to make sure it wasn't spreading. This was done until we were able to get to a switch line. That act kept the entire system from grinding to a halt due to a stopped car on a one track section.

 

[Incomudro]

An open door is a safety concern, not an emergency. As long as everyone stays away from the open door, they are fine to allow the train to navigate to the next station. Common sense is important and should tell you not to do anything stupid. The people in the pictures below don't seem to have a problem with open doors.

That does not excuse the system's failure to issue an open door alert. But, if it did alert the driver, the best solution would be for the driver to instruct everyone to stay seated until they arrive at the station.

I once rode a train in Philadelphia that was on fire. The breaks locked up on the last car and friction caused them to catch fire. The conductors moved everyone to the front cars and every stop they put out the fire and checked to make sure it wasn't spreading. This was done until we were able to get to a switch line. That act kept the entire system from grinding to a halt due to a stopped car on a one track section.

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The cable cars are not elevated.

 

[becca_]

An open door is a safety concern, not an emergency. As long as everyone stays away from the open door, they are fine to allow the train to navigate to the next station. Common sense is important and should tell you not to do anything stupid. The people in the pictures below don't seem to have a problem with open doors.

That does not excuse the system's failure to issue an open door alert. But, if it did alert the driver, the best solution would be for the driver to instruct everyone to stay seated until they arrive at the station.

I once rode a train in Philadelphia that was on fire. The breaks locked up on the last car and friction caused them to catch fire. The conductors moved everyone to the front cars and every stop they put out the fire and checked to make sure it wasn't spreading. This was done until we were able to get to a switch line. That act kept the entire system from grinding to a halt due to a stopped car on a one track section.

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Your point about the open doors is moot. Those people would have fallen what... 2 feet not even? An open monorail door is inexcusable and poor show. A lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

[psuchad]

The cable cars are not elevated.

Height does not matter if you stay away from the door. Their is danger with both. On a cable car, you could fall off and be hit by oncoming traffic. The end result is the same.

 

[flynnibus]

An open door is a safety concern, not an emergency. As long as everyone stays away from the open door, they are fine to allow the train to navigate to the next station. Common sense is important and should tell you not to do anything stupid. The people in the pictures below don't seem to have a problem with open doors.

The point is... you are assuming falling out is the only issue. What if a door in that position was a risk of being torn off when entering the station? What if OTHER doors are no longer secure? What if there are OTHER things you are not aware of?

Reality is... guests don't know the scope and risks of problems... Why are you blessing their judgement?

The Disney CM who overrode the system will not get that same blessing in the investigation thats for sure.

 

[Brad Bishop]

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DL Tram (how did they survive???):

 

[psuchad]

The point is... you are assuming falling out is the only issue. What if a door in that position was a risk of being torn off when entering the station? What if OTHER doors are no longer secure? What if there are OTHER things you are not aware of?

Reality is... guests don't know the scope and risks of problems... Why are you blessing their judgement?

The Disney CM who overrode the system will not get that same blessing in the investigation thats for sure.

What if a meteor fell on the train? You are putting words in my mouth and making wild assumptions. First of all, the door is not hanging off the hinges. It's just in the open position. Obviously the station has to have enough clearance to allow for a door in that state.

Yes, the driver should have been alerted and passengers instructed to remain seated and away from the door. Having a e-stop on the elevated track would be a much more dangerous situation. A fire department evacuation would come with more risks than simply moving forward to the next station.

 

[crxbrett]

If I had to choose either falling off of a cable car going 5-10 mph that sit's roughly 1 feet above the ground versus falling out of a Monorail that sits anywhere from 15-75 feet above ground and also usually moves at 35-40mph. I don't know, but I think I am going with the cable car no matter what.



-

 

[Goofnut1980]

I found this pic on google so it does not belong to me.. but they could just put up nets to catch the people falling out of the monorail.

 

[Andrew M]

Far be it for me to defend the NYC subway vs monorail, but as far as safety and cleanliness of the trains themselves - the subway wins.
The subway cars even get homeless people sleeping in them, and people from every other walk of life and the subway cars are still in better shape than the monorails.
Any lack of safety comes from the residents.

Please tell me the next time you enter a Monorail car and immediately need to move to the next car because the homeless man taking up a whole bench in the car with all his belongings has an unimaginable smell. Come on now.

And yes traveling with the door open is a huge safety issue, and the trains are beginning to show their age. But lets not forget if you want to keep comparisons with the NYC system there are trains from the 60s still in service with tunnel and signal infrastructure well past the century mark. There have been many incidents of trains traveling with their doors open, or opening between stops, or on the wrong side of the train.

Obviously the WDW system should be held to a much higher standard based on the overall experience that is expected on Disney property, but to act like every other mass transportation system doesn't have these same issues (or usually alot worse) is a bit absurd.

 

[Incomudro]

Height does not matter if you stay away from the door. Their is danger with both. On a cable car, you could fall off and be hit by oncoming traffic. The end result is the same.

Uhhh... Yeah...
About that...
Height would absolutely matter had that door opened on a crowded train perhaps with a child up against it.
Cable cars are designed to be slow, open, street level vehicles which people step on and off of.
Monorails are designed to be enclosed, more or less high speed vehicles. That remain enclosed.

 

[Incomudro]

Please tell me the next time you enter a Monorail car and immediately need to move to the next car because the homeless man taking up a whole bench in the car with all his belongings has an unimaginable smell. Come on now.

And yes traveling with the door open is a huge safety issue, and the trains are beginning to show their age. But lets not forget if you want to keep comparisons with the NYC system there are trains from the 60s still in service with tunnel and signal infrastructure well past the century mark. There have been many incidents of trains traveling with their doors open, or opening between stops, or on the wrong side of the train.

Obviously the WDW system should be held to a much higher standard based on the overall experience that is expected on Disney property, but to act like every other mass transportation system doesn't have these same issues (or usually alot worse) is a bit absurd.

I said: The conditions and cleanliness of the trains themselves is higher in that of the average NYC subway car vs the current condition of the monorail fleet.
I wish it was not true, but it is.

 

[Andrew M]

I said: The conditions and cleanliness of the trains themselves is higher in that of the average NYC subway car vs the current condition of the monorail fleet.
I wish it was not true, but it is.

I think the homeless man with his belongings that has been passed out on the train for hours kinda becomes part of the train. I can't even start to list the horrors of what I have seen or smelled riding the train everyday. Yes every once in a while you get a car fresh out of the cleaners, but the last thing I think of when I step onto a monorail is a subway car, or vice versa.

I don't even want to think about what the inside of a car would look like if the subway used the same interiors as the monorail (ie. carpet and padded seats vs the current power-washable vinyl floors and hard plastic seats).

 

[Incomudro]

I think the homeless man with his belongings that has been passed out on the train for hours kinda becomes part of the train. I can't even start to list the horrors of what I have seen or smelled riding the train everyday. Yes every once in a while you get a car fresh out of the cleaners, but the last thing I think of when I step onto a monorail is a subway car, or vice versa.

I don't even want to think about what the inside of a car would look like if the subway used the same interiors as the monorail (ie. carpet and padded seats vs the current power-washable vinyl floors and hard plastic seats).

The very idea that I can compare the cleanliness and condition of a current NYC subway car with that of the WDW monorail in any competitive manner is a disgrace on the part of WDW.

 

[flynnibus]

What if a meteor fell on the train? You are putting words in my mouth and making wild assumptions. First of all, the door is not hanging off the hinges. It's just in the open position. Obviously the station has to have enough clearance to allow for a door in that state.

Again with the assumptions. Actually there are issues with the doors and the station - which is why in part they don't have level loading. But again the point is you have a someone who is not the authority on the operation of the trains passing judgement on what is acceptable or not. That's the part where the guest should just punt to the people actually responsible. Waiting in that situation has the potential to create other problems the guest isn't aware of. Making the pilot aware enables the staff to react as they are trained and documented to.

Yes, the driver should have been alerted and passengers instructed to remain seated and away from the door. Having a e-stop on the elevated track would be a much more dangerous situation. A fire department evacuation would come with more risks than simply moving forward to the next station.

But you don't even know if that would have been the outcome. Again... let's let the policies and trained people make these calls - not random guests.

 

[Rich T]

Forget about any comparison to real-world public transportation. We're talking about a THEME PARK RIDE in a VACATION RESORT that families have paid a fortune to enter and experience Disney's much-balllyhooed "MAGIC." This is no more excusable than a lap bar popping open during a coaster ride. It should never happen, period. If the monorail system can't be properly maintained to run the way it's meant to without endangering families on vacation, it should be shut down, or at least mothballed until a new management is put in place that places more value on maintenance.