Fourth of July Monorail Incident

[Honda Enoch]

OK, this bothers me....

If the pilot of Monorail Pink was backing up, thinking that the monorail was heading for an empty Magic Kingdom Express station, but the switch had not moved to transfer it, Monorail Pink would have backed up back into the Epcot station that was already occupied by Monorail Purple. Since the collision system is reportedly disabled during track switching, there would have been no automated warnings. If this scenario is indeed what happened, why Monorail Pink backed up before the switch moved to the Magic Kingdom Express loop is unknown.

However if you look at the Google earth. you can see that pink would have to back off the EPCOT line to the EPCOT spur, then back around the the switch to the MK express line. So....

If pink MISSED the EPCOT spur switch and ended up back on the Epcot line backing into the Epcot station then why didn't the pilot notice he was on the wrong track? If he were on the Epcot line then looking out the window has the spur to the left. if he were on the spur then the Epcot line is to the right. So that shows he was not paying attention. And how about other CM's was no one watching the station to see that pink was coming back when it should have been on the spur? Why did Purple not see that pink was coming at him and hit reverse? Do the Monorails not have a beam location something that tells what beam they are on? When they change track it changes saying "EPCOT SPUR" or something? What station was Purple holding at? Was purple holding INSIDE the station or just before the station? If it was inside, why were the guest still on the train? If it was outside, the why did they move the trains inside after the crash? How did they move them inside? Moving the trains could have been what killed the pilot. The images from CNN shows the trains outside, then inside.

The quote says:

If this scenario is indeed what happened, why Monorail Pink backed up before the switch moved to the Magic Kingdom Express loop is unknown.

If Pink was on the spur and backed up to MK Express BEFORE the switch was set, it would have gone off the end of the beam.

None of this makes any sense. I have studied the monorails for a long time, but I don't know everything about them. if any CM's can please give me some answers to the questions above and the following...

1) What station did the crash happen in? I know it was TTC but was it Epcot, or Express?

2) Where is the MAIN control booth for the monorails?

[cjbnc]

If Pink was on the spur and backed up to MK Express BEFORE the switch was set, it would have gone off the end of the beam.

None of this makes any sense. I have studied the monorails for a long time, but I don't know everything about them. if any CM's can please give me some answers to the questions above and the following...

1) What station did the crash happen in? I know it was TTC but was it Epcot, or Express?

2) Where is the MAIN control booth for the monorails?

Note from the previous posts that the CMs are now under a gag order from the NTSB.

I found this diagram from the sentinel to be helpful in understanding the maneuvering...
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/ph ... 914850.jpg

[Shorty82]

OK, this bothers me....



However if you look at the Google earth. you can see that pink would have to back off the EPCOT line to the EPCOT spur, then back around the the switch to the MK express line. So....

If pink MISSED the EPCOT spur switch and ended up back on the Epcot line backing into the Epcot station then why didn't the pilot notice he was on the wrong track? If he were on the Epcot line then looking out the window has the spur to the left. if he were on the spur then the Epcot line is to the right. So that shows he was not paying attention. And how about other CM's was no one watching the station to see that pink was coming back when it should have been on the spur? Why did Purple not see that pink was coming at him and hit reverse? Do the Monorails not have a beam location something that tells what beam they are on? When they change track it changes saying "EPCOT SPUR" or something? What station was Purple holding at? Was purple holding INSIDE the station or just before the station? If it was inside, why were the guest still on the train? If it was outside, the why did they move the trains inside after the crash? How did they move them inside? Moving the trains could have been what killed the pilot. The images from CNN shows the trains outside, then inside.

The quote says:


If Pink was on the spur and backed up to MK Express BEFORE the switch was set, it would have gone off the end of the beam.

None of this makes any sense. I have studied the monorails for a long time, but I don't know everything about them. if any CM's can please give me some answers to the questions above and the following...

1) What station did the crash happen in? I know it was TTC but was it Epcot, or Express?

2) Where is the MAIN control booth for the monorails?

I can answer some of your questions because the media has already reported the information. According to a report from the NTSB the switch failed to move and Pink stayed on the Epcot beam instead of moving to the Express beam has intended. Purple was pulling into the station at the time of the incident. According to the report Austin did try to stop and back up Purple. Go back and read this thread, you'll find answers to most of your questions.

Due to the gag order from the NTSB I am unable to tell you anymore.

[Syndrome]

I got an email this morning from a CM about a tasteless re-creation of the crash on two Orlando TV stations using children's monorail toys! I didn't see it myself, but he said many CMs are writing to the stations to protest. I posted a piece about it with a couple paragraphs from one of the letters in case anyone wants to write something similar: http://bit.ly/iYUem

[Shorty82]

I got an email this morning from a CM about a tasteless re-creation of the crash on two Orlando TV stations using children's monorail toys! I didn't see it myself, but he said many CMs are writing to the stations to protest. I posted a piece about it with a couple paragraphs from one of the letters in case anyone wants to write something similar: http://bit.ly/iYUem

I saw part of that clip online. Had to turn it off, couldn't watch it. Very inappropriate demonstration of what happened.

Edit: Followed your links to the video of Austin with the family. I had to turn it off barely 5 seconds in as I got tears to my eyes that quickly.

[SandrA9810]

I'm not a CM and so I have no gag order. But all my information has come from two message boards, and well riding the monorail a million times and talking to the pilots while sitting up front.

1) What station did the crash happen in? I know it was TTC but was it Epcot, or Express?
It happened on the epcot beam.

2) Where is the MAIN control booth for the monorails?
There's actually two control towers. On the Epcot side of things, if you look at the north end of the station, you notice large tinted windows, looking much like a control tower of like an airport or something.
There's a control tower at the north end between Express and Resort line. There's just a wall up higher than guest view and no tinted windows around it. I'm guessing Epcot's tower has the survalence monitors and stuff that they don't want seen by guests.

We don't know why there was a family on board. It could have been thier last trip on the monorail for their trip since it was still running... we've done it before but not usualy when we're the last ones out of the park. They could've just boarded on purple while purple was holding at station to get to thier car at Epcot which is a big possibility.

I still don't understand why the driver didn't realize that there was a beam on his left, when there should've been a beam on his right instead. There is quite a bit of space between the two beams, and actually some trees planted in the middle, but not on the outside. But he could've been tired and took the word of central and just started going. I can't deny that there have been times driving home where I end up at my turn off 192 and wonder how the hell I got there. My feet and hands just do the driving that they've done so many times day after day. And then the ohh yeah I was going to stop at the store on the way home to get something... too late now. This has happened at all hours of the day, not just late nights.

And it has been released by the NTSB that Austin did try to back up the monorail. I think they reported that yesterday.

[kurtisnelson]

I got an email this morning from a CM about a tasteless re-creation of the crash on two Orlando TV stations using children's monorail toys! I didn't see it myself, but he said many CMs are writing to the stations to protest. I posted a piece about it with a couple paragraphs from one of the letters in case anyone wants to write something similar: http://bit.ly/iYUem

Yep, WESH and WKMG. WKMG called me trying to find a monorail driver (past or present) who would go on TV and demo it for them. I told them they wouldn't be able to find one.

[Syndrome]

Good God! I just went to WKMG online, watching it, and nearly puked at the inappropriateness. They use toys and crudely written signs, and the idiot reporter actually puts one monorail cab on top of the other as it head to the impact. What is wrong with these idiots? I figured it was tasteless just by what the CM told me, but seeing it...ugh...would they want to see that garbage if Austin was their son or nephew?

[Tinker Bell]

Yep, WESH and WKMG. WKMG called me trying to find a monorail driver (past or present) who would go on TV and demo it for them. I told them they wouldn't be able to find one.

OMG! This people have no morals! What the hell is wrong with them? Do they not understand his family, friends and co-workers are grieving!! How disgusting! The way the media is treating this whole thing gives me chills. I'm almost wishing that they wouldn't have released his name. The journalist have demonstrated a clear lack of education in recent times. Serious journalism isn't what it used to be.

[SandrA9810]

Yeah I saw a couple of stations with the cardboard drawing and using one of the monorails split in half to demonstrate how it happened, with little pink and purple stickers on top.
One station actually bought a silver and orange set (the current models out), and set it up on the track in a circle, with a second track set up to show the spur. Aren't those things like 70$ a peice??? As if your horrible CGI wasn't accurate enough you have to use a childs toy.