Lightning Strike - Monorail Black Evacuated

[Whazzup]

Not sure if this has been posted yet.
http://www.disneydining.com/disney-monr ... lightning/

[Monorail_Red]

I saw that too...can't think of a worse spot for a train to be stuck...looks like they had to take people out the way they did because the train came to rest right on top of the switch beam.

[mattdbower]

Slight correction. I can only find two sources that mention monorail color and both say it was monorail gold that had the power failure, not black. Either way, it was fortunate that the worst of it was enduring sweltering florida heat in an enclosed space with limited ventilation for an extended period. Still, wouldn't be my first choice among ways to spend an hour in the evening. I read that Disney provided free alternate transportation, but hopefully the guests on board also received at least a free meal or something. Not really Disney's fault as it sounds, but it would still be a good gesture.

[Big Wallaby]

There were several difficulties. A train getting struck by lightning is not that rare... It happens at least once a year. But it doesn't usually happen on the switch so that NOTHING can get to the train to pull it off and get the people onboard to a station. Further, thee company has this shiny, new, barely-used truck with platforms that raise up to the train doors. It couldn't be used this time because of where the train was between the switch on one side and the tractor (placed there to be able to get to it quickly and tow it away) stuck on the other side. Of all the places a train could get stuck like that, this was one of the worst. They always told us never stop on a switch because this could happen. Of course, this pilot had no choice in the matter. I can only imagine what was uttered in that cabin as they slammed to an e-stop. And I would love to be able to go back and hear the radio chatter.
"Central, Gold."
"Central, by."
"That lightning was really close. I am currently holding atop Switchbeam 9 with a Red MBS, and I am running on 37.5 volts."

I think it's a lot funnier if you've piloted them.

[mattdbower]

If only the monorails were computer-controlled. That would have solved it.

[Big Wallaby]

If only the monorails were computer-controlled. That would have solved it.

Ha! Because a fried computer on top of everything else would have been AWESOME!

[hobie16]

If only the monorails were computer-controlled. That would have solved it.

Ha! Because a fried computer on top of everything else would have been AWESOME!

Maybe if it had a Tempest enclosure...

[shugotenchi]

If only the monorails were computer-controlled. That would have solved it.

Ha! Because a fried computer on top of everything else would have been AWESOME!

Maybe if it had a Tempest enclosure...

I don't think it matters how much HEMP, TEMPEST, or surge suppression you have on the control module; I'm pretty sure the train stops moving when 30,000 amps turns those big, delicate resistor* banks into unbelievably radioactive butterscotch crunch.


*Edit: This originally said "capacitor banks" because I am a senile idiot.

[hobie16]

I don't think it matters how much HEMP, TEMPEST, or surge suppression you have on the control module; I'm pretty sure the train stops moving when 30,000 amps turns those big, delicate capacitor banks into unbelievably radioactive butterscotch crunch.

Has that ever happened?

[shugotenchi]

Has that ever happened?

Dunno. One train burned up a few cars in '85 but I can't remember why and those trains were completely different.

Mmmmm. Nostalgia moment.

*cough* Sorry.

If it was a near strike on the buss bar, you've almost certainly bricked the MBS receiver, but a human pilot can hold down a button and crawl the train - if it can still crawl - to the next station. The fact that they couldn't budge it implies that something bad happened to one or both of the PDB systems. Resistor bank overload is where my brain goes first because they're electrically vulnerable, and had some pretty spectacular problems when the 6s were first put on the beam.

Of course we don't know for sure what turned off Black's power. Maybe it blew a fuse. Maybe it didn't feel loved. Maybe its banana was too starchy. Who knows? All Wahler said was there was a "power outage" due to "weather", and that nothing else on the Epcot spur died at the same time.