Non-News: Monorail Strands Passengers During Power Outage

[horizons1]

A power outage last night during a storm caused one WDW monorail train to stop out on the beam. CNN tried to make a non-news story sensational:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/13/us/florid ... _inthenews

I especially like the video from the chopper where the only comment is the reporter going "uh huh" to what was presumably an off-air conversation. Instead, I like to think he is thinking "Uh huh, it's stopped alright. Can we go to some real news now?"

[cy1229]

You mean, when the power goes out, the monorail doesn't work?

[Wizzard419]

You would think they would be able to haul the train to a station with the service car (which I thought was independently powered).

Though that would suck, Florida weather, closed space loaded with people, and have it be hot as balls in there since there was no AC? Yeah, I'll pass.

[Amy]

From the sounds of the reports, the monorail came to a stop at a transfer point where the vehicle they use to tow the monorails in couldn't get to it. It sounds like they did a good job evacuating 120 guests in about 80 minutes though. At first I thought it might not have been such a bad situation, certainly an adventure to be evacuated from the monorail, but from the guests' accounts, it really was pretty miserable inside with no a/c

[cy1229]

...and stinky...

[Wizzard419]

That sounds like a very bad design where it could become stranded and not be rescued. I can't imagine anyone would approve (even in Florida) a system where there is a dead zone for vehicle rescue when power is lost. Someone is probably going to get chewed out over their plan of action.

[kelpseaweedkelp]

it really was pretty miserable inside with no a/c

OMG trapped in the monorail in July with no windows to open and no AC! That's traumatic!

[aboden]

it really was pretty miserable inside with no a/c

OMG trapped in the monorail in July with no windows to open and no AC! That's traumatic!

I'd pop the emergency windows for ventilation, hey it's an "emergency"!

[Wizzard419]

I wouldn't be surprised if someone did do that, as there would be no way to stop the people from breaking the seals/whatever to open the windows.

[Amy]

it really was pretty miserable inside with no a/c

OMG trapped in the monorail in July with no windows to open and no AC! That's traumatic!

I'd pop the emergency windows for ventilation, hey it's an "emergency"!

I wouldn't be surprised if someone did do that, as there would be no way to stop the people from breaking the seals/whatever to open the windows.

From the reports I read, people were starting to open them even though Disney was asking them not to. I don't blame them, it had to have been miserable in there!

[aboden]

From the reports I read, people were starting to open them even though Disney was asking them not to. I don't blame them, it had to have been miserable in there!

I would cal that an emergency, people stuffed in a car with no AC. Not to make light of it but with the recent surge on cracking down with kids left in cars I'd be citing safety reason. Give us a way to get fresh cool air and we won't, until then these windows are being opened.

[Len90]

Anybody have the color that got stuck. From what I have seen looks like Green, Gold, or Lime.
As for the stuck point, you can see where it got stuck they couldn't get the tractor kept on the spur to it. Also if the monorail system couldn't get powered up, how could they power the track switches to get the diesel tractor over?

[Wizzard419]

Aside from they should have an independent power back up for switches and you don't have only one rescue vehicle on one track for this exact reason. Things get stuck anywhere and, aside from the unpleasant experience for the guests, it's bad PR.

[Sharonofwindham]

Certainly not like this has been a big problem since they opened in '71. And I thought lightning played a part in the outage.

[Wizzard419]

The problem isn't the frequency of problems, it is that the problem exists in the first place. Aside from the people who may have this as their only trip to WDW and spent a chunk of time stuck on transit, what happens in the event of an actual emergency?