Non-News: Monorail Strands Passengers During Power Outage

[Sharonofwindham]

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?

Sometimes life just isn't fair and you take chances where ever you go. If it wasn't a stuck monorail it would be something else.

[Wizzard419]

Yes, and people on vacation are totally rational and accepting of any hurdle that would be viewed at cutting back on their fun.

[aboden]

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.

Does Disney still have a unspoken PR with the local news? lol I seem to remember... several years ago, something happened at the parks and nothing on the news at all. Complete blackout. Well pretty much, and again this was before mainstream social media, it was still in it toddler stages.

[Wizzard419]

I'm not sure about WDW, but fatalities and accidents at DLR get to the news that day since at least the 90's.

[aboden]

I'm not sure about WDW, but fatalities and accidents at DLR get to the news that day since at least the 90's.

I found a cool site with first hand video shot of the accident in 2009

http://www.bigfloridacountry.com/monorailaccidents.htm

[kelpseaweedkelp]

Well at least they have a food source bc they can eat the ppl who succumb to the Jiffy Pop action of a sealed daytime no AC monorail in Orlando in July.

[Len90]

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.

Just a small fact check here. The WDW monorail system has 3 diesel tractors. There is one stored on the "new" EPCOT maintenance spur that can be readily dispatched to rescue a stranded train on the EPCOT line. The tractor would tow the stranded monorail to a station, off load the passengers and then tow the stranded monorail onto the maintenance line where it will be kept until the system is off and the trains are brought back in. This measure was put in place to speed up the rescue/recovery time of a stranded EPCOT monorail and to also keep the MK lines operational throughout as they don't need to be shut to allow switchovers. The other two tractors are stored at the monorail shop and can be readily dispatched onto either MK line.
The issue that came up over here is that the monorail got stranded on the switch from what I have seen in pictures. Thus, moving the switch was not going to do any good. This was the one point in the system where you really don't have any easy ways of rescuing.

[kelpseaweedkelp]

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.

Just a small fact check here. The WDW monorail system has 3 diesel tractors. There is one stored on the "new" EPCOT maintenance spur that can be readily dispatched to rescue a stranded train on the EPCOT line. The tractor would tow the stranded monorail to a station, off load the passengers and then tow the stranded monorail onto the maintenance line where it will be kept until the system is off and the trains are brought back in. This measure was put in place to speed up the rescue/recovery time of a stranded EPCOT monorail and to also keep the MK lines operational throughout as they don't need to be shut to allow switchovers. The other two tractors are stored at the monorail shop and can be readily dispatched onto either MK line.
The issue that came up over here is that the monorail got stranded on the switch from what I have seen in pictures. Thus, moving the switch was not going to do any good. This was the one point in the system where you really don't have any easy ways of rescuing.

Interesting. Thanks Len90! Bet they are coming up with a "What to do if it stops directly over the switch" plan now

[Wizzard419]

How would it being on the switch prevent it from being rescued? As it isn't floating in between tracks, at least one side would presumably have access to it.

[mwehttam]

I could be wrong but my understanding is that due to the location of the disabled monorail, they could not use the switching function to get the rescue trains to it. If you look here you will see the switching tracks:

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.406076, ... a=!3m1!1e3

I think the disabled train was on the lower curve, between the two switches. Due to that they could not move the switches to get the rescue train to them.

If I am wrong please correct me!

[Len90]

I would tend to agree with the train being caught in the switch. Now remember if the switch is under the train, then you can't move the track as you have the monorail right on top of it. Had the monorail not been over the switch then you could move them.

[Wizzard419]

So they placed a tow on all loops, but then don't have backup power supplies for switches (presumably it wasn't blocking every switch and a one would be able to reach them). What moron approved that plan?

[horizons1]

I am surprised this story inspired two pages of discussion! But nothing beats Squirrel Vs Monorail for best WDW news story.

http://youtu.be/FoeY9PzosZ4

[Wizzard419]

There is a 7 page discussion on buses used at WDW...

[Len90]

So they placed a tow on all loops, but then don't have backup power supplies for switches (presumably it wasn't blocking every switch and a one would be able to reach them). What moron approved that plan?

Exactly. They have tow access to Resort and Express loops with the tractor(s) at the garage and the maintenance spur gives a tow access to EPCOT. Now to address the idea of power on the switches, I have no idea. But if you were to try pulling one of the tractors from the monorail garage to reach the stranded monorail on the EPCOT line, you still need to get through the switch the monorail was stuck on. It doesn't matter if the switch has power or not. The hold up is the fact that the monorail is stuck over the switch so you can't move the switch. There is only one switch point to EPCOT so you break on the switch, there is a problem. The place where the monorail broke is where the switch for the spur connection to MK loops, Maintenance spur, and ECPOT line are.