Video of the Monorail Accident - Walt Disney Boards - Message Boards & Forum Discussing The Genius Of Walter Elias Disney!

**WDBArnyVee** · #1 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 09:49 AM

Folks,

This video is a little unsettling (no blood, but just a bad image in your mind), so I wouldn't show it to the young ones, but wanted to share the link to a video of the monorail accident just moments after it happened.

Monorail Accident Video

**DisneyNutMary** · #2 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 10:08 AM

Wow, that is powerful.
It is obviously that was taken immediately after, there are no emergency workers there yet, and it is apparent they do not know the extent of what happened to the driver. I was getting chills when the man was trying to communicate with the driver, and was trying to get into the pilot's cabin to help him.
Before viewing, make sure you can handle what you are seeing... like Arny said, no blood, but it is chilling to know what happened, and to know that those in the video don't know yet.

**WDBArnyVee** · #3 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 10:17 AM

Mary, my sentiments exactly. I was definitely shocked that this video was right after it happened and even before emergency folks arrived.

Update to the story....

UPDATE: Monorail driver killed at Disney identified as Austin Wenneberg, age 21.

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- News 13 has learned a driver of the Walt Disney World Monorail System was killed when two monorail trains collided early Sunday.

Witnesses who called the News 13 newsroom said the trains collided around 2 a.m. Sunday on the Epcot track of the Transportation and Ticket Center, located at the parking lot of the Magic Kingdom, as guests were leaving the park following a Fourth of July fireworks show.

The Reedy Creek Fire Department told News 13 the driver was pronounced dead on the the scene, and another driver was taken to the hospital.

Fire officials said five guests were on the monorails at the time, but none of them were injured.

There was no immediate word on what caused the wreck.

According to witnesses, one monorail train slammed into the back of the other.

Crews had to cut the driver who died out of the train.

Sunday’s wreck marks the first fatal accident in the Walt Disney World Monorail System’s nearly 38 years of operation.

Statement from Disney

Mike Griffin, vice president of public affairs at Walt Disney World, issued the following statement Sunday following the wreck:

“Today, we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to his family and those who have lost a friend and coworker. The safety of our guests and cast members is always our top priority. The monorail is out of service and we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to determine what happened and the appropriate next steps.”

Disney’s theme parked reopened as scheduled at 9 a.m. Sunday, but park officials told News 13 the entire monorail system will remain out of service until further notice as investigation and cleanup continues.

Officials with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office told News 13 they are assisting in the crash investigation.

Monorail System Facts

The Walt Disney World Monorail system debuted when the resort first opened in 1971 with two routes.

In 1982, the system expanded to three lines as Epcot first opened.

The entire monorail system currently comprises 14.7 miles of track, transporting about 50 million guests every year between the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and various Disney resorts.

The current trains have been in use since 1989. Each train is just over 203 feet long, consisting of six cars that can carry up to a total of 364 passengers.

Each train is driven by eight, 113-horsepower motors.

The maximum speed during normal operations is 40 mph.

Disney officials said at any given time, there must be at least two holdpoints between a given train and the train ahead of it.

When the train detects there are fewer than two holdpoints between itself and the preceding train, the emergency brakes are immediately applied and cannot be released until sufficient spacing becomes available, or the operator explicitly overrides the system.

There was no immediate word on how Sunday morning’s wreck happened.

Previous Monorail Accidents

1974
A monorail train crashed into the train ahead of it, injuring a driver and two guests.

June 26, 1985
A fire engulfed the rear car of a monorail train in transit from Epcot to the Transportation and Ticket Center. The train was carrying 240 passengers, 40 of whom were in the burning car.

Passengers in the car kicked out side windows and climbed around the side of the train to reach the roof, where they were subsequently rescued by the Reedy Creek Fire Department.

Seven passengers were hospitalized for smoke inhalation or other minor injuries.

Aug. 30, 1991
A monorail train collided with a diesel maintenance work tractor near Disney’s Contemporary Resort as the tractor drove closely in front of the train to film it for a commercial. Two cast members were treated at a hospital for injuries.

Aug. 12, 1996
An electrical fire broke out on a train pulling into the Magic Kingdom station. The driver and the five passengers onboard exited safely.

Source: Disney Monorail Crash Kills Driver - Central Florida News 13

**Oh Pooh** · #4 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 10:28 AM

Austin
A sad day for Disney World. I am glad no one else was killed.

This remind me of Washington DC subway crash two weeks ago where one train crashed into a stop train, killing the driver & 8 others. Look almost the same.

goofy101 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 10:48 AM

Austin

That video was a ghoulish, if the facts you gave out are correct Arny and I have no reason to say they are not it seems there must have been a breakdown in the safety of the of the holdpoints either mechanical or human error

goofy101 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 10:49 AM

I wonder if this will mean the end of guests riding with the driver?

MickeyMaz · #7 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 10:53 AM

Never a nice situation when there is an accident like this. It is sorry that someone had to die, but I guess I'm thankful that it did not happen at 2pm instead of 2am it would have been a lot worse.
Condolences to the drivers family....only 21, that's tough.

**hms1016** · #8 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 10:58 AM

What a tragic event for Disney.

Loopy747 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 05:52 PM

It is just horrible! =( The other people are very lucky. You can see a family get off the monorail with a stroller and a baby. I hope Disney will let everyone know what happened. So sad!

**WDBArnyVee** · #10 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 06:16 PM

Here's a video explaining what happened. Includes a picture of Austin

YouTube - Disney World Monorail Crash Explained by Pilot

mickeypal · #11 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 07:20 PM

What a tragic accident! Mickey Maz brings up a good point..it could have been much worse at 2pm

NWOL · #12 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 08:34 PM

Wow...I just heard about his when I got on line tonight. Know I had to come to WDB to find out more.

Makes me feel helpless for them. Praying!

Disneyfan96 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 08:35 PM

Dang! Even the photo released after the crash is just chilling and sad at the same time(including that the driver was so young)!! My condolences to the family.

maeharry · #14 (**permalink**) 07-06-2009, 06:48 AM

What a tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, and hoping the other driver makes a full and speedy recovery.

**PolynesianMedic** · #15 (**permalink**) 07-06-2009, 10:07 AM

That second video is an excellent description of what went wrong. Thanks for posting Arny. I had basically read all of this elsewhere, and was about to post it here, but that video is nicely done.

**albino_pygmy** · #16 (**permalink**) 07-06-2009, 10:55 AM

Yes, that video explains a lot right there. Purple driver was a CP! Some of you know my feelings on the College Program at Disney, and I am not one who favors the program at all. I should hope that Disney takes note of how they're using CPs as cheap labor and think twice about where to place them in the parks. Turning them into not so funny skippers in the Jungle was one thing, but to have them pilot a monorail full of people is another. If I had it my way, I'd make all CP's custodial, that way those that really truly want the experience of working at the parks wouldn't mind being the low man on the totem pole for 6 months, just to say they've worked there.

Digital Jedi · #17 (**permalink**) 07-06-2009, 04:02 PM

Orlando Sentinel posted audio of the 911 call sometime today:

911 call after Disney monorail crash

**WDBArnyVee** · #18 (**permalink**) 07-06-2009, 11:10 PM

Wow, rough to hear those calls now knowing what happened. So sad

goofy101 · #19 (**permalink**) 07-06-2009, 11:24 PM

It seems the callers were in shock and disbelief about what happened

zendisney · #20 (**permalink**) 07-07-2009, 07:52 AM

This was very sad. I feel for the young man who lost his life. I can't imagine what his family and friends are going through at this time. I have seen photos and he looked like a sweet young man. THis is so sad.