Tag: Monorail

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World has built a new monorail train using the undamaged remains of two trains that collided in a deadly accident over the summer.

The new train is expected to go into service later this fall.

It will be painted with a teal stripe to distinguish it from the resort’s other trains, each of which have a unique color. Disney said the colors pink and purple — the colors of the two trains involved in the collision — will be retired out of respect for employees following the first fatal accident in the Disney World monorail’s 38-year history.

That July 5th accident killed 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg, a part-time monorail driver and college student from Kissimmee. It also sparked investigations by both the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which remain ongoing.

Disney declined to discuss procedural changes it has made to its monorail system since the accident. But it said the new train will undergo thorough mechanical and electrical testing before it begins carrying guests.

“The train will be subject to the same extensive testing as any new vehicle we add to our transportation fleet,” Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said.

With the addition, Disney’s monorail fleet will grow to 11 trains — still one short of the 12 it had before the accident. The resort said it expects to add a 12th train next year.

We have sad news to report this morning. It would appear that 2 monorail trains have collided. Full details are not available yet, but as they become available we will post them here. Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased driver.  Below, find details from cnn.com:

(CNN) — A monorail train at Walt Disney World crashed into the back of another train early Sunday, killing one driver, according to an amusement park spokesman and a witness interviewed by CNN.

A 2 a.m. ET monorail crash at Disney World killed one person, a park spokesperson said.

The crash occurred about 2 a.m. at one of the monorail stops at Disney World in Florida, said the witness, who requested anonymity.

“Today we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member,” said a statement by Mike Griffin, Disney’s vice president for public affairs. “Our hearts go out to his family and to those who have lost a friend and co-worker.”

The statement said the monorail was shut down, “and we will continue to work closely will law enforcement to determine what happened and the appropriate next steps.”

The witness said one monorail train rammed into the back of a stationary train. A photo of the crash provided by the witness showed the front car of a train badly damaged where it hit another train at a station.

According to the witness, a family of six in one train was freed from a damaged car. The witness said the family was shaken but uninjured.