Monorail Red door OPEN while in motion! Video Link

[monorailrabbit]

And this ^^ is where I'm worried we are headed. I don't want to see a WDW, especially Epcot, without monorails. I have seen a few posts on FB from Disboards, Chip & Co, and Kenny about this, but not a lot of other attention. Although, I am in NE and it may well be a bigger deal in FL.

There are a lot of good points that have been made from those on both sides of this issue. I'm just curious as to why we haven't gotten a new fleet. I know they are expensive and all that, but Disney doesn't seem to have a $$ problem. Why let it get to this point where it is getting this kind of negative attention, over-dramatic or not, perception is everything. I am NOT saying by any means that they are a death trap or even unsafe. And I will say again we ride them every chance we can get, even when it's not needed for transportation and will continue to do so. I do, however, worry that something will happen that will put us past the point of no return and that is the end of them.

 

[rteetz]

I'm just curious as to why we haven't gotten a new fleet. I know they are expensive and all that, but Disney doesn't seem to have a $$ problem. Why let it get to this point where it is getting this kind of negative attention, over-dramatic or not, perception is everything.

I think costs are the biggest issue. If the current fleet works okay as is with select issues from time to time that must be okay in Disney’s eyes. Disney doesn’t have a money problem but like any company doesn’t want to spend money when they don’t have to and they feel they don’t have to here.

 

[monorailrabbit]

True, and again, to clarify, I don't think this open door is this end-all horrific happening, but it does get me thinking when they will feel they need to. I'm curious - did something happen to DLR's monorail fleet to prompt a update, including new train design? Or were they just also past their prime?

 

[Farro]

And the award for biggest Disney Apologist goes to....
Are you for fricking real? "HIS" standards? You mean the ones where he expects safety features to work properly?



And the runner up is.....

Why should they do a rest run? Because per reports, they had been working on the car previously due to door issues. But instead of doing a test run, they put it back into service. Except when it went immediately back into service, the SAME ISSUE popped up: the door wouldn't close and they had to FORCE it shut. Which immediately, to ANYONE with a fraction of a brain, should indicate that IT WASN'T FIXED and should not have been sent out. Someone should have been on their little walkie talkie. It should have been pulled immediately, not sent out on a run. The fact that they pulled it in after the fact, is pointless.

A door not shutting/opening/getting stuck is an everyday occurrence on the L trains here in Chicago (although I've never seen one open enough where a person could fit!). You don't do a "test run" to make sure it's working. You fix it, move on. Happens again - fix it move on. Until car is replaced if need be.

 

[SmithSmith]

Just came across this youtube video of a former CM take on the situation:

Thanks for posting this.

Everyone should watch it.

Here’s some points he brought up and it echoes what has been said here:

If there’s one thing that Disney is big on it’s cost savings. They’ve been shy about spending money on the monorails... it’s not a revenue builder... but they’re going to have to address it because these recent issues and the compiled problems in the monorail will force their hand...

...it’s a matter of replacing the trains themselves. Let’s say the monorails do cost in the neighborhood of $20ish million or maybe significantly more than that. Multiply that times 12, you’re looking at around a quarter of a billion dollars, $250 million plus to bring these new trains into service...

...And yes, safety is number 1, safety is always number 1 priority at Disney. HOWEVER, cost is often resulted in people making poor decisions when it comes to safety. That’s just happened and hopefully they will replace the monorails before we run into any further situations or accidents...

...the mark VI monorails have not received massive upgrades. They’re essentially the same trains...

...what happened today is sort of a freak thing, and yet it happened. And it’s not that it happened, this one thing, it’s you’ve had the brake shoe fall off, you’ve had some of the other collision with the work tractor in the last year or two... There’s more problems than what used to happen. People getting stuck on the monorail. Those are more frequent than they used to be.


So... yeah. Those are the words of a former monorail worker, the added emphasis is mine. Did you notice how much he thought a new fleet would cost? Maybe only $250 million! Remind me again, how much did Disney spend on MM+? How much revenue did they take in last year? How much do they charge to stay at a monorail Resort? How many upcharge events have they added lately?

 

[SmithSmith]

And the award for biggest Disney Apologist goes to....
Are you for fricking real? "HIS" standards? You mean the ones where he expects safety features to work properly?



And the runner up is.....

Why should they do a rest run? Because per reports, they had been working on the car previously due to door issues. But instead of doing a test run, they put it back into service. Except when it went immediately back into service, the SAME ISSUE popped up: the door wouldn't close and they had to FORCE it shut. Which immediately, to ANYONE with a fraction of a brain, should indicate that IT WASN'T FIXED and should not have been sent out. Someone should have been on their little walkie talkie. It should have been pulled immediately, not sent out on a run. The fact that they pulled it in after the fact, is pointless.

Did you also read the report about what happened when they arrived at EPCOT? Apparently, they got yelled at by the CMs for not using the emergency phone! Apparently, staying seated and keeping safe was not enough for the CMs. The report also said they weren’t asked for details or contact information. So basically, bad form all around. Shame on you Disney.



Btw, it’s not “his standards” it’s “her standards”. I always get mistaken for a dude, so I’ve changed my avatar.

 

[rteetz]

Did you also read the report about what happened when they arrived at EPCOT? Apparently, they got yelled at by the CMs for not using the emergency phone! The report also said they weren’t asked for details or contact information. So basically, bad form all around. Shame on you Disney.

I have a hard time believing they got yelled at by a CM. Disney should already have the guests contact information based on their ticket media. Not sure they would need to do any follow ups in this situation though since nobody was hurt or anything.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

The thing I find most odd/scary about all of this is that the captain was unaware of an open door. Even my cheap toyota has a door open light. How did a door open on a moving train and not notifiy the captain and whatever traffic controllers they have? What if it wasn't a mechanical failure, but an unstable person trying to harm someone by opening the doors mid air? What if it popped open due to an external force? It just seems like there would be come sort of automatic communication between the cabin and the captain.

 

[mcjaco]

And that is what is inexcusable, and also I might add, legally negligent. Quit trying to make excuses. There aren't any.

Again, it's not legally negligent. They did not breach the standard of care. This is very cut and dry in the courts.

 

[rteetz]

The thing I find most odd/scary about all of this is that the captain was unaware of an open door. Even my cheap toyota has a door open light. How did a door open on a moving train and not notifiy the captain and whatever traffic controllers they have? What if it wasn't a mechanical failure, but an unstable person trying to harm someone by opening the doors mid air? What if it popped open due to an external force? It just seems like there would be come sort of automatic communication between the cabin and the captain.

According to the report there is a door alarm or alert that is supposed to happen inside the cockpit for the captain. That alert did not go off in this situation though so it seems that also had a mechanical issue.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

According to the report there is a door alarm or alert that is supposed to happen inside the cockpit for the captain. That alert did not go off in this situation though so it seems that also had a mechanical issue.

I wonder how many other door alarms are failing, that we won't know about until it is too late.

$250 million sounds like a lot of mkney to replace the trains, until you stop and think about how much they'd have to payout to settle a lawsuit after a tragedy, and then pay the money for upgrades after the unthinkable happens. Much cheaper to prevent the disaster than to clean up afterwards.

 

[Dznefreek]

Lets face it if M.A.R.T.A. or B.A.R.T. or any other transit system ran with a door open it would not get the same coverage.
The magic word of course is it happened at Disney.

 

[jade1]

I wonder how many other door alarms are failing, that we won't know about until it is too late.

$250 million sounds like a lot of mkney to replace the trains, until you stop and think about how much they'd have to payout to settle a lawsuit after a tragedy, and then pay the money for upgrades after the unthinkable happens. Much cheaper to prevent the disaster than to clean up afterwards.

Wonder how much new door alarms (replaced on all trains) would cost to prevent the unthinkable? $5,000?

 

[rteetz]

Wonder how much new door alarms (replaced on all trains) would cost to prevent the unthinkable? $5,000?

I'd think more than $5000 but not millions of course.

 

[jade1]

I'd think more than $5000 but not millions of course.

Probably even more with labor I guess, but yea a "new sensor" is a "new sensor", doesn't require a whole new train I assume.

 

[mom2rtk]

Probably even more with labor I guess, but yea a "new sensor" is a "new sensor", doesn't require a whole new train I assume.

But if the trains are 5-10 years past their expected lifespan, what will they have to replace next? And will that require an accident of some sort for them to realize it's even a problem?

We could have fixed the issues with our 12 year old vehicle a lot cheaper than buying a new one, but there reaches a point where you have to just consider upgrading to something newer.

 

[jade1]

But if the trains are 5-10 past their expected lifespan, what will they have to replace next? And will that require an accident of some sort for them to realize it's even a problem?

We could have fixed the issues with our 12 year old vehicle a lot cheaper than buying a new one, but there reaches a point where you have to just consider upgrading to something newer.

Like I say, get rid of them. But if someone is worried about sensors and you want safe doors-get new sensors. Not all new trains for worn out track.

 

[rteetz]

Like I say, get rid of them. But if someone is worried about sensors and you want safe doors-get new sensors. Not all new trains for worn out track.

The track while could use some work is not nearly as in the shape that the trains are in. You get rid of monorails you have to find other ways to move people which is still going to cost a lot of money.

 

[jade1]

You get rid of monorails you have to find other ways to move people which is still going to cost a lot of money.

Agreed again-Covered above.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Wonder how much new door alarms (replaced on all trains) would cost to prevent the unthinkable? $5,000?

This issue is a symptom of the larger problem, which is the ageing, failing monorail system.