Ride dispatched with passengers while track was incomplete

I guess I'm just spoiled by RCT. ;)

Cannot open Steel Looping Coaster 1, track is not a complete circuit. :)

--Ryan

Did the emergency brakes automatically stop the train or did one of the operators activate them?

There are so many reasons why this shouldn't have happened; e.g. if it's down for maintenace surely it shouldn't be possible to start the ride. Anyway, we know all this. And as for offering a free ride as compensation, what were they thinking? deah o deah. That's called taking the pi**

Actually the brakes should have been on unless they had been released. I doubt that the operator actually did anything to actuate them. It was just very fortunate that the missing track was located after the brakes.

Needless to say this is one of the most incredibly stupid blunders that I have heard of in a while. Obviously this park has nothing that even vaguely resembles safety procedures. Even an empty train dispatched could have injured or killed workers. I wonder if there is a category in the Darwin awards for people who almost kill others through their imense stupidity?

This is ludicrious! I refuse to believe this happened. How can people be that stupid?

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I was asked to describe X in one word. The word? -- OhmygoshwhathaveIgottenmyselfintothisisthescariest
thingintheworldhelpmeIamgoingtodieAHHHH!!!

When I read the summary I thought that it was the Vekoma Tilt Coaster.. After all, would you REALLY trust Vekoma engineers to do something like that safely? =)

Test run? I bet one or more employees got fired after this. I know I would have fired someone, unless saftey is not importaint at this particular park.

I love how people in our world are so smart...

Unfortunatley...many people can be that stupid. Here in good ole' KC one of our esteemed ride Supervisors (back in early 90's) decided she wanted to move the Zinger train that was in the unload station back. She forgot to put the gear in reverse and pushed the petal...so the train went forward. Problem was, the transfer track had been moved and the block (metal attachment placed on track to prevent train movement) was not in place. Nothing like dumping the front Zinger car onto the ground. Luckily the ride was empty and the drop was only a few feet.

She never got to drive the Zinger again. She was always able to laugh about it. And she didn't get fired.
*** This post was edited by Matt on 12/13/2002. ***

Thats an odd looking transfer track, it actually unbolts from the circuit and can be carried off. Most of the sliding transfer tracks carry photo eyes on them therefor causing the computer to think that block is occupied when the track is slid over, making it impossible to roll a train into the gap. But of course that isnt the case with that type of coaster as descriped in the article.

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ξ μ σ
So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.

Laurence or anyone else who lives near there-
Can you tell me if this pier/ride was open to the public that day? Was this a private party at the pier? Just wondering if anyone has any idea! Thanks!

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Thats an odd looking transfer track, it actually unbolts from the circuit and can be carried off.

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I doubt it was a transfer track, as it wouldn't work because A) It's too small to fit the train on it, B) to transfer you'd have to pick up the track with the train on it. Now, it could be a part of a transfer track but either way, the fact remains that this was an act of pure stupidity. Oh well, stupid stuff happens.

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-YellowMan
www.ThemeParkSource.com *** This post was edited by YellowMan on 12/13/2002. ***

the pier is open to the public 364 days a year

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Nemesis Inferno - The Pressure is Building!

look at that pic (link from DRNK's post above).. its only the back wheels of the rear axle of the front car still on track, if it were'nt for the carriage coupling that car would be on the ground...which is actually only a few feet, personally I don't believe this wouldve caused any serious injuries even if the car had toppled, but obviously its still unacceptable.

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www.ukrides.info

The official press releases state that the fire department had to use ladders and all sorts of equipment to get the people out. I therefore assume that the train was at a rather high point in the ride.

FYI: The accident occured during a *private* party, not during normal opening hours / days..

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Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!

I would think maintainane personel are more at fault then the operator.

I assume the UK has the same lockout/tagout prodedures for machines that we do over here.

The ride should have been locked out or at the least tagged out to keep it from operating.

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Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!
Yes Virginia, I am Santa Claus!
I AM WITTY!

The ride operator is responsible for the safe operation of the ride. He should have looked the coaster over before he sent the train out. It's not as if we're talking about a 5,000 foot terrain coaster here. It looks like a Zyklon. It wouldn't have taken more than 5 minutes to see if it was all there.

I believe both are at fault:

Maintance should have made it not so easy to just start it up and. or put a lock out tag, something.

The ride operator should have at least sent out an empty train first. It also said he wasn't qualified to operate the coaster so he shouldn't have even been there at all.

This should not have happened. Many rasons why:

1. Maintenance would have told operator ride was going to be inspected/worked on.

2. Operator should have seen what they were doing and should not have started it until maintenance said to do so.

3. Operator should have test ran without passengers.

The operator must have stopped the ride. If it was an automatic thing, it should have stopped on the lift, not t the breaks. This whole thing just blows my mind. How could this happen?

In response to whoever said ladders had to be used, that is true, but the train was only about 4 feet up, so they used the ladders to climb down to make it easier so they didnt have to jump to the ground.

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ξ μ σ
So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.

I don't know about you guys, but a 4 foot fall in a heavy train with little or no padding or crumpling seems pretty serious to me. Besides the fact that it looks like they could be easily decapitated by the track they would have to pass under.

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Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!
Yes Virginia, I am Santa Claus!
I AM WITTY!