State inspector says Raven showed no sign of equipment failure in weekend accident

A scan of the inspection report is available at Holiday World's website (www.holidayworld.com).

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--Maddie--

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Foiled again.

The lap seatbelt in this train are very much like your ones in your car, I have seen on other steel coasters they know if a lap bar or restraint is not engaged or locked, they can't dispatch a train. Now I know in your car it knows when you have it buckled cause the light on the dashboard goes off and the dinging stops. Now I'm curious, since coasters are full of safety devices, I ask this questions.... Does most wooden coasters that use seat belts have sensors that are sent to the computer system to know if a seatbelt is not done before it leaves the stations. and my follow up question , can you undo the seat belt after the train leaves the station, or is it locked and has to be released by a lever located outside of the train?? Thanks, Ron

Bravo to Holiday World for going to such measures to show their true colors.

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

"5. He also indicated to me that he is telling the media that Holiday World is extremely safety conscious. He remembers visiting with his family last summer. A customer ahead of his family in line was just a little under height to ride. The ride operator refused to allow them to ride."

Yet, they don't mind to push down on the lapbars when they're well over 6 inches above your waist...

CoasterRider511:

Your not saying anything that most, if not all, of us haven't had pass through are mind since we heard the news. As coaster fanatics, who have seen lawyers after a fast buck, turn fixed lap bars, or in some cases, just seatbelts, into individual lap bars, seat dividers, headrests, and blinders, of course those thoughts are there, even as we try to repress them to look at the overall big picture -- that someone died senselessly.

I'm sure in the weeks to come, with event season in full swing, it will be a top topic of conversation...and probably the top topic of conversation on tonight's coaster chat. But right now, the main concern should be to console and offer support to those who need it. Obviously the girl's family, as well as the Koch family and employees of HW, but also to the many people who were present at the event, who are still in shock.

What happened Saturday night may make you, and others angry, but right now is not the time to be discussing it on a public forum. If it would have been one of your loved ones, would you want to come here and read people talking ill of them? If you can't have sympathy, at least have enough class to keep quiet.

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Goccvp1

I worked at Holiday World for three years 1995-1997. I was also an operator of the Raven during its first season in 1995 and have visited the park many times and will be back later this year. I have also been a member of The Friendliest Staff. In addition, I grew up living only 20 minutes away from Holiday World and went there as a child when it was Santa Claus Land.

I was deeply saddened to hear of the death this past weekend, and my heart goes out to the ride operators of the Raven, the Koch family, and the family of the rider killed.

Although I haven't worked the Raven in 8 years, I do know that the Holiday World staff is very conscious about safety. Never did I allow someone to ride who was too short, nor did I let the roller coaster out of the station without double-checking the seatbelts and lapbars. I feel badly and sympathize with the operators who were working the ride at the time of the accident. It is something they will live with for the rest of their lives. Even if it is not the fault of the operators or the ride itself, a little part of them will feel responsible forever.

I hope this does not tarnish the Holiday World reputation of good service, safety, and friendliness. They have worked harder at providing such things for almost 60 years which is longer than anyone.

Coming from an employee of a park that also was hit with a senseless death in the past year; I can feel for the Koch family, Paula, and all the HW employees. I know how I felt that night, and the next day. Stunned... in total disbelief.

While our park's incident was a result of mother nature, it would seem that this was the result of an individual. That makes this even more of a shame.

If anything good will come of this, perhaps it will be that people will never think that they're "above the rules." Whether you're an employee, enthusiast, or even the designer of the ride, nobody is a "better rider," nobody can overcome basic forces of nature for which these safety measures are put in place. To lose sight of that would be the real shame.

When my oldest boy was four, we climbed on to a standard spider/octopus type ride, meeting all the height requirements. Too my horror, he got scared and pulled up his legs under the restraint bar and my arms were the only thing holding him in. I was so focused on holding him in that my attempt to notify the staff went unheaded to stop the ride. Fortuneately, I held on to the end of the ride. But I still shudder at the thought of what might have happened.

It is soo easy to feel soo safe in amusement park rides. But if there was not the inherent posibility of danger where would the thrill be? The tradegdy is still that she died doing what we we hope to experience - a sense of danger within reason. It is truly unfortunate and sad that this happened. Someone's daughter and someone's fiance is not around any more. My heart and prayers go out to the family.

------------------*** This post was edited by Spirit in the Sky 6/2/2003 6:35:53 PM ***

The greatest thing that we can do to help parks around the country (and the world, for that matter) is to all agree NOT TO UNBUCKLE RESTRAINTS.

It's as simple as that. Keep that extra couple of inches of air from becoming feet.

I had no idea that undone buckles was so common. My prayers are with HW and the family of those affected.

Bad. VERY BAD.

MrScott

Bad? I can think of something far worse--crude, crass and tasteless to say at this point in time--and it looks like you just did it.

Please think this over. Have the good taste to share a silent moment with both the families of our lost one and the park. Save your little 'point' for some less tragic time. Care to tinker with your post?

-'Playa

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 6/2/2003 7:55:28 PM ***

CoastaPlaya,

How thoughtless of you to think that I haven't. I have been absorbed with this since it happened 2 days ago.

A horrible event will not get better by you jumping on folks. I am sorry if I offended you in any way. It was not my intent.

MrScott.*** This post was edited by scott taylor 6/2/2003 8:04:49 PM ***

It doesn't surprise me one bit that the train was found to be in perfect condition. That's how I have always believed that Holiday World runs things. This incident very understandably hits an organization that is dedicated to excellence, like Holiday World, extremely hard. I hope they can take some comfort in the fact that the train was ok, that they did everything right, to keep all the guests safe.

I will not publicly speculate on the cause at this point, though I will say that based on what is public knowledge so far, I strongly believe the park was not at fault. My thoughts go out to everyone at Holiday World, and to the family of Tamar Fellner.

As another former Holiday World employee, my heart is breaking for the Holiday World family, as well as Ms. Fellner's loved ones. In situations like this, "fault" truly has little meaning. I've never had employers that care as much about their employees and their customers (or, in their vocabulary, Guests) as the Koch family. Even so, Tamar's family is now dealing with an even greater loss. I only hope that all involved find peace within very soon.

http://www.holidayworld.com/preliminaryprosecutorsreport.html

Scan of the preliminary prosecutor's report.

"Ms. Fellner was see in the last car of the roller coaster virtually standing up while the ride was in progress"

Crap.

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

According to NBC 14 Evansville, IN, The lady who fell from the train was witnessed unbuckling her seat belt and standing up while the ride was in progress. The other passengers confirmed it. The state inspectors could not find anything wrong with the ride and she was in the seat belt when she left the station. many times and it’s a great, safe ride, I hope it’s online soon!

I was introduced to Holiday World by a ACE member and friend of mine 2 years ago. SRM is the greatest thing I have been to, and is run by the friendliest owners and staff I've ever seen. I was there when the announcement was made Saturday night. It was so surreal it was hard to believe that it had actually happened. It was extremely upsetting. I wish the best of luck to Holiday World in this matter. I send my condolences to the rider's family and fiancee.

I went to two more theme parks after Holiday World. I was nervous. I made sure I was restrained well. I almost had a sick feeling in my stomach. No one thinks something like this will happen to them.........

I rode the raven that day. the attendents made sure everyone was buckled and lapbar secured that day. I just don't see how she could have fallen out. I talked to someone that was there when it happened and that person said they saw a woman standing up. Holiday World seemed like they take some much pride in their park. I will go back there again and take my children again.