The Disney World Monorail Incident | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- "On the 5th of July, 2009, at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, two ride trains collided, resulting in the death of one staff member..."
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My favourite thing about this channel is that you respect the victims of the accidents. Sometimes youtubers can be insensitive but the way you talk about them is far more appropriate and sensitive. Great channel
Agreed. Plus how the changes made afterwards to ensure it doesn't happen again. I love hearing that someone's tragic death has not been in vain and changes were made to prevent another!
Yeah, it’s why I pretty much refuse to watch other accident and or horror channels. They become so disrespectful and use the accidents as clickbait and to scare people. It’s not respectful at all.
That's why I stopped watching Horrorstories after he uploaded the elevator video, and complained that "his rights were being stepped on" after youtube removed the uncensored video of a man being crushed and pulled down
What was he thinking.
How tone deaf
Agreed
@@ToonCatTV same. I liked how he used actual footage of crashes etc (yk, less obvious stuff), because you can't actually get the visual a lot of the time. But that was way too much. Also, he tends to take a "You're all snowflakes!" tone to any critique when actually I'd just maybe not like to see someone horrifically die with no warning
Quick thinking on Austins part. Definately saved lives and didn't think about his own. Selfless is a good word to describe Austin.
Im beginning to believe that "definitely" is one of the most difficult English words for people to spell. Not trying to be mean, it's just hilarious all the different ways people spell it incorrectly
@@denilla8034 defiantly 😆
I don’t know if reversing was a selfless act- he was just trying to save himself and others
@@denilla8034 , lmao for sure, i have trouble spelling that word and imidietly (as you can see, i can't spell it but my damn phone doesn't give me the right word) 😂
@@lewysf8705 He likely knew the crash was inevitable, but by throwing his train into full speed reverse, he dampened the severity of the crash due to inertia, thus reducing the risk to his passengers. Imagine two cars about to collide; if they hit head on it's really bad, but if they're going in the same direction at similar speeds, it's just a fender bender. Unfortunately in this case, he was the fender. I truly believe his thoughts and actions were for the people on his train, and not himself.
As a train driver i find it weird that they were allowed to back up blind. Heavy machinery with potential for collision should never be moved blind. You never know what could happen behind you, be it an idiot walking on the track or another train that failed to stay clear of your path, or who knows what bad luck can throw at you.
Years and years of accident-free operating will ALWAYS result in someone becoming complacent and someone else suffering because of it. It's human nature.
I just commented the same thing! If I don't hear from my spotter, I stop the train.
The rule forbidding reversing without a spotter began to be ignored for this move, possibly because it's a short move and the train reverses direction again shortly after clearing the switch.
None of that makes it right, but it is understandable how that operational lapse began. Like we've been told from childhood, always look where you're going.
Disney, yo
Maybe lois lane is tied up behind you and now u have a vengeful kryptonian after you
Hey just a request from a former monorail cast member here. Please do not go up to any monorail cast member and ask about this accident. We are not allowed to talk about it nor do we want to. There are still many cast members who were there that night who still work at the WDW Monorail, even though it happened over 10 years ago it is still hard for many of them.
Have you experienced people asking about it?
At the time, I worked with the Deployment Team. It was very haunting to see that Austin had clocked in and never got the chance to clock out. Everything I have ever heard is that he was a great person and would have had a wonderful future. It was such a shame.
This makes me so sad. I wish the best for all involved.
@@sophiajones9137 Yeah, a few times. The only time I really remember was when a guest asked me about monorail purple and would not drop the subject. It was her favorite color and she was upset that we refused to bring it back.
@@mr.oddball. wow, how fucking entitled. Purple is my favorite color too but holy fuck talk about tone deaf and selfish. There are to many people in the world who can not see beyond themselves
the fact that he tried to save the passengers as his final decision. this is so sad. my heart goes out to his family
He succeeded in saving his passengers as his final act. He was the only fatality. It said in the video that passengers and staff tried to save him.
@@richardvehlow3341 a true hero. may he rest in peace
To be fair, trying to save his own life and trying to save the lives of the passengers were both the same act. He may have just been acting out of instinct: if a train is coming at the front of your train, back up!
He should have also abandoned the front cab and headed for the other cars! I wouldn't just stand there and let that other monorail hit me. Its so sad, RIP Austin and I hope your family sued the crap out of Disney for having a old ass dilapidated 45 year old system
@@JasonFlorida there is no connection between the cab and the other cars. You have to exit and enter from the side doors on each individual car.
It's really sad knowing that his death could've been prevented by a bunch of small actions that, like you said, were only narrowly missed, being crushed in a monorail crash sounds like a horrible way to go
Sounds like he lingered for a bit as well, judging by everyone on-site attempting to free him.
@@evanhall06
I had to read that twice, a comma is everything-
@@evanhall06 Please edit this comment for the sake of his family.
@@evanhall06 I think what you meant to say is "It's a shame. He didn't have to suffer more." 😌 And I agree.
It’s always that or to save small amounts of money..
I have friends who knew Austin. We were all shocked when he died. He certainly saved the passengers with his final action.
I’m really sorry to hear you and your friends lost someone. But I’m glad to read he died doing something that leaves you and his friends all this time later with a positive outlook to his death. If we should all be so luck, however sad
He was only 21 and was operating monorails already. He surely had a great start which unfortunately got cut short. I hope he's remembered for all he did and for saving lives as well. RIP
@@DaVeganZombie Your comment was very nice. We need more people like you in our world. TY
That's rough. Its strange how small the world seems. He was a good man. Gods bless.
Sounds like he was to good of a person to stay on this earth, unfortunately for us maybe he was born to become an angel. Rest In Peace Austin, you gave your life to most certainly save others. The definition of a heroic act.
I rode the monorail that night from Epcot to the Transportation and Ticket Center to see the fireworks from the Polynesian. My daughter and I were so happy that we were able to ride up front with the driver and I took a picture of my daughter. I still get so creeped out when I see the picture. We were truly one of the last ones to have that honor.
I remember when my brother and I were kids, we were able to ride up front with the pilot. My family was there about a month before this incident. As a kid, I was always scared that the monorails would collide or fall off the tracks, but my dad assured me they were totally safe. Watching this now is very disturbing knowing that something like this did happen around the time we visited the park.
They still let people ride in the front at Disneyland in CA. Isn't that weird?
surulia Disneyland’s system is much different that WDW. DL is more like an attraction than actual transportation methods and it only has one line. There are no track spurs and backing up during normal operations.
@@SandrA-hr5zk cool, thanks for the info!
I was at Disney with my son and his friend when this happened. We had used the monorail earlier in July 4 to get from Epcot to MK. Insane crowds. You could sense the mood among cast members the next day. And I could swear the monorail was shut down for at least a day. Maybe I’m remembering that wrong.
They should preserve Austin's memory and heroism in a small memorial. It only seems appropriate.
You know Disney though, “it never happened, what’re you talking about?”
@@Evil15Lisa unfortunately, you're right 😩
Reminding guests about somebody who died in the park wouldn't be good for sales, I imagine.
@@anjoliebarrios8906 true,
but they could have at least done like, I dunno,
a plaque or something and just not mentioned the circumstances of his death
But again Disney probably wouldn’t risk it
@@Evil15Lisa thank you at least some one here has some sense here.
A week before this happened, my family and I went to Disney. We were trying to take the monorail back and all of the cars filled. The pilot then offered for us to ride in the front with him. It was actually the same guy that passed away the next week. :(
really strange thing to lie about.
@@hacksbeenjaminreally strange thing to say someones lying about.
it's a good thing you weren't there when the accident happened. that's crazy to think about.
@@obscure_alternatives I mean this comment may not be a lie but there's like 20 + of Disney workers or passengers I mean there's no way all of those aren't lies
@@critical2018 would that be on the monorail alone? Because for a single park, add at least two zeros
Austin is a legend. What an amazing and selfless human being.
They should have a plaque for him or something. Such a bright young man saving his passengers who could have been off to a great future if not for this terrible accident.
Especially considering how young he was
If he had followed his training he would have moved to the rear of the train before backing up. He failed. He did this.
@@r.m.5548 no, that is incorrect. Austin was the pilot of monorail purple - the one that was operating normally. Monorail pink was the one that was reversing.
@@r.m.5548 feel like a piece of shit yet?
I remember when this happened. The news of the driver's death made me so sad. Being a monorail driver wasn't just a random gig for him, it was his dream job, and he was so young. It's very tragic, and it's obvious he was quick on his feet to reverse the train and protect the passengers the way he did. I hope he rests in peace.
At age 21 at the time, he definitely could have been doing something even better by now if not for his death.......
@@SockyNoob How do youget better than your dream job?
@@stevenhale2935 Making enough money to move out of your parent's house and live on your own?
@@stormisuedonym4599 Who says this job didn't pay enough? You're basically saying that no one can have a dream job that pays well.
@@SockyNoob "Better". Your opinion, I guess. Having your dream job and going to a job you love every day is worth more than a bigger paycheck.
It's not the speed it's force of the weight. Even a passenger car hitting another car at 10 mph can do an incredible amount of damage. Sad that guy died.
Yeah trains weigh multiple tons, that doesn’t have to go very fast to kill you
Yes, it is surprising at how many cars now days are TOTALED in crashes below 20mph! Coke can thin shells and no frames to speak of all to meet stupid mileage requirements.
@@glasslinger modern cars actually have crush points that cushion the impact. So modern cars that crush like tin cans are much safer than older cars that stay in one piece.
The smart car crash test at 70 mph shows it is built as solid as any vehicle made even though the impact at that speed would kill the people in the vehicle
I got rear ended yesterday by a car going at least 15 MPH....her front end? Smashed. My Truck? Not a scratch! crazy shit.
Everytime you cover a mechanical-based disaster like this I think of a really good Reddit comment about a redditer being trained as an engineer, where his mentor told him something along the lines of "don't make it basically impossible for someone to hurt themselves with your machinery - make it PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE."
This needs to be the first rule taught to all Engineers.
The thing is
People can hurt themselves in ways you could never imagine
This is so dumb. I believe you that it comes straight from reddit.
@@LaCazaLP no? It's called engineering fail-safe
As a machinist and a factory worker I have worked in many jobs where I wondered why certain, easy steps weren't being taken to eliminate fatal accidents especially when working in places where people have died before.
Austin was only 21 at the time. Just imagine if he lived....21 and being a monorail pilot. That's the sign of a bright mind. It's absolutely tragic that he was killed in this avoidable accident.
Hardly. You don’t even need to steer them, it’s easier than driving a car.
@@thefonzkiss probably not referring about how difficult the task is but about how this young man was already given a position of great responsibility with many lives in his hands. Obviously he was the right person for the job because his first instinct was to protect other lives.
@fif_yonko5 m are you dense?
Lol bright mind? Please. A loser job at 21 working as a carnie pushing 2 buttons.
@@r.m.5548 what the fuck is wrong with you, numbskull?
Rest in Peace Austin. Not all heroes wear capes, or fight in wars. That young man saved a bunch of people that day...
"Ironic...he could save others from death, but not himself"
I agree. If he hadn't been able to think and react quickly, it could easily have been much worse, possibly resulting in more deaths. Still, what an embarrassment this operation was when the report uncovered that there were several opportunities to prevent it and Disney blew it every time.
HOW could they not have sensors that can tell the computer precisely where any train is on the track? It could easily be done with tiny transmitters that send a signal indicating the train's color to a central computer. If the computer sees one train on the spur line, it prevents the switch from lining up with that line. Then it diverts any oncoming traffic to a different one by reading the transmitter and seeing that a different color train is headed towards the spur line. And I don't care if it looks tacky, why were no infrared TV cameras installed to visually confirm where any train was headed at the switches?
@@riverwillard1 haha, a Star Wars Revenge of the Sith quote……lol
Most people that fight in wars are just murderers, not heroes.
As I’ve seen posted in other disaster videos, every warning sign, safety warning and safety upgrade is written and drenched in blood.
Ewwww. Good point.
Never thought of it this way, but great point!
Same thing with NTSB rules. All aviation rules are written in blood
A train operator for nyc transit and we say the same thing. All of our rules and way of operations are the result of a horrible incident.
@@kiwikiwi2483 I remember hearing a NTSB guy say airlines won't change something unless the change is cheaper than paying out settlements. Scary.
I sincerely hope there is a memorial to Austin somewhere at the park, he deserves at least that.
It's Disney they're a rude company and they aren't gonna do that. It'd cost the *multi billion* dollar company too much
@@dreamstaken8642 they have a memorial for the kid who got killed by an alligator dumbass
@@va4114 If they had a memorial everytime someone died it would be a cemetery not a fun park
@@lea150 wtf are you talking about? It’s 2 people
@@lea150 people like you genuinely make me concerned for the world.... and also what cemetery have you seen that’s 43 square miles with only 2 memorials?
This is the kind of tragedy that could easily be forgotten amidst ones with larger body counts or more impressive impacts. You're doing a good thing bringing it back to light so people, like me, who never knew of this incident, can appreciate the life sadly lost and his heroic efforts.
I also appreciate that you don't just talk about the incident but also the causes, the aftermath and the ways it changed life going forward.
Disneyland's Monorail also had a fatality in 1966. Someone tried to sneak into the park by climbing up to the monorail tracks and was struck by the bottom of the moving monorail train. As one security guard there was quoted: "someone had to hose the kid off the train's underside" before re-opening.
While it's tragic, it's quite a bit harder to feel sorry for the victim in that case as his death was due to his own recklessness.
@@troodon1096 True. Death by Disney Mis-Adventure.
@@troodon1096 Ikr, we all do dumb stuff & pay the price, usually with a banged up shin, smashed finger or a dent in the car's fender & we can all sympathize. But when somebody is illegally sneaking into an amusement park because they're too entitled to buy a ticket, they get little sympathy from me cause they wouldn't have been crawling under the rollercoaster when it bashed their head off. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!
As a young kid, and being autistic, I figured out two things early in life.
1. Stay off river and lake ice. Assume it’s to thin to walk on and your never fall thru it.
2. Never f#$@ with trains.
I was born in the early sixties and went to Disneyland several times over the years on visits to grandparents in the LA area. When I was fairly young they had a ticket system and certain rides took different grades of tickets. Obviously, the teacups didn’t cost the same as a big ride. If they still had that system in place, it would do no good to get in, but allow you to purchase expensive food items! I’m assuming that they had that to help with crowds in lines of all the big rides. I know later, they did away with the system and you could ride whatever you wanted, however many times as your patience for the lines would allow!
I was working at Epcot when this happened. The morning after the crash, Cast Members were instructed to say that we didn't know anything when guests came asking about it. One monorail line went back up quickly but at least one other (the Epcot line maybe?) was closed for a couple days for the investigation. WDW Transportation really stepped up to the plate by kicking out a ton of busses to pick up the slack.
After the reveal of Monorail Teal, there was a rumor among CMs that the second was going to be Monorail Maroon, colored after the pilots' uniforms in honor of Austin. I tell you some of us were peeved when they announced Peach because it just looks like a naked monorail.
There was a video circulating in the days after, taken by one of the passengers in Purple of them banging on the mangled hull to see if the driver could hear them...it was unbelievably creepy.
Remember, no one dies in a Disney park
That's a myth that I wish would stop. People can and do get pronounced dead on Disney park and resort property when it's appropriate.
Yea you’re right it was the Epcot line that was closed. I was there waiting for the tram to come pick us up to take us to our hero/villain area when I heard the LOUD crash and that made me jump. I was only 9 at the time. We couldn’t go to Epcot the next day
where can i find that video?
You can search monorail crash, but UA-cam has been fickle about videos.
All trains can have crashes. Even simple looking monorail systems. The biggest risk seems always to be human error in one way or another. At least consequences were taken to hopefully prevent a similar incident like this.
Yeah if you have a system that kills someone if one person spaces out for a minute or doesn't push a single button then you haven't designed a safe system. Yes human error is a problem, but people gonna be people and that's why there's policy and mechanical fallbacks to double check what the operators do.
It automatically seemed to me that all the trains should all be traveling in the same direction . You could still rear end another train but your pilot would have a better chance to avoid it. Sure it probably happened, just wouldn’t hear about it.
There were safety measures to prevent this but you know, Swiss cheese model and all.
Even a driverless system can collide
There are many train systems that have not had fatal accidents despite years of service, eg the Japanese bullet train. That outlook really helps a culture of safety.
May Austin's memory be a blessing. What a brave, selfless man saving his passengers with his final action like that.
Can you imagine being the person who flipped the switch that causes this disaster? He must feel terrible...
Not as terrible as the guy who got sandwiched in his cabin.
@@LuvboneX i dont think you even feel that. I think youre dead before you can even feel something.
I came here looking for this comment. I can’t imagine... mistakes happen when you do things in a split second, and this mistake had such severe consequences :(
That’s the first thing I thought about!
probably does for the rest of his life
I move trains as part of my job. The thought of moving the train when I can't see, without anyone on the ground to be my eyes is absolutely terrifying. I'm glad they have defoggers and second spotters now.
They actually had defoggers AND the pilot was supposed to move to the rear of the monorail before moving but you could override that feature.
@@119Agent Why does that not surprise me? -_-
@@reizak8966 I don’t know, why doesn’t it? Disney is not known for its lack of safety protocols.
@@119Agent It doesn't matter how many safety features you have if people can just override them whenever they please. XD
@@119Agent If the pilot was supposed to move to the rear of the monorail that suggests the pilots could move from the 'cockpit' to the passenger carriages. So that leaves me with the question why didn't Austin get out the cockpit and move to the safety of the passenger carriage? I assumed this was not possible as there was no door but from what you say it was possible.
When this happened, there was a lot of talk about exhaustion due to mandatory overtime that was endured by cast members. The crash took place just after the Fourth of July, at the beginning of the busiest month in traveling. Many people at Disney were working 70-80 hours a week, with many doing 14 hour days and working very late hour which may have been a factor in this accident.
thats so sad. the profits that place makes...
There is a story that the employees of Disney referred to the company as "Duckau". When an e-mail from on high threatened termination without prejudice for that, thirty minutes later the employees of Disney referred to the company as "Mauschwitz".
@@stelladoore9137 you do realize these people were paid for their time, right? And unless this was mandatory overtime, they also chose to work those extra hours.
@@TomFynn Walt Disney was neo nazi trash
@@Karamarikayeah young people just like blaming money and capitalism for everything bad because they don’t value personal responsibility and motivation. They think the world runs automatically lol
I was working at Disney during that time. The morning of the monorail accident was a mess. I worked at Magic Kingdom and the place where cast members board the bus to Magic Kingdom which is a cast member only location was filled with confused guests trying to get to MK because the monorails were still down.
It was an incredibly sad and somber day. Austin had just graduated from the Disney College program which I was in so we had mutual friends.
It’s not something that any Disney fan ever forgets.
I can imagine the dread felt by anyone in the park that day,. This story kind of reminds me of the lady who was crushed by the machinery in a ride with turning machinery she got stuck behind the set and though some people heard her cries they were too quiet for anyone to think anything of and were also drowned out by the music and sound of the ride. So by the time she was found it was unfortunately already too late. I’ve also heard of other terrible stories outside of disney.. but i’d say the disney ones i’ve heard of are by far the saddest since all of them could have been prevented if only with warnings to steer clear..
I was working there when this happened too. I was assigned at a different park but was able to take a morning shift at MK as a greeter because yes, the guests were very confused. The monorail didn’t open back immediately and guests were arriving by boat or bus and were not familiar at all with the layout of those entrances. At the time I only new there had been an accident but I didn’t know a fellow cast member had died :(
I was working in the resorts when this happened- it was somber all around, it was truly tragic that shouldn’t have happened.
I've lived in Florida my whole life and have been to Disney a bunch of times, so I grew up hearing about the monorail incident quite a bit but was never told the full details. This incident happened when I was about to turn 9. I'm 22 now and it absolutely breaks my heart knowing that I have now lived a longer life than Austin. I feel like my life has just started.
“Up and running the next day, even as an investigation the next day.” Really, Disney?
They don't have enough buses to cover the gap in passengers. I mean yeah it would've been nice but they were (knowing how Disney is) looking at how the heck to move all the extra passengers if the MRs went down.
Yes Disney love money.
Time is money! Money, money, money!!!
Then again multiple lawsuits that involves the death of guests, I would expect to be costly! As those loved ones are irreplaceable & priceless!
Why not? It was clearly the result of human error, not a mechanical one. And while you might think it would be nice to close down everything anyone ever died on for a few days, if that were the case, tons of things across the nation would be out of order all the time. These monorails are how you actually get into the park from the parking lot, among other things, they aren't just a nice ride around the park.
*What a horribly tragic end, to an incredibly selfless and intelligent young man, that had such a bright future...*
I can’t even begin to imagine the lifelong guilt I would feel, if I was one of the other people involved (even if I was the other driver and wasn’t at fault.)
This entire story is just heartbreaking.🥺
All I can think is that I'm glad the other monorail driver was facing backwards, I don't want to imagine how gruesome it would have been for both men to just stare at each other before their trains crunched directly into one another's faces 😞
@@WobblesandBeanIf the other driver had moved to the rear, it's likely the collision never would have happened.
i really appreciate how the video focuses on their training. yeah, technically things should have been done differently, but the employees were not told that by their supervisors who had knowledge of how the system worked. i son't blame any of them.
As a former monorail pilot for WDW (after the incident), this is a big no-no to even mention. Normally, other cast members refer us to UA-cam to find out more. I personally knew Austin when I was a college program intern while working at the TTC. Really good guy who was amazing with guests and a reliable, friendly fellow cast member.
I'm glad he's paraphrasing and giving basic explanations. As it pertains to every little action and acronym that we use, it can be a bit confusing to the average layman who doesn't know certain terminology (MAPO, Hold Points, etc).
I love how he doesn’t give speculation on events, just gives the facts of the story. But yeah, you’d need a guide book to explain the monorail terms if he used them.
As both a pilot and a mechanic in the shop, I could see this was bound to happen since all the train positions are not visualized anywhere but instead held in your head based on radio calls. Why they never introduce a GPS tracking system available to every pilot, mechanic and supervisor in the station is just negligence. No other transportation system would be permitted to operate like that.
@@richardcomerford1828 you worked at shop and you were a monorail pilot as well for WDW? No kidding, man. I had a feeling that most of yall felt this way, we just never talked about it. I left the role for a different one before the automation happened. I do remember them beginning to make the changes to the rail, however. We were asked to volunteer for spotter shifts in areas, like under the rails at Epcot, after park close as they worked. Just stood there with a vest and a radio and made hourly money as the hours ticked by as pm turned into am.
@@dfresh93086 Was there in 2007-2008 and then seasonal until this happened. Nights were all about those cycles times. Don't get me wrong, getting cleared through 8 in reverse to the Kingdom to switch ends there was everyone's dream call from Central. But looking back a lot should've been done. I won't watch this video. Met Austin and worked with Alan quite a bit. Haven't heard from him since and I still feel horrible thinking about what he went through. Such a nice guy. Checking comments to see if any Rails family here. Normal visual.
@@SandrA-hr5zk you can’t even get to the platform to load and unload until you know every hold point, hand signal, radio call, safety procedure, etc. You must also pass a written and practical examination. It isn’t totally uncommon to have someone fail (you have two attempts) and washout to a different role. In fact, someone I trained with washed out. Every pilot and platform attendant takes the job really seriously because we all understand what can happen if we don’t.
I worked for Disney World from 1971 until 2002. There was another monorail accident in the 1970's. An empty monorail train on the express beam from TTC to Magic Kingdom had it's brakes go out and it hit the empty train in the station that was just starting to load it's people. Luckily no one was hurt except the pilot of the one who lost his brakes. The system was called MAPO and it failed on that occasion. The pilot's last name was Tripplett. I worked with his sister. He got really hurt bad and Disney paid him big time.
I was finishing a 22 hour day in Tomorrowland attractions at 2. I heard our coordinators talking about it. We weren't even thinking that a crash would have done that much. I think about Austin and my friend who worked with him every year on that date. I know a video I saw I praise a guest who was determined and jumped right on top of his car to try to get to him. I never saw the internal picture before now. I hope that he did not suffer much. Was weird hearing a story be told about something I experienced on this channel. Much love to all my fellow CMs.
22 hour day is insane
@@cplova333 16 to 18 was the usual summers in attractions.
Brilliant to have thought to put the train in reverse to even try to avoid a train he could hardly see coming, really gives insight to how quick he was to respond to something so devastating to him. Rest In Peace Austin 🙏🏼
Please do more Disney disasters, there are so many more tragic and disturbing incidents!
That got swept under the rug no doubt
@@TheRealEMURSE yeah just like the sexual abuses on their Marvel movies.
@@TheRealEMURSE As unsettling as what the Disney legal team does as a whole, the amount of activities they cover up to maintain the "family friendly" image is probably the most disturbing element
@@MsTokyoBlue You got that right Dana!
yall remember the deadly amoeba or something in their resort that forced to shut down its operations
Its 3 in the morning dude if you think im gonna watch this youre goddamn right
Haha this reminds me of the top comment I saw on a 10M+ views video on how the aluminum can is remarkable in its design and construction (It’s a really fascinating video.) The top comment went something like this:
It’s 3am and I’m tired
UA-cam: hey, you wanna watch some guy talk about aluminum cans for 15 minutes again?
Me: You’re goddamn right I do
Same here. I don’t sleep.
Same here. I have insomnia and sleep a few hours, then wake up up, watch this video, then go back to sleep.
Early to bed and early to rise make a man wary of ways to die.
I'm actually watching this at 3 in the afternoon and it just feels weird... these videos are made to be watched late at night when we should be trying to get to sleep.
I always appreciate you mentioning who the victims are rather than them being an afterthought to these accidents. More Disney related please!
This man is a hero. He knew he was probably going to die but thought of others and backed up as much as he could. What a precious soul.
Why do you think he tried to save the passengers and wasn't just reacting on the natural instinct that every single person has to avoid danger? Even if the monorail was empty he would have behaved exactly the same way.
@@Randy.Bobandy does it really matter?? you're just being insensitive at this point
When you’re heading full force into another object, your instinct is to prevent it to save your life. The fact that passengers were on the train have absolutely zero influence on your survival instincts when you have only fractions of a second to react.
I remember Austin. He was a great pilot. I rode in the front with him multiple times and he was amazing, kind, and funny, he always knew how to make you smile. When I heard of the accident the same day it happened I cried, and am crying now. This accident was preventable, I don't blame the operator cause he was working remotely. But still, things should have been double-checked. RIP Austin you are remembered and loved. Miss you. You made a big impact in my life.
I was born about 2 weeks after the original Disneyland opened in 1955. I think I first visited at around age 7 in 1962. I remember how excited I was at my first view of the park, as we drove along the boulevard approaching. A monorail running parallel to the street, just above the treeline.....seemed to race alongside our old station wagon.
What a beautiful memory 💜 I love little things like that. I remember as a kid how we'd go on family trips, and I'd stare out the back window looking at the heat lines blurring the road behind us, you know, that stereotypical mirage that kinda looks like shimmering water? I'd just watch that, pretending the ocean was chasing me. I think it's little moments like that, that make life worth living.
Title: Contains word "Disney"
*Ok here we go again*
another dead underpaid worker!
Disney sucks
tag team back again
@@Mariet31 I don’t know, $10 an hour seems about right.
@@119Agent Actual Disney worker here. We’re actually paid $14 an hour. We’re getting paid $15.30 in October.
I have to say... I watch a variety of channels, but you seem to cover many things that other channels have not touched on. Thus far, I think I have only seen ONE video that several others had previously covered quite in depth. Is very nice to see you looking into some of the far lessor known incidents that have taken place over the years and am very glad to have subscribed.
And that MUSIC....best soundtrack ever for this type of material
As someone who works in the rail industry, the idea that you would reverse a train/monorail and not swap cabs is mad!
Exactly. I worked as a shunter down here in Australia for 23 years, and when he said that the pilot/driver backed up rather than changing ends - my eyes could not have widened any further.
there is no way to exit the monorail cabs and go into a different car the way you can on other trains. The only way would be to exit out the door and since the beams have no walkway next to them he would have fallen down quite a ways and injured himself that way as well
@@lilbluefoxie fair enough on the driver then. Blame lies with Disney and monorail manufacturers for creating failing to create a safe means of reversing
The driver should have known he was backing on to the wrong line.
@@lilbluefoxie would you rather be crushed or paralyzed?
I would pick paralyzed from a fall landing on my feet 🤷🏾♀️ but we cant blame quick actions.
But I would have tried to nope out of there.
When I learned to drive, my trainer taught me about reversing, "always look in the direction you're moving the entire time you're moving."
Even if it wasn't normal procedure to move to the other end of the train to reverse, you'd think the cab would have a video feed of the other side or something.
Of course, that wouldn't have helped if, as they said, the area was too dark.
Me, about to go to bed at three thirty in the morning but then seeing a new disaster video in my sub feed: who am I to deny myself something nice in these dark and troubling times?
Sleep well Kaitie Geeeeeeee
@@X_Ov3R-_-Ki11🤣
This isn't nice.
Its not dark or troubling. Open your eyes
@@davidmoser3535 Speak for yourself.
My dad was killed driving the trams that bring you back to the parking lot cause of a drunk driver. He was a manager and filling in for an employee who went home early that was sick. It sucks how "the happiest place on earth" can be the exact opposite for some people...
Oh my goodness. That's awful!
I really wish they wouldn’t sell any Alcohol in the parks
As a little kid in the late 70s, we traveled to the USA and went to Disney World. I remember seeing that monorail and right in that moment, my little mind was blown. Eventually I went on it with my father and I remember feeling that this was what the future would look like.
I was IN the future!!!
It was like being in an episode of ‘The Jetsons’. The castle, the monorail and a mouthful of ‘Pop Rocks’.
Yup, tiny-mind-totally-blown.
All of that and being given a Woodstock cuddly toy was the most excited I think (I know) I’d ever been 🙂🐿
Good old Woodstock, he was lots of fun.
the pilot's final action is definitely a feat of courage. he could've tried escaping himself but instead potentially reduced impact damage. The dude sacrificed himself for the other ppl on board. he deserves the first seat to heaven.
He not going to heaven 🙄
Its not that deep
@Love and Tennessee Austin threw the purple monorail into reverse when he saw the pink train coming towards him
Heaven? 😆 Maybe he went to Valhalla.
Cant say id have done the same. Most wouldnt, no matter how much they wanna brag.
Austin was way to young to die. His fast actions of back up his monorail was life saving for others. What an amazing young man. Austin is in a better place but I’m sure his family would rather have him with them.
I am so saddened that this young man died. My heart goes out to his family and friends. I hope Disney paid out a hefty settlement!
After watching this video, I say the system was NOT designed correctly. It shocks me that there is no electronic device that tells the control center EXACTLY where every monorail is located (airplane pilots call it a transponder). I can't believe they didn't even have a TV camera watching the track switches. Those devices might have saved the driver's life...
You're such an inspiration for telling those stories which aftermaths shape how we try to avoid these disasters today. Great content 😉
I love the signature, unexpectedly creepy background music ♡
Same. I hum it to my dog lol 😄
As horrific as these occurrences are for all involved, it's comforting knowing that from these events we have created safer policies and practices to prevent future recurrences
Many safety requirements/regulations are written in blood. 😔
so the guy's final act was saving the lives of 9 other people? noble.
We all have a purpose in life, even though most of us will never know what it truly is. God put him in place to save those other people. 😺💕🐾
I first saw this video a couple months ago, and it really struck a chord with me. I grew up going to DIsney World every year from ages 5-16 (2008-2019), so the fact that this incident occurred at a place I'd already been to twice at the time really hit me. I ended up doing more research on this case, and found a heartwarming video of Austin (the monorail driver who died in the collision) with a young boy in the front cab from late June 2009 (a week before he died). The Cast Members at Disney World always help make kids' days magical, and Austin seemed to excel at that. I'm going to Disney World for my 13th visit in a couple weeks, and will take a moment to briefly think of Austin when I'm on the monorail. His valiant act may have saved the lives of the six people in the cab behind him, and for that he deserves to be remembered.
Say what you want about Disney, but its really encouraging to see one of these videos where the accident results in a LOT of really good changes
Far from the same company these days....
May he rest in peace... So young and he really did all he could. I also worked at an amusement park (as a student) and it’s a work where you can’t miss a single thing (and even then). I did it bc it was an amusing and lively place. Wanted to cheer people up. Though I’ve had multiple times gotten cussed at by customers because I stopped a “not too wild” ride while for example people took out their phones to film. People don’t realize if they accidentally let it fall, it might deadly hit someone bc of the speed/height, damage the attraction where people will be stuck for hours, ... Even if you say it before in four different languages, they still get those phones out. I truly don’t want to know how many clips of me are on the internet asking to put their phones away for safety and putting me on the test where I had to call for help (though I knew they would come to back me up)... I always felt like such an irritating person, though I had to do it for the safety of others. I am responsible for everything that happens in that place. And as you see, those little things can truly be a case of life or death. Or serious injuries.
I was working on the Magic Kingdom that night.
Though I did not personally know Austin, all of us felt like we lost a family member. A lot of us still refuse to ride monorail teal.
It 1992, my family and I rode in the front car of the monorail with the pilot. I had been getting autographs all week of characters and staff, and I asked the Monorail staff for their autographs. One guy even drew a picture of a monorail. They were so touched they gave us special treatment, including the ride with the pilot at the very front. It was one of my favorite moments of that trip.
The monorail staff are great, and I’m so sad for this tragic loss of such a young man.
Thank you to all the Disney Monorail guys who gave us such a great experience, including “Monorail Mike”, wherever he is out there. I still have the autograph book.
Your videos just keep on getting more interesting. I really love how focused you are on making them about a message, about the "what can we learn from this" and how decent you are with any lives that have been lost. That you turn off the music while saying their names. That you mention their families and friends. We don't know these people, but this way they do get remembered by thousands of people. I do hope that your channel continues to grow. Also that music: never change it.
I've worked for a railroad for the last 6 years or so, a year of that being a hostler (moving and building train consists) every switch I moved I double and triple checked. I'm curious if the switches being used had targets on them (it's a visual marker of which way the track is lined) if that were the case it shouldn't have mattered where the operator sat, he'd just have to look for the target.
2009 was not even that long ago, wow....
I remember when this happened and how sincerely horrified and heartbroken my family was over it.
We go to WDW every year so it's been an incredibly special place for us for three generations now, and in that time we've also become friends with several long time cast members, some for literal _decades._ And I mean friends as in knowing what's going on with their families and personal lives, them telling us their _real opinions_ on things going on in the parks and resorts (not the pixie dust ✨always chipper✨ guest conversations), keeping in touch online throughout the year and even having text/voice conversations with our oldest friend on their personal cell, not just having contact while they're on the clock during visits and that's it. We care about our friends out there deeply and getting to see them is always one of the main highlights of our trips with hugs and time spent catching up in a way you can't do quite the same online.
We rode in the front of the monorail with the pilot several times back before this happened and they banned the practice (all you had to do was ask an attendant at the station and they'd pull you aside to wait for the next train without front passengers). It had beautiful views, but at the same time it gives me an all too real basis for imagining what Austin's last moments must have been like. We didn't know him personally, but we still think about him every time we see the monorail running.
Cast members are truly wonderful people and one of the best parts of Disney parks and resorts.
i wish i were as lucky as you to go every year! last time i was at wdw was in 2013, twas a lovely place
@@picccle That is something I readily admit, that I'm lucky, blessed, and spoiled to get to go every year. Really it's all because my parents joined the Disney Vacation Club back in 1998 when I was 13, full stop. We get an alotment of points every year to spend at whatever resort we want for our room (they can be used at hotels across the world, too, not just Disney... we used our points to go to DC back in 2013!), the membership lasts for at least 40 years, and it's fully inheritable. It's one of the best things we've ever done.
I rode in the front of the train with my parents the first time I ever went to Disney, in 1994 when I was 6. It was a magical experience and I'm glad I got to experience it. I had no idea that there had been a crash and that they didn't let people ride up front anymore! Wow!
Yup same here
This man is a legend. It is a shame that human error was what taken his life.
me: obsessed with horrific historical events & also disney parks
me seeing this video: what is this, a crossover episode?
XD Mr. Peanutbutter reference!
I see I'm not the only one. Excellent.
Same!
Whoever wrote your intro music is a fucking genius. The complicated simplicity is as unique as its tone is tragically beautiful. It’s easy to go overlooked, and I’m a musician who’s all to aware of this, especially when your soothing voice grasps our attention away from it.
Wanted you to share my admiration for whoever the writer/composer is, as they deserve praise, or at least recognition, for their work.
Keep the entertainment coming, my dude. You’re awesome at entertaining without overdramatizing, and that’s not easy to do especially when the industry is practically governed by it.
Peace n love n shit 😁
That Sound Track Is Hauntingly , SPOOKY AS ALL HELL
@Dreams R Lies The intro music is called Glass Pond by Public Memory. You can find it on UA-cam, most of the comments are from FH subscribers! 😁
@@rabbitsonjupiter6824 Hey, thank you!
@@DreamsAreLies It's a pleasure! 🤗
Funny story. I use to work for Disney in 09. I would go on the monorails and ride it late at night in circles sometimes, I just got off an hour or so before the crash. I remember hearing about it in the cast member cafeteria the next day.
I am so glad you are here safe and sound though! That must have been chilling to hear the next day :(
I just love how you say "at approximately" and then give a very specific time. It is never approximately 2 o'clock pm, it is always approximately 1:57 in the afternoon. It makes me smile & is a nice addition to these type of stories. Thanks for creating such a fantastic channel.
of course the video is the one time that didn't happen, but... 🤷
@@megiab I've researched this incident, and it happened at exactly 2:00am, one of the rare incidents to occur at a "round" time.
Last time I was at Walt Disney World in Florida some time maybe 20 years ago, I distinctly remember my family and I getting to ride in the front cab of monorail purple (purple was my sister’s favorite color, so she was quite excited about it at the time). That’s absolutely crazy.
Daily dose of true scary stories
When you wish upon a star, horrific events aren’t very far...
When you wish upon a dream, things aren’t always what they seem
When you wish upon the light, impossible to forget are horrors that come into sight.
A reminder that when moving heavy machinery it's always good to double and often triple check every procedure performed.
RIP Austin. May we never take tomorrow for granted.
How is this channel free?! These stories are just fantastic! Makes me anxious and sweat DURING THE DAY
There was also a fire aboard one of the original 1971 trains in 1985. Amazingly no one was hurt, but this previous event also vastly improved the Walt Disney World Monorail's safety features.
I have this strange obsession with Disneyland/Disney World deaths since there are a plethora of them. I would love to see more following this particular subject, especially since you are very respectful and give a lot of information. Keep up the good work!
I remember hearing about this on the news. Austin was a hero for doing what he did and I'm so sorry to those who knew him personally
Total negligence on the Switch Operators part. This was literally his job.
It was a series of bad moves, any one of which could have prevented the accident had they not happened. But yes, I would say it's mostly the switch operator's fault.
Yes. Of course, being a Disney disaster, they'll keep silent about as much of it as they can. If there were any repercussions toward the switch operator, we'll never know.
@@troodon1096 It would be interesting to know what the Employees backgrounds were.
Several people messed up to cause this. A Manager on Duty being off property and trying to handle the "Central" duties via radio because he had to leave the property to eat his dinner cannot see the "board" in Central that shows where power is on the track.. (This is on Disney; they closed all the cafeterias because they weren't making enough money and allowed managers to eat elsewhere.). The maintenance crew in shop had no way of seeing whether Switchbeam 9 was aligned correctly to the Epcot Spur or not. I know the video says that there's a camera out there, but there wasn't then. When Shop calls Central and says "Switchbeams 8 and 9 are on the spur with power" and Central repeats the info back without deviance, it becomes fact. Nobody has any way to refute it nor would anybody question it; it simply cannot be seen from the Concourse Station (the easternmost part of the Transportation/Ticket Center monorail station where trains bound for Epcot load and unload.). And lastly, the driver of Monorail Pink reversed through a switch as directed, but should have been able to see the spur line to his left being illuminated by his headlights as he took the long sweeping curve back and to his right. If he was on the correct track (the Epcot Spur), he would have seen nothing out there. Then after passing into the station, he should have noticed that Base (the other, westernmost part of the Transportation/Ticket Center station where Resort and Express trains stop) was on his left instead of having Concourse on his right, as it would have been had he been on the correct track. These are big, lit up areas. True, he was dealing with reversing in the dark, with a fogged up window, and doing exactly what he was instructed to do, but there were clues as to things being wrong. I've made this exact maneuver hundreds of times. If something wasn't correct, he should have stopped and said something.
Simply put, three people messed up because of an increasing lack of safety awareness due to budget constraints by the company, and each one's mistake elevated the danger and built on the last person's mistake until Austin was struck and killed.
I've always secretly rooted for monorails to catch on more. As a mode of transportation it's the most futuristic looking
You sound suspiciously like you've sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook
I agree but it's so funny to call something invented in the mid-20th century "futuristic looking"
What a tragic waste a quality young man. I hope it was quick and his soul moved on swiftly.🕊
The supervisor was at a Perkins restaurant getting dinner when he got a call that the supervisor in charge on site had to go home sick, he had his phone on him and felt he could take care of the situation over the radio.
Wonder if he was fired?
“He will be remembered as a genius and a great son-
“PLAY IDLE HEROES TODAY!!”
Me and my mom were there that day, we were about to get on the monorail but it was full where we were about to board. My heart goes out to those lost and all those who were affected
I remember as a kid (around 12 at the time, I’m 61 now) hearing that if you asked a cast member to ride in the front (the cab) you might. Well I remember doing just that and my entire family (4 people) had that opportunity. Sad to hear you can no longer do it. My condolences to the victims family.
When you binge all of this guy`s videos then think for a moment: "What am I going to do with my life until the next video?" Well I suppose I have to start over. What a day.
I still have my monorail cab-ride pass from when they still allowed those; I remember hearing about the accident, but never knew the whole story.
When I was a kid you could ride in the front cabin with the pilot and the kids got monorail pilot wing pins and a “drivers license” certificate. Of course you got the BEST view ever. This incident is why they don’t allow that anymore 😭
The infamous duck boats in Branson, Missouri did the same thing, letting the kids steer for a certificate. They closed immediately after their disaster, but I don't imagine they'd continue that practice if it was still around.
What's crazy to me is that the monorails themselves don't have some sort of map that tells them what portion of the track they're currently on. That simple system would have visually shown the operator that they weren't on the spur.
Thanks to this channel, I can't hear the word "guests" without getting chills.
A human face to the accident: rip Austin.
I've ridden these when I was a kid. Such a sad story
I don't remember if it was the morning, or evening, but I rode the purple train the very day this happened. It was kind of surreal, and sad hearing about it on the news that night. My condolences for the driver, and his family.
My mom used to work at Disney and has a lot of friends who either used to or still work at Disney. On her friends was a Monorail ride operator at the time and sometimes he would take them in the cabin. He once took me with my mom in the front when I was like 3.
My mom’s friend had just gotten off work right before the crash happened and was one of the first people on scene after crash since we was walking off the platform at the time. He told me that he couldn’t stop hearing the sound of the metal crunching for months after.
He had a lot of trouble going onto Monorails after that, especially after the first year or so. Disney put him as the person on the platform communicating with the Monorails (I cannot remember the name of them) since he had been with the Monorail area for a few years. He controlled a Monorail a few times after that, but he never liked going on one as a passenger. Whenever we would meet for Disney with him, he wouldn’t let us on the Monorail.
He left Disney in 2016 I think, but he was seriously traumatized by the incident. I was only 6 when the accident happened, and I finally got to hear him talk about it last year.
I’ve bingwatched this channel so aggressively in the past three days that now every time Im about to touch anything electronic I can hear “His arms were cut off, his legs were cut off, his tonnage was cut off...” in your voice lmao
Here I was thinking this was gonna be the incident when a college guy tried to sneak into the park and got run over and dragged on the rail to the piont where he had to be "hosed off the track"
I thought that was going to be the subject of this video too.
Considering the millions of people that go there, I can only think of that other HORRID accident where the little boy was ate by an alligator at the resort pond. All deaths are bad but their record is pretty good.
These stories are always so depressing but I love the music. I’m in a good mood as soon as I hear it because I love this channel so much.
Great video man. The quality is really improving, I liked the maps you included in this video. Really made understanding the accident a lot easier. Thanks for sharing.
I was 9 years old & visiting disney world with my mom and some family friends the week this happened. We left the park at 1 AM that night, the latest we had left the entire time we were there, and we took the monorail to get back out near the parking lot. I remember hearing about the incident the day after when we came back to the park. I never heard more of the story until watching this.