I think some much time has past in regards to Intamin that people start to forget and they only remember how insanely intense Intamin coasters are so they continue to ride them/buy them.
Alton Towers — Project 2026: Junior Coaster
- Thread starter HAJiME
- Start date
I really hope Alton Towers weathers this tragedy. They're currently being absolutely mullered in the UK press, natch.
Speaking of Intamin and safety, I recently visited my new "home away from home park", Oakwood Park in Wales, where there is an Intamin giant flume ride, once called "Hydro" now called "Drenched", upon which there was a restraint-failure death in 2004, and a scary lift-chain snap incident last year...
Speaking of Intamin and safety, I recently visited my new "home away from home park", Oakwood Park in Wales, where there is an Intamin giant flume ride, once called "Hydro" now called "Drenched", upon which there was a restraint-failure death in 2004, and a scary lift-chain snap incident last year...
Jonquil said:
That was the second death on that water ride model. The first happened in Sept 2001 on Perilous Plunge at Knotts Berry Farm.
Human error caused this accident.
So to those of you on this thread who blamed Gerstlauer, are they still at fault?!?!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3207431/Two-workers-quizzed-human-error-Alton-Towers-horror-Engineer-turned-automatic-safety-lock-operator-let-truck-slam-stalled-carriage.html
So to those of you on this thread who blamed Gerstlauer, are they still at fault?!?!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3207431/Two-workers-quizzed-human-error-Alton-Towers-horror-Engineer-turned-automatic-safety-lock-operator-let-truck-slam-stalled-carriage.html
Two workers quizzed over 'human error ' in Alton Towers horror: Engineer turned off automatic safety lock then operator let truck slam into stalled carriage
• Failure to follow basic safety procedures led to devastating accident
• Staff are still working at the park while criminal investigation underway
• Raises questions about the safety features on the Smiler and other rides
By NICK CRAVEN FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
PUBLISHED: 17:56 EST, 22 August 2015 | UPDATED: 07:19 EST, 23 August 2015
Two staff from Alton Towers are under investigation over the horrific Smiler ride crash that seriously injured four people, including two young women who each lost a leg.
The Mail on Sunday has learned that human error and a failure to follow basic safety procedures led to the devastating accident.
An engineer overrode an automatic safety lock, allowing the ride operator to send the carriage full of people careering into an empty vehicle that had ‘stalled’ further down the track.
Our revelations – particularly the fact that staff are able to perform manual overrides at all – will raise disturbing questions about the safety features on the Smiler and other rides.
This newspaper understands that despite the blunder, both employees involved are still working at the park, though in different roles, while a criminal investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is under way.
Student Leah Washington, 18, had her left leg amputated after the collision on June 2. Boyfriend Joe Pugh, 18, had both knees smashed. Dancer Vicky Balch, 20, had her right leg amputated below the knee three weeks afterwards.
Sources at the Staffordshire theme park told this newspaper how problems earlier in the day on the Smiler had resulted in an engineer being called.
These accounts tally with our exclusive interviews with Leah and Joe, who both recalled boarding a carriage when they reached the head of the queue, then being asked to disembark so the vehicle could be sent round without passengers.
Crucially, that empty carriage never completed a circuit, possibly because of high winds, and failed to make it up the ‘bat wing’ section of the ride, rolling back down the slope and coming to a rest.
The most fundamental safeguard on the German-built ride is that two carriages should never be able to travel on the same section of track because sensors trigger braking devices to prevent it.
When the 16 passengers, including Leah and Joe, were loaded into a carriage for the second time, it was halted at the top of the first upward section as the automatic brakes kicked in.
The computerised safety system was working perfectly as the sensors were being told there was another carriage on the same section of track, even if operating staff were inexplicably unaware of it.
The teenagers recalled being held at the top of the section for about ten minutes, but did not know why. Joe said: ‘It was really windy and we were freezing up there.
‘I said to Leah, “Something’s not right here – this shouldn’t be happening.” ’
Meanwhile, an engineer engaged a manual override, allowing the carriage with passengers to continue once the ride operator had restarted the system.
One Mail on Sunday source within Alton Towers said: ‘The engineer should never have manually overridden the safety lock with people on the track.’
An HSE spokesman said yesterday: ‘Our inquiry continues.’ Merlin Entertainments said: ‘We continue to work closely with the HSE as it investigates the causes of the incident and we are unable to comment further.’
Looks like Alton Towers is getting a GCI next year.
http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=160141
http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=160141
When this all first came out last year everyone blamed Gerstleur and I think the vast majority of the community was surprised to find out it was human error. While I don't think the employees of Alton Towers are without fault, I still feel like Gerstleur delivered Alton Towers with a subpar product with a terrible design in the first place. On top of that the subcontractor that designed the control system should make sure this can't happen in future installations. In what reality would you want to dispatch even an empty train when the blocks aren't clear?
Shane said:
While the Gerstlauer name may be on the ride, it was John Wardley who designed it (and all of Alton Tower's major coasters). Gerstlauer fabricated and gave them what they wanted.
The subcontractor that designed the Smiler control systems had all the safety protocols in place. They were manually overridden by a park engineer. Any control system at any park can be overridden if need be. In this case, the park screwed up big time by doing that.
Unagi said:
I wasn't aware of that. Even so, don't you think Gerstlauer should have known it wouldn't work, and suggested a different layout? The ride regularly failed to complete its circuit.
I know it was an override, but I remember reading that depending on who installed the system there are just certain things you can't override. I don't claim to be an expert on the subject at all just throwing in my two cents in the aftermath of it all.
Shane said:
That's on both the park and the manufacturer. Given the tiny footprint and extreme height restriction imposed on the park, they did what they could to get that world record in such a tight space. Unfortunately it's been a nightmare to work with.
A manual override is actually a safety feature.
A lot of times the manufacturer doesn't design the ride controls, it is not unusual for the park to do it in house because they want it done a certain way.
RE: Alton Towers Project 2018: GCI
HOLY HELL!
The theming for Alton Tower's new GCI Wicker Man is INCREDIBLE!
Wardley didn't mess around with this!
[facebook=https://www.facebook.com/altontowersresort/videos/10155852072831201/]
Some drone footage testing...
HOLY HELL!
The theming for Alton Tower's new GCI Wicker Man is INCREDIBLE!
Wardley didn't mess around with this!
[facebook=https://www.facebook.com/altontowersresort/videos/10155852072831201/]
Some drone footage testing...
It's pants, in case anyone cared.
Imagine Invadr but dressed up like it's meant to be for grown ups.
All the footage of it at night looks great en all, but in the UK parks close at like 5-6 except for during Halloween. And our Halloween season is like 2 weeks long. So it looks awesome for 2 weeks and the rest of the time it looks eh.
Imagine Invadr but dressed up like it's meant to be for grown ups.
All the footage of it at night looks great en all, but in the UK parks close at like 5-6 except for during Halloween. And our Halloween season is like 2 weeks long. So it looks awesome for 2 weeks and the rest of the time it looks eh.
I know this is an ancient topic, but I was looking through my ancient posts cuz that's fun and I felt this was worth educating on...
Coaster systems cry about blocks not being clear a lot. You need a way to overide it. All coasters have a way to overide it, usually only available to the technical team. The question is why was it overriden in this tragic case? I doubt we will ever know for sure, but it's worth remembering what we do know... It just went down due to a technical problem, it was being cycled empty, the final test train valleyed and then the first car with people estopped itself on the lift because the block wasn't clear ahead. All this is obvious from eye witness accounts and videos. Why they loaded people before the final test train was back, why they didn't notice it had valleyed and why it was then reset without checking is, I would guess, an unfortunate series of unlikely oversights due to distraction on the part of the operators and technical team in attendance. But that's just a guess.
It could happen to any coaster. In theory. And it could happen again. You can layer procedures that avoid the chance of it mattering if one peice of the puzzle gets broken, but in theory, all those pieces could fail at once. Unlikely, but Smiler's crash was just that.
It's the most fascinating accident because it demonstrates that human beings make mistakes and no amount of H&S procedure can negate that entirely.
When the blocks not being clear isn't reality.
Coaster systems cry about blocks not being clear a lot. You need a way to overide it. All coasters have a way to overide it, usually only available to the technical team. The question is why was it overriden in this tragic case? I doubt we will ever know for sure, but it's worth remembering what we do know... It just went down due to a technical problem, it was being cycled empty, the final test train valleyed and then the first car with people estopped itself on the lift because the block wasn't clear ahead. All this is obvious from eye witness accounts and videos. Why they loaded people before the final test train was back, why they didn't notice it had valleyed and why it was then reset without checking is, I would guess, an unfortunate series of unlikely oversights due to distraction on the part of the operators and technical team in attendance. But that's just a guess.
It could happen to any coaster. In theory. And it could happen again. You can layer procedures that avoid the chance of it mattering if one peice of the puzzle gets broken, but in theory, all those pieces could fail at once. Unlikely, but Smiler's crash was just that.
It's the most fascinating accident because it demonstrates that human beings make mistakes and no amount of H&S procedure can negate that entirely.
The (long) article about "the biggest coaster let-down EVER. (They must not have heard of Drachen Fire ?).
www.themeparktourist.com
CURSED: The Inside Story of Thirteen – The Biggest Coaster Let-Down EVER | Theme Park Tourist
DECLASSIFIED DISASTER: TH13TEEN: Would you be in line to tackle the world’s first “psychoaster?” And if so, how might you feel if your multi-hour wait leads to a ride about as extreme as Big Thunder Mountain? That's the reality faced by hoardes of thrillseekers who followed the viral marketing...
www.themeparktourist.com
In today's episode of "Questionable Things Parks Do"
Thirteen must operate with the back 3 rows filled water dummies at all times.
I'm used to launch rides not loading all rows to reduce weight to get the train to go over the top or putting water dummies for morning test runs.... but never seen them needed to operate the attraction with guests.
Last edited:
@Zachary and I rode a Sand Blaster in Daytona Beach. It ran with cinder blocks in the middle car (https://parkfans.net/threads/boardwalk-amusements-daytona-beach-fl-trip-report.5213/).
As you would expect, it ended very badly.
www.orlandosentinel.com
EDIT: Just to be clear, we were not on the coaster, when that happened. But it wasn't long after our visit.
As you would expect, it ended very badly.
Roller coaster derails in Daytona Beach, six injured in accident
A roller coaster in Daytona Beach that derailed late Thursday, causing two people to fall about 34 feet and sending six to the hospital, had been inspected just hours before the malfunction. The Florida Department of Agriculture and…
www.orlandosentinel.com
EDIT: Just to be clear, we were not on the coaster, when that happened. But it wasn't long after our visit.
Last edited:
Well at least nobody at Alton Towers has been seriously hurt on a coaster before due to questionable choices made by maintenance...