gonecrzyNSC

Just thought I'd update everyone since I am from this area and get the local news via email. There are some videos and slideshows available that weren't before. Cause of Kiddie Trail Derailment Released

You are correct. Here's the FAQ from the SC Dept. of Labor, Licensing and Regulations website (misspellings are theirs, not mine - lol): Office of Elevators and Amusement Rides Frequently Asked Questions About Amusement Rides QUESTION: How often are amusement devices required to be inspected in South Carolina? ANSWER: Every amusement device is required to be inspected annually by the Office of Elevators and Amusement Rides. In addition, all amusement ride owners are required to perform daily inspections. QUESTION: How does the general public know if a ride has been inspected by the State of South Carolina? ANSWER: Each amusement device is required to have a current operating permit visibly displayed. Operating permits, issued by the Office of Elevator and Amusement Rides, expire on December 31 of the year issued. QUESTION: Where can I get a copy of the South Carolina Amusement Ride Safety Code? ANSWER: You may call our Office at (803) 896-7630 to obtain a copy. QUESTION: Does the Office of Elevators and Amusement Rides require inspections for air-supported structures? ANSWER: No, the Office of Elevators and Amusement Rides does not regulate or inspect air-supported structures. QUESTION: Does the Office of Elevators and Amusement Rides require inspections for water parks? ANSWER: No, the Office of Elevators and Amusement Rides does not regulate or inspect water parks. QUESTION: Can someone operate an amusement ride if they do not speak English? ANSWER: State Amusement Ride Regulations require that all operators must be able to speak and comphend the English language sufficiently to communicate with patrons, follow instructions and comphend the operating fact sheet. QUESTION: How old must someone be to operate an amusement ride? ANSWER: For this information contact Labor Services at (803) 896-7756. Please be mindful of child labor regulations.

Elissa posted the gist of this particular article earlier, but this link also includes video footage and some of the 911 calls. I will say one thing, even though they both screwed up, it took a lot of cajones for the operator and the inspector to man up and admit their mistakes. Imagine all involved, operator, inspector, passengers and witnesses living with this kind of carnage in their memories forever. Also, let's not forget the dispatchers and emergency responders. As a former 911 operator and Police/Fire/EMS dispatcher, I know firsthand how these types of incidents can haunt you forever. Such a sad, terrible thing to have happened. 911 Calls after train derails

Kiddie train wreck kills 1, sends several others to the hospital. SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The weekend crash of a amusement train ride has left a 6-year-old dead, several children hospitalized and children's train rides across the state of South Carolina shut down. Six children remain in hospitals following Saturday's deadly amusement train crash in Cleveland Park in Spartanburg. (Full Story) The train ran off the track on a curve, but investigators have still not determined what caused the derailment. The cars overturned, dumping passengers into a rocky creek bed. Greenville Hospital System said three from the wreck were still being treated in the Greenville Children's Hospital, the regional children's hospital. Spartanburg Regional Medical Center said three children were still in the hospital there. The injured children suffered broken bones, lacerations and head injuries. No information was available on the condition status of the children, but witnesses said that some of the children were seriously injured. Corinth Baptist Pastor Dwight Easler was released Monday. He suffered a broken ankle and several lacerations on his head. His wife was kept at the hospital for observation overnight after the accident because she is eight months pregnant, but did not suffer serious injuries. The Easlers' son, 6-year-old Benjamin Samuel Easler, died in the accident, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said . Members of Corinth Baptist and Central Baptist Church in Gaffney were on the train at the time of the wreck. Crash Survivors Describe Horrifying Wreck Elena Calhoun said she was on the train with her 3-year-old niece and 11-year-old nephew. "I hit the ground pretty hard, and I went tumbling down, and I hit the rocks down there," she said. Calhoun's nephew, Rodney Morrison, said, "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm going to die!'" Calhoun described the scene around her after the wreck. "It was just, everybody screaming. There was blood pouring from people's heads. A couple of kids were not breathing. There was another child that had his leg from the knee down, pretty much gone," she said. Calhoun said she had to lift one of the cars so that her niece could crawl free. Her nephew said, "She probably had her adrenaline pumping." Calhoun and her niece and nephew were released from the hospital on Saturday with scratches and bruises, but no serious injuries. Samantha Blackwell, 10, was also on the train with friends when it ran off the rails. "It was like the third time around, and it was going really fast and then it just completely flipped over and the wheels just stayed on the track," Samantha said. "I immediately jumped up and I started just screaming and I went to call my momma," she said. Samantha suffered only bumps and bruises. Herman Howell said he saw the wreck from his porch across the street. He said he called 911 and ran to help. "There was just a lot of kids crying and a lot of kids bruising and bleeding over there," Howell said. He said he helped pull out one boy who was unconscious and bleeding from the mouth. "I got one that they was working on, the one they had to do CPR on," he said. "Yeah, he was in pretty bad shape." "I just wish I could have done more," he said. Train Passed Inspection Week Before Wreck Jeff Caton, Director of Spartanburg Parks Commission, said the train, nicknamed Sparkles, has been in operation for 58 years. He said it had passed a Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation inspection on Wednesday. Caton said the train was running for the first time since that inspection. Caton said the train holds 30 riders and does not have seat belts. LLR spokeswoman Lesia Kudelka said, "LLR is aware of the accident and is responding per our protocols." Caton said the train conductor, Matt Conrad, was taken to the hospital. A spokesman for Spartanburg Regional Medical Center said Conrad was treated and released. Spartanburg Public Safety is investigating and has called in the South Carolina Highway Patrol to assist in the reconstruction of the wreck. LLR notified all children’s train ride operators statewide Monday morning that all train rides are shut down pending the outcome of the Spartanburg investigation, according to Greenville Parks and Recreation officials.

I'm in line right behind you. I used another screen name from the one I use here: alphasixteen911.

Hulu.com is a good place for vintage cartoons and shows also. My 8 year old should have been born in the 80's as he is an Alf, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future (yes, he has drooled over the Delorean trip report) and he gets his fix of those shows and cartoons (remember The Real Ghostbusters?) on Hulu. I've watched Silver Spoons, Facts of Life, Punky Brewster, etc on there also. Yep, really showing my age. How about this one? I remember Fergie when she was just Stacy Ferguson on Kids Incorporated.

Ditto here with an 8 year old and a 10 year old. We have millions, I swear. We have the ones hubby had when he was a kid 3 decades ago and the ones his brother had, plus the ones the boys have accumulated over the years. I have to say the sets and tracks are crappy and unless you glue them together, fall apart before the kid can try it out. (Which comic character was it that used to always set up his Hot Wheels to end up smacking into people at the end of the track? Was it Calvin and Hobbes, or am I thinking of Ryan King and his Vekoma box? ) The cars from our generation are much sturdier (and more painful LOL) and definitely had more interesting themes and details to me. Now, the plastic's cheaper and they are boring. At the risk of sounding like my dad, they just don't make things like they used to!

I watched it in those early days also. I don't remember much about NY, but didn't Eric go on to become a VJ and also do that The Grind exercise show? I LOVED Seattle. I guess because that was around the time I graduated and went off to college, so I related more. The whole Irene thing was weird, but the two guys from Virginia were hot. My husband and I watched San Diego. Cameron is from our town, went to hubby's high school (they went to TL Hanna High where "Radio" is from) and was a student at the college he teaches CJ at. She made a fool of us all LOL Nowadays she's still trying to milk the fame but basically is a college drop out that needs to seriously GROW UP finally. I remember Miami being a good season, but other than that, I lost interest.

Thanks for the link, Elissa! I feel officially old now too. LOL I ordered the catalog in my youngest son's name since he loves to get mail. Hubby opened his own lawn care business and I keep joking as he adds equipment that I want an excavator just so I can dig in the backyard to relieve stress. Now he's joking that he's going to buy me the toy ride on excavator off this site. Not. The. Same. LOL BTW, I've been lurking for years, posted maybe twice, but I wanted to let you know I've been enjoying your random musings, especially since you're "one of us" now (a mama bear). Christie

Congratulations to you and your wife! I can understand the nervousness and caution. My first pregnancy was with twins. I had no problems until I woke up bleeding during my 23rd week. Matt and Hannah were born 24 hours later and both passed on within an hour. THis was in March of 1999. December 2nd of 99, I gave birth to another preemie, this time a 31 weeker. He fought the odds and came home within 17 days instead of the projected 2 months. He is now a happy, healthy and precocious 2nd grader. He has a younger brother in the first grade. So, sometimes the powers that be take away the people that are most important to us for reasons we cannot understand, but they always give back to us. If you would like to see a picture or two of my two angels and read their story and the story of their brother, try www.members.tripod.com/aveyboos/index.htm I haven't accessed it in a while, but last time I checked it was still there. Hugs and best wishes, Christie

^ Oh, yes, HOURS. The HORROR. LOL That poem was awesome!!! I, too, almost snarfed Coke up my nose when I watched it. I think it should be mandatory viewing for any new members and once a month (or more frequently as needed) for members who are under a certain maturity level. Alveys, you guys are amazing. I don't know how you do all that you do and still do everything so well. I work in a busy 911 comm center and can listen to 5 conversations at once, type, etc all at the same time, am a mom to 2 boys and am going to nursing school full time and I still don't know how you are managing these trips with all that is involved and a fairly new baby on top of it all. I can't wait until I finish school and can finally go on one of these trips! Your quality seems second to none! Christie

I just read somewhere that he enjoys spending Christmas in Orlando with his family and has for the last 5-6 years, so maybe the Candlelight Processional is just a plus.

I just saw on intercot.com where Disney has announced the line up for this year's Candlelight Processional. I thought Wes would be excited to know that Gary Sinise is scheduled to narrate again this year Dec 23-25.

It's a review of the 2004 DVD. I don't see a date for the review unless it's in the html coding somewhere. Plus it mentions that Robb is a new father. KidTums was born in 2007 and is R & E's only child.

I have googled every which way I can and also tried to search this site and can't find the basis behind the following that I read at: www.norcalcoasters.net/features/dvd/alvey2004/index.php "When Robb told the world that he was done making coaster videos, it sent shock waves though the coaster enthusiast community. O.K., not really shock waves but it was certainly a surprise to the younger crowd who has no idea what it's like being a newlywed. You know there are more important things then parks and coasters and as a husband to a wonderful woman and a new father, I understood the reason behind it." I don't know a whole heck of a lot about other coaster sites out there, so wasn't sure how credible this was. Just curious, because we don't get to travel much and I live out my theme park dreams vicariously through all the colorful (and HILARIOUS) characters and wonderful videos on this site. It'd be disappointing, but understandable considering how much work new babies are.

Yeah, that's close to what my point was, only you said it in a simpler way. The media sensationalizes everything and half the time what they have as information is not even correct. You have to take what you see and hear in the news with a grain of salt and an open mind. It's horrible that this girl lost both feet and my heart goes out to her, but I dread the ride lynchings that are going to start occurring in the media over the next few weeks. Not to mention that this girl is going to have no peace and privacy for the long recovery that is ahead of her.

Working in a 911 call center and taking calls for police, fire and ems, while dispatching for police, there's something I've realized. The news is never accurate. I read the newspapers and see the news all the time and think to myself, "I took or dispatched that call and that is TOTALLY not what happened." The thing about it is, the reporters listen to scanners. They hear something and they call in and try to get us to tell them what's going on. For liability reasons, we have to tell them nothing is going on, or if it's major, we direct them to whatever agency's PIO. There's so much stuff that goes on on third shift (my shift) that never makes it in the news, yet it's major! The reason it doesn't make it is because the reporters were asleep or whatever and totally missed the transmissions on their scanners. What they do get before they go and request the police reports could be incorrect. Especially ages, etc. I can guarantee the 911 center in Kentucky lit up with calls from cell phones in the park each with a very different story and those call takers had to compile it all together quickly and figure out how to dispatch their emergency crews accordingly. So, I can imagine at first when it was dispatched, which was probably when the media first got ahold of it, nobody really knew exactly what they were going to find when they got there. Even once the initial reports are presented you have a lot of varying reports from all the various witnesses. It ends up being like the telephone game with a lot of the reporter's opinions being thrown in. So, no, you can never trust the news media to be 100% correct on this or any other story. Christie

It's been probably 10 years or more since I was there, but if I remember correctly, it was beside the Red Devil, or at least on the same level.

This one is a little unnerving because this guy never really says anything. Just walks around shaking a box of matches and lighting them on each side of your head, but you can hear him breathing. Another binaural sound clip

I hope they kept the scrambler inside the building. That thing was awesome with the black lights and the AC/DC music they used to blast while you were riding. I'm glad to see the park is opening back up. DisneyWorld it's not, but it was still fun.

Happy Birthday!

^ That is AWESOME! I can't even make a snake out of balloons... And to keep on topic: How's everybody adjusting in the Alvey home so far?

Here I am! ::Waves::

Just had a coke here. Big mistake. I have nursing classes from 8am until noon tomorrow. I am

I feel ya on that one! Our son was 2 months premature and we were told to expect a 2 month stay, but he showed us right off the bat that he was going to have trouble following rules and came home in 17 days! His bill for 17 days came to $175,000. I cannot imagine if he'd had to stay 2 months. Home health for the heart monitor and physical therapy came to $10,000! THANK GOD, I had signed up with AFLAC for intensive care insurance just a month before. We recieved a check for $13K within a week of his discharge from the NICU. We used that to pay for me to be out of work for 8 months until the Dr. cleared him to go to daycare. Seven years later we are STILL paying on what our insurance didn't pay. We've used the reposession threat also! So, Robb, you came out really well on that deal! LOL