Fatal Roller Coaster Accident at Japan's Expoland

[Spokker]

One thing I was wondering.. Does anyone think there were any warning signs like sounds coming from the train??

Shortly before Big Thunder derailed in 2003 cast members noticed strange sounds coming from the trains. They took the train off the line, inspected it (half-assed probably), and then sent it back out again with a train full of unfortunate guests.

[Alexander Nagel]

I think this incident could have been just as bad even if there was no guard rail. The trains could have collapsed off the track, or plenty of other gruesome possibilities.

It basically relates to the Mindbender incident back in 1986. Mindbender had no guardrails.

Mindebender may not be a TOGO, but the incident is very similar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindbender_(Galaxyland)

quote]

 

Thank you!

 

As he said, if it wasn't the handrail it might of been a support or something else. Or another way of looking at it is that if handrail wasn't there it may have been worst since the car wouldn't had anything to fall on and might of caused other things to happened.

 

 

And let me expand on something I said earlier. While it was the handrail that ultimately killed her it was the wheel assembly that is at fault. And at the same time man standing right behind her is somehow alive (at least as of the last update). Don't you think that having that catwalk might of played some part of that. As he may have been able to be taken off and gotten to the hospital faster.

[hamu86]

Actually, not 20 hours before this accident, I had the front row on a very similar Togo standing coaster (the Momonga) at Yomiuriland in Tokyo. I feel just a little bit lucky, but I suppose a lot of this comes down to responsible park management. I believe the cars on just about all the standing Togo coasters in Japan are almost exactly the same.

 

According to the news tonight, it seems the broken axle on the coaster had never been replaced in its entire lifetime since the ride went into operation in the early 1990s.

[carolinacaniac]

^Wow, that's not too good it seems.

 

I am not so sure that it going the other way would have been as bad, because for it to go completly off, that would have to mean that both of that car's wheel assemblies failed, and that it became dettached from the car in front of it and behind it.

[stormrider]

Not sure if this was answered before but are the wheel assemblies just attached to the bottom of the car? If so that is a really bad design...reminds me of the wheel design from the screamin serpent knex coaster.

 

I thought other companies, like B&M for instance, attach directly to the bottom of their cars as well. And as for the railing, I believe that when the designers designed the ride, they intended it to act like it should by staying together, not falling apart. The railings did their job for evacuation purposes, but if I were to do clearance testing, I don't think I'd assume that the trains are well maintaned and wouldn't act abnormally.

[RiversideMan]

Here's a little more in depth article:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070506TDY01004.htm

 

It's just sad, this problem might have been found (actually, it better have had been found) if the inspection came sooner.

 

Clicking around on that page there was also another accident shortley after this one. Seems a train hit another making four people sick this happend at Wonderland amusement park in Sakai, Fukui

[nasai]

Just to send this thread into overkill, here's another story, translated into english about what happened.

 

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070506a1.html

[robbalvey]

Aw, this is a bummer:

 

Meanwhile, the Mitsui Greenland amusement park in Kumamoto Prefecture said it conducted an emergency checkup of its Fujin Raijin roller coaster — the original type of the roller coaster involved in the fatal accident at Expoland — and has found no irregularities.

 

Mitsui Greenland officials said it will stop operating the ride until the cause of the accident in Osaka is confirmed.

 

I really liked Fujin Raijin at Mitsui a LOT. I hope it's back open by our trip in September.

 

--Robb

[SharkTums]

Yeah I mean, Fujin Rajin II should die a slow painful death much worse than the lady it killed...but Fujin Rajin down at Mitsui was AWESOME!!!!

 

Like others have said, yes the Togo's in Japan were all amazing...except this one!!! This one bashes you so hard and has no redeeming qualities at all. It's no surprise that it shook itself literally apart. I hope it will be destroyed and removed!

 

Ok, looking at Mitch's Steel Poll...I rated it in my worst category and overall here's how it faired:

 

330 X:\No Way Out Thorpe Park

331 MegaBlitz Coney Beach

332 Fav Zamperla Volare Any Park Anywhere

333 Fav Zyklon Loop Any Park Anywhere

334 Dive to Atlantis Mt Olympus Theme

335 Fujin Raijin II Osaka Expoland

336 Goudurix Parc Asterix

337 Tornado M & D's

 

So yeah, no big loss here.

[supermanrosfan0810]

HA! it was worse than any zamperla volares! I understand how much it sucks now!

[californiascreamer1]

Some other photos of the ride i found before it crashed

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/expoland1.htm

[307]

HA! it was worse than any zamperla volares! I understand how much it sucks now!

This makes it even more of an awful way to die! That poor, poor girl.

[SigENeaT]

o.o;;;

.... and i am supposed to be going to Expoland in early Aug on holiday =o

Im a little worried now...

 

On a side note; does anyone know how i can thank the guys behind this page? =P

http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/japan.htm

 

Without stumbling across the page in a drunken Google session, i would have been stuck thinking Fuji-Kyu was the best Tokyo had to offer!

[Axman]

This is sickening.

 

I don't even want to think about it.

 

I fear the worst for Shockwave.

[robbalvey]

This story keeps getting weirder.....

 

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20070507a2.html

 

Police Raid?!?!

 

OSAKA (Kyodo) Police searched the offices of the operator of the Expoland amusement park in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, and other locations Sunday, the day after a roller-coaster accident in the park killed a woman and injured 19 other people.

 

The police mobilized around 70 officers to carry out the search on suspicion of negligence resulting in death and injuries. They also investigated the site of the accident.

 

Expoland said Sunday it will close the park until Thursday for comprehensive checks on equipment in the park.

This is Ryan's reaction to the park being closed.

Police officers search for clues at Exploand in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, the day after a roller coaster accident killed one woman and injured 19 people. The office of the amusement-park operator was also searched Sunday on suspicion of negligence.

[coastrfreak2000]

What's even worse is this:

 

Expoland usually disassembles roller coasters in January or February to check if any cracks have been caused inside vehicle components by using ultrasonic and magnetic wave devices, according to company officials. This year, however, the annual checkup had been put off until May 15, after the Golden Week holiday period, because of a lack of space needed for disassembling, they said

[Axman]

Those lazy bastards!

[mightypotato]

Why does the one person seem to be searching the bushes for clues?

[supermanrosfan0810]

Do they think the park planned the crash or something?

[robbalvey]

It's just like the episode of CSI where there Creaming Mummy crashed!

 

--Robb

[SigENeaT]

Creaming Mummy? Is that some kind of dessert?

 

When do "CSI - Osaka" hit the street?

 

Edit: I'm at work; can you tell?

[hamu86]

Without stumbling across the page in a drunken Google session, i would have been stuck thinking Fuji-Kyu was the best Tokyo had to offer!

 

I'll probably draw some flak for this, but Fujikyu is my favorite amusement park. Many fond memories, and never had a bad time there.

[milo_smooths]

Some other photos of the ride i found before it crashed

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/expoland1.htm

I like how Robb deemed this one, the Togo Death Machine.

I swear, Robb must be psychic

[Ryan King]

Worst picture of me EVER!

 

-Ryan

[Garet]

People are on about the assembly i'm confused how comes the car tipped so badly if only 1 wheel assembly came off, wouldn't the other one on that side have kept it moderately on the track, i mean the car looks almost sideways in some of those pictures wouldn't the other wheel assembly held it sort of in place if you get what i mean?

 

Rob