Kiddie Train Derails in SC and kills a child

[KI Kidd]

Not surprisingly, here come the lawsuits: http://www.wltx.com/news/article/129468/2/Family-Sues-Over-Amusement-Park-Ride-Wreck-

[grrt]

That's horrible to think that in a park where likely the inspectors one sole job is THAT ride and possibly a few others, that he can just pass it up. I mean, you get paid to check a couple things, and you can't even do that?

 

Um... It was the state inspector, not the daily inspection that maintenance does for the park, or am I reading this wrong?

I was under the impression it was the PARK inspector, not the state inspector, as I don't believe a distinction was made in the article? I could be wrong too. If it is the state inspector, then that's slightly different, but still, it is their job to inspect the rides, hard to think they could skip JUST ONE of them.

[larrygator]

^I'm under the impression that your reading comprehension skills are lacking.

 

This is the most alarming piece of news...

 

Meanwhile, a state inspector came forward Monday to admit that he had falsified the ride's latest safety report, saying he ran the train March 16 when it actually had a dead battery. The inspector was fired.

[beatle11]

This is the most alarming piece of news...

 

Meanwhile, a state inspector came forward Monday to admit that he had falsified the ride's latest safety report, saying he ran the train March 16 when it actually had a dead battery. The inspector was fired.

 

So really, the inspector probably thought that no one would be stupid enough to drive so fast, and the driver probably thought the inspector wasn't stupid enough to declare the ride safe without testing it.

[beatle11]

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/129495/2/Train-Wreck-Conductor-Im-a-Victim-Too

 

There's a video at that link as well. He is wearing a sling.

 

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) -- The man driving a children's train ride in South Carolina that crashed and killed a 6-year-old boy says he feels like a victim, too.

 

Matt Conrad said during a news conference in Greenville Wednesday that he wasn't prepared for media scrutiny following the crash and said he is suffering because of his role.

 

Benji Easler was killed Saturday when the train ride at Spartanburg's Cleveland Park derailed. Twenty-seven others were injured.

 

State officials fired an inspector who falsified a report saying the train was OK to operate.

 

Police said Conrad told them he knew he had been driving too fast. On Wednesday though, Conrad's attorneys blamed the crash on mechanical failure.

 

Authorities are still investigating what caused the wreck. One injured family has sued state and county officials for negligence.

 

As he said in the video, the train was the original train from Cleveland Park that they sold it in 1961. It went through 2 other owners before they purchased the train back. He doesn't know whether or not those other owners ever operated it and says it's possible that it had not been operated in public service in 30 years. He has many years of experience driving trains, including full size locomotives, and did maintenance/repairs on the train and the track last year and over the winter. He also added that nothing indicated to him that anything was wrong during testing and public operation until it was too late. He does however accept that he was probably driving too fast and re-iterated that.

 

The video is 17 minutes long, so alot more was said there than this.

[larrygator]

He is wearing a sling.

 

Taking a page from the Teddy Kennedy playbook.

[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