M&D Scotland's Tsunami derails

[BDG]

After looking at some of the high-res photos, it looks like there is some serious damage to one of the supports underneath the first drop.

 

One of them is literally bent. There's also damage to the paint.

 

So I would guess the train derailed during the first drop, and collided with that support, causing that damage.

 

 

https://twitter.com/_demicampbell/status/747085763939008512

 

 

An older photo of the same support:

 

Edited June 26, 2016 by BDG

[Divv3k]

Sadly, the only thing surprising about this is that it happened on the invert and not Tornado.

[A.J.]

That would fit with that one person's observation then. Perhaps it emergency stopped on the lift and then kept going again, derailing at the bottom of the drop.

[KingRCT3]

I still don't understand how a whole train can derail like that.

It doesn't look like it has something to do with the rails themselves - looking at the picture above, the track seems in place.

So what? The first car derailed and pulled out all the followings? Why didn't the link between the cars broke instead?

[viking86]

^I'm as puzzled as you about this....

 

Naturally the various news sites here in Norway have picked up on it, and as expected the comments sections are littered with uneducated GP comments like "this is why I don't ride rollercoasters" or "what if this had happened when we went to Tusenfryd"...

[Canobie Coaster]

I know it's a different manufacturer, but this ride reminded me a lot of that Cobra coaster that derailed 7 or 8 years ago in terms of the ride.

 

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

[exzantia]

Sadly, the only thing surprising about this is that it happened on the invert and not Tornado.

 

Yeah. My first assumption when I saw this was that it was Tornado. I wasn't familiar enough with the names to know it was the invert.

[snoflake15]

Pretty shocking for this to happen so close to home. Hard to imagine how the hell it all came off the track. Had any kids been playing in that kids bike area the consequences would have been so much worse. Probably a good thing the weather wasn't great and it would have been quieter.

 

This could have grave consequences for the park. Not got the best reputation as it is.

 

Of course there are the inevitable overreactions on social media. I saw someone on Facebook suggesting the banning of all rollercoasters!

[coloradocoasterguy]

Injured simply means not dead. Injured includes amputations and permanent brain damage and by looking at those pictures I can't see how there won't be some.

[cal1br3tto]

Wow. Those pictures are brutal in terms of how...just...wrong that is. That's definitely one of those things most of us don't seriously expect to happen, like, ever. I hope everything works out as well as it possibly can for the victims, loved ones and witnesses.

[coloradocoasterguy]

I still don't understand how a whole train can derail like that.

It doesn't look like it has something to do with the rails themselves - looking at the picture above, the track seems in place.

So what? The first car derailed and pulled out all the followings? Why didn't the link between the cars broke instead?

In 2014 Ninja, an Arrow non-looping invert at SFMM, was partly derailed when it hit a tree that had fallen across the track. (For those who don't know, Ninja winds down a thickly forested hillside.) But only the first car derailed and was left hanging connected to the rest of the train. The four people in that car sustained minor blunt force injuries to their torso from being slammed forward into their OTSR. For the entire train to come of the track like this one did something catastrophic happened.

 

BTW anyone else notice the eagle deign on the wheel covers is the Philadelphia Eagles logo?

[KingRCT3]

^ Exactly, on Ninja, only one car derailed. On EGF as well, only one car derailed. Same deal on Mindbender and Fujin Raijin II.

Heck, isn't it the first time a whole train comes off track???

 

I know it's a different manufacturer, but this ride reminded me a lot of that Cobra coaster that derailed 7 or 8 years ago in terms of the ride.

 

That was my first thought as well. But Ride Tek, which was the manufacturer of Cobra, was composed of former employees of... Pinfari.

[coloradocoasterguy]

^ Exactly, on Ninja, only one car derailed. On EGF as well, only one car derailed. Same deal on Mindbender and Fujin Raijin II.

Heck, isn't it the first time a whole train comes off track???

 

I know it's a different manufacturer, but this ride reminded me a lot of that Cobra coaster that derailed 7 or 8 years ago in terms of the ride.

 

That was my first thought as well. But Ride Tek, which was the manufacturer of Cobra, was composed of former employees of... Pinfari.

As far as I can recall, yes.

[coloradocoasterguy]

I know it's a different manufacturer, but this ride reminded me a lot of that Cobra coaster that derailed 7 or 8 years ago in terms of the ride.

 

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Crap that sounds like it's about to fall apart. I was scared watching it.

[youtu_be]

[/youtu_be]

[Fallen Heretic]

A witness said it happened near the end of the ride when the train was turning before the brakes. From close examination of the pictures and videos on the news it looks like all the wheelsets have come off one side of the train but not the other. Maybe a rail on one side getting out of alignment? Pure speculation of course about the rails.

 

I live a few minutes from it and can see it from my window at work but the park and approach roads have all been closed off.

[Jew]

Bad few years for black and yellow coasters. Holy cow

Yeah, first the Smiler and now this.

Here's hoping that Lost Gravity isn't next. I mean, I hope it never happens again, but these things do happen unfortunately.

Wait... a Pinfari inverted coaster? That's a thing? Ugh

Suddenly, the SLC doesn't sound that bad. It's probably the difference from being hit by a semi and being hit by a sedan, but still.

 

Believe it or not, the one I rode (Bat Coaster @ Nigloland) was surprisingly smooth.

 

Judging by the amount of rust seen in the wheel bogey photo and supports, I'm not sure we can blame the manufacturer at this point.

[Mrenata]

Oh god, this accident made the news... Here in BRAZIL!

[canadianparkfan]

Bad few years for black and yellow coasters. Holy cow

Yeah, first the Smiler and now this.

Here's hoping that Lost Gravity isn't next. I mean, I hope it never happens again, but these things do happen unfortunately.

Wait... a Pinfari inverted coaster? That's a thing? Ugh

Suddenly, the SLC doesn't sound that bad. It's probably the difference from being hit by a semi and being hit by a sedan, but still.

 

 

Horrible news. Hope all manage to recover.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't surprised to see the words "M&Ds" and "Accident" in the same sentance. Ever since I first saw photos of that place, I was shocked that I hadn't heard of any major accidents taking place there. Seems like it was bound to happen... Then again, at a park with a Pinfari innert, what can you expect?

 

As a side note:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_(Tivoli_Friheden)

Not aPinfari, but a similar enough style of ride... There's a reason only select companies build inverts (Excluding Chinese Knock-offs).... Good example of "Do it right or don't do it at all".

[Superbatboy]

Thank goodness there were no fatalities, what a freak accident

[Jew]

Bad few years for black and yellow coasters. Holy cow

Yeah, first the Smiler and now this.

Here's hoping that Lost Gravity isn't next. I mean, I hope it never happens again, but these things do happen unfortunately.

Wait... a Pinfari inverted coaster? That's a thing? Ugh

Suddenly, the SLC doesn't sound that bad. It's probably the difference from being hit by a semi and being hit by a sedan, but still.

 

 

Horrible news. Hope all manage to recover.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't surprised to see the words "M&Ds" and "Accident" in the same sentance. Ever since I first saw photos of that place, I was shocked that I hadn't heard of any major accidents taking place there. Seems like it was bound to happen... Then again, at a park with a Pinfari innert, what can you expect?

 

As a side note:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_(Tivoli_Friheden)

Not aPinfari, but a similar enough style of ride... There's a reason only select companies build inverts (Excluding Chinese Knock-offs).... Good example of "Do it right or don't do it at all".

 

Big difference: Pinfari (and now Interpark) has been building portable roller coasters since 1965 when the first Zyklon was built. The other inverted accident was a companies first ride. Pinfari has built 4 of these with no issues until now.

[coloradocoasterguy]

Bad few years for black and yellow coasters. Holy cow

Yeah, first the Smiler and now this.

Here's hoping that Lost Gravity isn't next. I mean, I hope it never happens again, but these things do happen unfortunately.

Wait... a Pinfari inverted coaster? That's a thing? Ugh

Suddenly, the SLC doesn't sound that bad. It's probably the difference from being hit by a semi and being hit by a sedan, but still.

 

 

Horrible news. Hope all manage to recover.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't surprised to see the words "M&Ds" and "Accident" in the same sentance. Ever since I first saw photos of that place, I was shocked that I hadn't heard of any major accidents taking place there. Seems like it was bound to happen... Then again, at a park with a Pinfari innert, what can you expect?

 

As a side note:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_(Tivoli_Friheden)

Not aPinfari, but a similar enough style of ride... There's a reason only select companies build inverts (Excluding Chinese Knock-offs).... Good example of "Do it right or don't do it at all".

More likely the park failing to keep it maintained. Look at all the rust and dirt on those wheels.

[snoflake15]

A witness said it happened near the end of the ride when the train was turning before the brakes. From close examination of the pictures and videos on the news it looks like all the wheelsets have come off one side of the train but not the other. Maybe a rail on one side getting out of alignment? Pure speculation of course about the rails.

 

I live a few minutes from it and can see it from my window at work but the park and approach roads have all been closed off.

 

Other witnesses saying it was as the ride started. With the damage shown it looks likely to have been round he first drop. The cars seemed to all have turned at a strange angle as they're facing back into the ride.

[DorneyKid14]

Honestly, you cant blame the manufacturer on this one. From the looks of some of the photos, the park did little to no maintenance on the ride.

 

Prayers go out to those involved with this.

[Henry M]

That is some serious poo-poo right there! I really wonder what could have caused this, I can understand a wheel assembly coming off but the whole train??

I had the same thoughts. It must have been that the whole train was so badly maintained that if one part fails, the rest will too.

[gerstlaueringvar]

It's very lucky that the center of gravity of the train is so high up that the wheels and chassis landed first. I guess there will be some major concussions but at least the riders will be more likely to keep their legs.

Edited June 27, 2016 by gerstlaueringvar