Seven months after a derailment resulted in six injuries, the steam train at Silver Dollar City has once again derailed.
The incident took place around 3:50 p.M. On Thursday, leading to the separation of the second and third cars. As per a press release from the amusement park, the front wheels of the third car on the Silver Dollar City steam train derailed by a margin of less than two inches.
Silver Dollar City stated that the absence of injuries was a result of the introduction of new safety measures following the derailment in October 2022. All train passengers were safely disembarked and brought back to the park, with only one passenger reporting a potential minor injury but opting not to seek medical attention from external sources.
The press statement asserts that the fresh safety protocols operated as planned, bringing the train to a secure and steady halt while maintaining the upright position of all the vehicles.
They added that the train will stay closed “until additional information is provided.”
Approximately 250 people have the ability to embark on the train at the same time, with departures occurring every half an hour on a German steam locomotive and passenger carriages dating back to the 1940s.
The investigation into the incident found that the crash resulted from misaligned rails, inconsistently spaced railroad ties, loose joint bolts, worn bearings, and mismatched springs on the truck of the rail cars. This led to the derailment of the Silver Dollar City train in October 2022, injuring seven out of the 160 passengers.
Additional: Investigators report misaligned tracks and worn bearings as the causes of the train derailment at Silver Dollar City.
The Silver Dollar City staff and operators interviewed the train car drivers before the typical operations of the day on October, describing the crash as a little warning left by the track.
The daily inspection of cars and engines, which was done by the park’s security and safety manager, Adam Buxton, informed the investigators that the engineer had inspected the track along with the morning maintenance personnel. The train had been inspected on the 15th or 16th day of its run.
The staff said that the train is capable of reaching a speed of about 13 mph, while it was approaching the area where a mock robbery was being performed at a speed of about 8-9 mph.
When the train reached a section called the “blow-down” curve or corner, both staff and passengers heard loud grinding noises, resembling metal scratching against metal, accompanied by a jolt and a sequence of bangs or pops. However, train operators confirmed that all systems were functioning properly.
The vehicles were already toppling, he glanced behind and observed as he was bringing the train to a halt. Upon hearing Wright’s announcement, he initiated braking and brought the train to a stop, experiencing a sudden jerk. The third vehicle derailed, and she heard the scraping and bursting noises, but quickly witnessed it when she signaled for the engineer to stop, according to Conductor Cathy Wright, who was seated at the rear of the final train car. Engineer Cordell Conyac echoed her statement.
The documents indicate that witness testimonies investigators collected in the hours and days following the accident aligned with those conveyed by employees. Additionally, it was observed that Silver Dollar City staff promptly addressed inquiries for ride manuals, maintenance logs, inspection reports, and other relevant data.
Wolf Railway Consulting requested a consultant’s report for Silver Dollar City, which included a thorough analysis, in a letter dated Nov. 16 addressed to Jeff Ussery, the park’s Vice President of Operations.
“In a statement, Gus Guadamuz, deputy chief of the Missouri Elevator and Amusement Ride Safety Unit, stated that during our meeting on November 16, 2022, we discussed the objections you raised regarding the information and facts discovered about the accident in October 2022.”
The letter released cites public records as part of the request for information and facts known about the train derailment and car crash at the amusement park. It includes other investigative reports.
Guadamuz expressed gratitude ahead of time for your help. Guadamuz mentioned that the train will continue to be closed until the requested information is received and examined. Although Guadamuz acknowledges that certain findings made by your investigator may be protected by attorney-client privilege or the work product doctrine, according to Missouri law, it is evident that the information he has requested must be furnished to his office.
Contained within the published reports is a document from Wolf Railway Consulting dated Dec. 19 that contains comprehensive data regarding the railway’s height and bend at the location of the accident, along with the deteriorated or unbalanced mechanical parts mentioned as a contributing factor in the state’s ultimate report.
The final reporter also suggests that City Dollar Silver develop safety track standards for narrow-gauge, two-foot tracks, which are not regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration and have no national standards. Additionally, the reporter recommends addressing mechanical deficiencies and railway recommendations.