Speculation and media beat ups - Thunder River Rapids incident

[Scarlet Witch]

My hearts go out to those affected the victims and their families. This is a horrible accident and a terrible thing to happen. Being one of the more unexpected rides for a tragedy to occur I believe doesn't help the media fuel - but we're in that uncertain period right now where few facts are known, speculation is rife and less scrupulous news sources just report whatever they think will sell the best (See the earlier pages re Buzzsaw and claiming the log ride incident was connected to today's accident).

Time will tell... the facts will be sorted and doubtless witnesses will come forward. We'll all know for sure then.

My admit... my first thought when I heard, as AlexB's, was that surely nobody could be killed on a ride like this unless they were messing around. My thought was that it was teenagers being silly - I've been on the ride a few times with people acting like idiots, taking off their seatbelts, danging over the sides and dunking hands/arms in the water and so on. When I read the ages of the victims, I knew the likelihood of that was lower. After looking at the photos and hearing the few reports we have so far, I personally have little doubt the tragedy occurred at the loading/unloading area. Those poor people  

I feel that Thunder River Rapids won't be reopened - but perhaps 'shouldn't' be reopened is a better phrasing. I would be shocked if Dreamworld considered it after it killed four people, regardless of if they find the problem and fix it. 

Oh and guys, if the trolls upset you, just remember not to feed them - they're here for drama. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

4 minutes ago, www worker 2.0 said:

The conveyor is sensor controlled.

I'm curious whether TRR still runs the original 1986 Westinghouse PLC system that SRR did at Wonderland...?

[webslave]

I'm not across the design of the control system for it, but one would assume there's some degree of interlocking and redundancy involved.  For example; should there be a condition where the gates are closed but the conveyor motor is active?  That would be a potential place where you might consider the need for interlocking given the risk of capsize if a raft is propelled into another raft that has not cleared the section (for example because the gates may have stuck).

Then again, could you be looking at something like a motor contactor failure where it has failed closed?  I'd have thought if that were the case nothing short of an e-stop would have stopped the conveyor.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

1 minute ago, YLFATEEKS said:

I agree with Alex.   I have wondered before why the loading and unloading changed from the original turntable .    

Probably for the same reason Wonderland stopped the turntable system - slow loaders were causing issues and there were near-misses for people rushing to catch a departing tube. I'm pretty sure Bermuda did the same thing in it's later years - or at least had a brake point before final dispatch.

[www worker 2.0]

4 minutes ago, AlexB said:

I'm curious whether TRR still runs the original 1986 Westinghouse PLC system that SRR did at Wonderland...?

As far as I know it was replaced when the turntable was removed. It is currently a generic Intamin one. When communicating with Intamin there was concerns for raft rides Worldwide using this system, if it has been a computer malfunction and not something else.

Edited October 25, 2016 by www worker 2.0

[Levithian]

There is a platform that's normally submerged that looks like it's to guide/control the direction of the raft when it comes off the conveyor. Combined with submerging the end of the conveyor below the buoyancy level of the raft, I imagine this would mitigate the possibility of a raft rolling back into the conveyor and being dragged under because it could never actually reach the end of the conveyor. The worst that would happen is it would roll back into the conveyor and be punted back forwards towards the unload dock. It's entirely speculation, but if as you said, the front of the raft was lifted so the rear side could dip below the conveyor, and if there was possibly enough room for the bagged section of the raft to make it under, you could see how the conveyor could flip the raft over and wedge it between the conveyor and the platform.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

You're right @Levithian, there are guide rails immediately after the conveyor. This is hard to explain without a whiteboard, but even if it cannot get pulled under the conveyor, the process I described is still possible.

[Jamberoo Fan]

Now news.com.au is doing a story focusing more on recent comments of concern to DW's Facebook page as well as writing lists of incidents that happened mainly at agricultural shows & fetes (yes, you read that right).

At least, the list included Luna Park Sydney's 1979 Ghost Train incident. It was interesting reading in that same article that a US Olympic gold medallist was on Thunder River Rapids shortly before the incident occurred.

news.com.au are also saying Nine News reported earlier today that Thunder River Rapids was closed earlier in the day & drained completely at one point as a result of the need for that temporary closure. They even refer to Parkz's review of Thunder River Rapids at one point.

I also don't like how the media are making out that Thunder River Rapids's listing as a 'moderate thrill' ride as something that is inaccurate. Thrill level does not equate to chances of injury or death.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Jamberoo Fan

[Levithian]

20 minutes ago, AlexB said:

You're right @Levithian, there are guide rails immediately after the conveyor. This is hard to explain without a whiteboard, but even if it cannot get pulled under the conveyor, the process I described is still possible.

From looking at the photos, it looks like the conveyor is below the platform. So yeah, youd need something to tilt the raft over so the edge of the bag could be caught on the conveyor otherwise it would tend to just push it forward rather than grab. That or have it deflated or something so it sat vastly lower when it came off the conveyor. It kinda looks like there is a little room on each side (wider than the conveyor) once it drops off. I wonder if its possible to come off misaligned a little so its up against the rails when it comes off the conveyor. Would be like bouncing off a cushion/turnbuckle.

Its no consolation, but i hope it turns out to be a freak combination of things that werent able to be accountered for, and not an oversight or failure of the park/employees, etc. Really tragic to have a family forever changed like this

[Jamberoo Fan]

4 hours ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

Nine News Sydney are really giving it to the Gold Coast theme parks sadly - a story dedicated to nearly all previous incidents in ALL Gold Coast theme parks from pyrotechnic mishaps to minor ride malfuncations to passengers misbehaving on the rides.

45 minutes ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

Now news.com.au is doing a story focusing more on recent comments of concern to DW's Facebook page as well as writing lists of incidents that happened mainly at agricultural shows & fetes (yes, you read that right).

At least, the list included Luna Park Sydney's 1979 Ghost Train incident. 

Now the Sydney Morning Herald...

...and even the ABC!

Edited October 25, 2016 by Jamberoo Fan

[coasterdude44]

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/dreamworld-fatalities-come-after-history-of-theme-park-accidents-20161025-gsagvk.html?client=safari

This article states that Dreamworld has had at least 5 serious safety incidents since 1995. I never knew of these incidents until now

Apart from the log ride incident and the fatal helicopter crash in 2009 I thought Dreamworld up to this point has had an almost completely perfect safety record ever since the day it opened three decades ago.

 

 

Edited October 25, 2016 by coasterdude44

[grrofunger]

2 hours ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

This is the story I was referring to but it is from Nine News Brisbane (it is an 'extended version' to the one I saw - more incidents than what was reported on Nine News Sydney but it is edited differently at times - very minor changes though - and has a different reporter/script):

What a shithouse 'news' segment.

Vultures 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

28 minutes ago, ashhole157 said:

what? Just wondering since he said they were in there twenties but the victims are 32 and older.

I'd say my source, knowing the people, is pretty reliable, whereas in the heat of an emergency, emergency services workers need to estimate. I know nothing else about their age except what my friend told me, but they could be 28-29ish, which is reasonably easy to confuse with 'about 32' for an unconscious patient without a person nearby who knows them that can tell them. Potentially their ID is on the bottom of the holding lake. 

Whether or not their age is correct, LK will be revealed eventually.

5 minutes ago, coasterdude44 said:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/dreamworld-fatalities-come-after-history-of-theme-park-accidents-20161025-gsagvk.html?client=safari

This article states that Dreamworld has had at least 5 serious safety incidents since 1995. Since when was this established?!

Apart from the log ride incident and the fatal helicopter crash in 2009 I thought Dreamworld up to this point has had a completely perfect safety record ever since the day it opened three decades ago.

 

 

depends on how you class 'safety incident' - the buzzsaw restraint system could be classed as one. The tiger attacks could be others.

[Shadovv]

Someone posted this on the reddit thread, which makes a lot of sense:

http://imgur.com/a/fnOUt

Edited October 25, 2016 by Shadovv

[Tim Dasco]

I heard on the radio someone said it was a very horrific scene visually. Plus when you add this to what the paramedics said "in compatible for life". This makes me wonder if these 4 people were pulled into the conveyer and perhaps shredded. Not trying to disrespectful to those who lost their lives and their family but I am just wondering if it was possible.

[Jamberoo Fan]

12 minutes ago, coasterdude44 said:

... the fatal helicopter crash in 2009...

The helicopter crash didn't involve any fatalities.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

To Clarify - my friend has now told me he was wrong about the ages of K (32) and L (35). He hadn't seen them in 5 years as they had moved inter"state" and his guesstimate was wrong.

 

[mickey_079]

Please stop focusing on the quote "injuries incompatible with life" this is an extremely common phrase used in the emergency services and simply means nothing could have been done to save the victims. Usually an instant death or unrepairable damage to vital organs.

Today is truly a sad day for everyone but more so for the families, staff and emergency services involved. I am a little disgusted and disappointed with some of the things some people have said here today.

 

 

[Hiisi25]

12 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

Hold on, so after pumping rubbish inconsiderate posts one after the other all day, you've now gone to the depths of calling parents whose child was KIDNAPPED, MOLESTED & MURDERED and have campaigned and instigated multiple awareness and safety procedures across the country to keep other children safe, 'Attention Whores'. 

You are a dead set fuckwit (sorry kids but that's as close to PG13 as I can be right now with this deadbeat)

Oh please they demand to be always in the limelight, even when the issue was settled and the person convicted... They STILL insist on riding on the coattails of the death of their kid for a continuing public profile. Mind you, the kid would have been still alive if they were never neglectful parents in the first place and not let a young child hang by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. They are much to blame for the kids death as is the person that committed the crime. 

[Jamberoo Fan]

I was reading this NBC article because of the Parkz reference but according to it, Intamin didn't build Thunder River Rapids?:

Quote

Thunder River Rapids was built in 1986, according to Australian theme-park database Parkz. The database said the ride was built by Swiss-based company Intamin, but a spokesman for the firm told NBC News that this information was incorrect, and that it played no part in designing or manufacturing the ride.

@www worker 2.0, who is right? NBC/Intamin or Parkz/Dreamworld?

[Theme Park Girl]

1 hour ago, Tim Dasco said:

I heard on the radio someone said it was a very horrific scene visually. Plus when you add this to what the paramedics said "in compatible for life". This makes me wonder if these 4 people were pulled into the conveyer and perhaps shredded. Not trying to disrespectful to those who lost their lives and their family but I am just wondering if it was possible.

All I am going to say to confirm this is that I stumbled across a descriptive post on a friends Facebook page which was by a friend of hers who was in the queue at the time it happened.

Honestly, I wish I had never had read it. It's been playing on my mind ever since, I can't get the images out of my head ?

11 minutes ago, djrappa said:

That disgusting person has been given a one day ban. 

Thank you. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by Theme Park Girl

[bladex]

this is what they think Happened

Edited October 25, 2016 by bladex

[JeffreyMoore]

12 minutes ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

I was reading this NBC article because of the Parkz reference but according to it, Intamin didn't build Thunder River Rapids?:

@www worker 2.0, who is right? NBC/Intamin or Parkz/Dreamworld?

So if this is true what other ride manufacturer's made river rapid rides in the 1980's or was it a inhouse copy ?

 

[www worker 2.0]

16 minutes ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

I was reading this NBC article because of the Parkz reference but according to it, Intamin didn't build Thunder River Rapids?:

@www worker 2.0, who is right? NBC/Intamin or Parkz/Dreamworld?

Intamin most definitely built the ride we have a "manual" for the ride from them. I can only assume they are trying to distant themselves from this incident due to their presence in the USA.

8 minutes ago, bladex said:

this is what they think Happened

Huh I never knew TRR and RHLR shared the same conveyor belt.

Edited October 25, 2016 by www worker 2.0

[JeffreyMoore]

2 minutes ago, www worker 2.0 said:

Intamin most definitely built the ride we have a "manual" for the ride from them. I can only assume they are trying to distant themselves from this incident due to their presence in the USA.

Huh I never knew TRR and RHLR shared the same conveyor belt.

Can someone please explain how they share a conveyor belt ?