There was an accident Thursday night on Pony Express at Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park, CA). The family-oriented launch coaster begins with a relatively tame 38 mph launch up a short hill. The night of the accident, the departing train was not able to climb the hill and rolled back into the station striking another train that was in the station. More from KTLA:
According to Orange County Fire Authority Captain Greg McKeown, one person who was getting into a waiting train and nine others on the train that rolled back were hurt.
The park guests were hospitalized with minor injuries, McKeown said.
Three of the riders were reportedly 12 years old, while the rest were adults.
Unless I’m mistaken, roll back crashes in the station aren’t very likely on traditional roller coasters with chain lifts, but on a launch coaster like Pony Express you don’t have those anti-rollback ridges on the chain lift. It’s a good thing that there were only minor injuries. With riders getting in and out of a waiting train things could have been worse.
Read about more Roller Coaster Accidents including the 2009 Xcelerator accident that also took place at Knott’s.
What’s Your Take?
What do you think of the Pony Express accident? Leave a comment below. Image courtesy of RCDB.
October 9, 2010 at 08:26
What is it with all the California accidents?
October 9, 2010 at 10:51
I'm surprised there were no emergency brakes to prevent a crash from a rollback. Good thing the launch isn't very powerful/fast!
October 9, 2010 at 18:20
There are actually brakes to stop an incident from ocurring. I wonder if they failed to activate…
October 9, 2010 at 19:23
Ya thats probably what happened. Maybe they have to manually press something and they weren't prepared?
October 9, 2010 at 20:39
I was thinking that it would probably be a computer error.
October 9, 2010 at 18:22
Damn :/ there's also been the cable snap on xcelerator… careful Knott's!!!! O:
October 10, 2010 at 03:04
Knott's Berry Farms needs to do some serious maintinmence projects on their launch coasters. Maybe they should increse the number of inspections, maybe havre an additional one after the parks been open a while, not just when the parks are closed. I don't know anymore than anyone else about this, but but two launch coaster accidents at the same park only about a year between seems aq little suspicious to me.
October 13, 2010 at 07:16
I think the best thing that they have to do is to get another track where they can load the riders not on the same track the first train will be launched, so in case like this,, this will avoid the 1st train to crash the 2nd train…. Actually i heard a lot of accident news regarding knott's berry farm's ride..
October 19, 2010 at 13:55
Jam, if they did that, instead of crashing into the other train, it would fly straight off the track. Just think about it.