Breaking: Fire On The Seattle Monorail

[TheWebHead]

SEATTLE - A fire broke out on the Seattle Center Monorail late Monday evening around 5 p.m.

Smoke was pouring out of the blue monorail as it was just on the south side of the Experience Music Project.

There were some passengers on board. Fire crews were able to successfully evacuate all of the passengers and the fire was reported under control around 5:30 p.m.

more...
http://www.komotv.com/stories/31515.htm

watching KING5 in Seattle many are describing a "loud explosion" that prompted the fire... much confusion, nobody was told what to do inside the monorail.

[flamingyouth]

1. It was pretty scary - my parents could see it

They live just above Seattle Center and there was tons of smoke. I wonder what happened?

[benburch]

2. Aren't those ancient?

Dating from the World's Fair in 1963?

That would explain a fire; Worn out.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Do they blow up as they age too? n/t

[benburch]

5. Well...

Old electric motors can catch fire... Used to happen a lot on the Chicago "L" until the old PCC-car conversions were retired. And inverters, regenerative brakes, and etc can catch fire as well. An electrical fire can be a LOT like an explosion.

[NNN0LHI]

11. OK, but...

...I have helped to put out a lot of electrical fires in the Ford stamping plant I retired from where very large electrical motors caught fire regularly, and none of them seemed like explosions to me. I guess anything is possible though? Thanks for the info.

Don

[benburch]

14. Depends on the motor type and other equipment.

For example, an oil-filled transformer can make a hell of a Zap when it goes, and some of the art-type rectifiers that used to be used in electric railway service can do this as well.

Also, this would be in a confined space under the floorboards, whereas the electric motors in a stamping plant are likely not so very confined.

[ParanoidPat]

15. 600V @ 600A + Short Circuit = BOOM!

Been there, done that, don't ever want to go there again! :scared: :evilgrin:

[flamingyouth]

4. My parents? No, they're just in their mid 60s

:evilgrin:
Yeah, these trains are the originals from the 1962 World's Fair.

[burrowowl]

6. In the U$

maintenance seems to be a no-no.
Just think of all the bridges that are ready to collapse, etc. Infrastructure .... no can do, gotta fight foreign wars for the Corporations.

[Terran]

8. Oh please...

the damn thing didn't last 40 years without any maintenance. You could no be more incorrect.

[niceypoo]

7. They are regularily maintained/rebuilt

Soon seattle will have a Citywide monorail transit system....WOOHOO! Just like the Jetsons!!

[kentuck]

9. Anybody comparing this to the Madrid bombing, yet.?

Trains....

[markses]

10. Only the lonely

;-)

[TheWebHead]

12. sounds like the explosion came from the drive system

some were hospitalized but so far no serious injuries reported... likely they're all smoke inhalation

[flamingyouth]

13. There was a ton of smoke coming out of it

Yikes. I hope everyone is okay.

[Lou_C]

16. Bush is desperate

I hope their are no casualties.

[schultzee]

17. I used to love to ride the monorail when I live in Seattle!