Seattle Scrunch of 2005
with photographs by Joshua Shields and Keith Sherry
commentary by Kim Pedersen
page two of two


photograph by Keith Sherry
Part of the frightening experience of the accident for Blue Train riders was the resulting lean over to the side. For a few seconds some weren't sure if the train was going over.

photograph by Joshua Shields
The view from the restaurant court of Westlake Center. This is NOT banked track.

photograph by Keith Sherry
The outside skirts are normal, the inside skirts are not.

photograph by Keith Sherry
After trains were pulled apart, damage became more apparent.

photograph by Keith Sherry
The power traction resistor became exposed as one of the side panels of the skirt was peeled away.

photograph by Joshua Shields
A bit of an understatement: "mechanical difficulties." Business has dropped at both Seattle Center and at the shops at Westlake Center since the accident, proving the value of the monorail, not only to those who don't have the speedy transportation available to them, but to businesses at each end on the 0.9-mile line. As we post this photo essay online (12/10/05), repair of trains has begun and we assume new procedures will be enacted to prevent this from happening again when operations resume. Hopefully no other monorail systems will ever be built with a pinch-together track segment as Seattle has.

Scrunch Special one / two

/ back to the Special Features Page