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Accident at Gröna Lund - Jetline permanently closed update page 6

cookie said:
Gröna Lund is cancelling their winter event for this year due to financial issues and low attendance following the accident. Anyone who’s already purchased tickets will be refunded.

www.aftonbladet.se

Gröna Lund pausar sin vintersatsning

Dödsolyckan, bistra tider och uselt sommarväder har fått publiken att svika Gröna Lund. Nu ställer nöjesparken in sin vintersatsning.
www.aftonbladet.se www.aftonbladet.se

The park’s halloween event will proceed as scheduled, however.
Click to expand...
so sad! Hope they can claw it back next year, any update with the investigation?
 
Estimated attendance over the summer season dropped from over a million in 2022 to just 720,000 this year. Daily attendance has been down by a third on average since the accident, and the park is said to have lost up to 200 million SEK (~€17m) in revenue. Layoffs are unfortunately to be expected.

www.aftonbladet.se

Tappade 200 miljoner efter olyckan – nu kan Grönan varsla

”Måste se över kostnadskostymen”
www.aftonbladet.se www.aftonbladet.se
 
Not to be disrespectful about the news, but does anybody know what the status of the coaster will be in 2024? I am planning a trip to the park in June next year and I would love to ride it again, since I loved it back when I went on it 8 years ago.
 
Any idea on what's going on with Twister? From what I gathered, it hasn't run since September 2022 and while there was some obvious retracking going on in October 2022, the recent reports suggest that the ride is more or less standing idle. Was its extended closure also in part a casualty of the Jetline accident?
 
An interesting question as Jetline, Twister and Vilda Musen are all intertwined - the last two even sharing parts of the support structure...
 
In an article on "Ny Teknik" where they interviewed the prosecutor, he said that they have a good knowledge on how this accident happened.
Unfortunately the original article is behind a paywall so can't read it, and the other articles are a bit vague, so not entirely sure on details.

The right support arm broke first, which caused the wheel assembly to fall off, after this the same happened on the left side. This caused two hard break jolts after each other.
These jolts threw the passengers towards the lap bars, but the weight of an adult is to strong and the mechanism fails due to the high force, which caused the lap bars to fail and 3 people fell out, of which one to her death. Jet-Line is designed to have higher g-forces that keep riders in their seat, and the lap bar is only designed to hinder people to stand up, a simple lap belt could have stopped the people from falling out.

Since only one of the support arms sheared of completely the train didn't derail. The cracked support arm was new, and installed just one month ago, according to the prosecutor. And he have a good view on why it happened but is not ready to give out details just yet.

www.nyteknik.se

Bilden börjar klarna – utredare av Gröna Lund-olyckan: ”Bärarmen gick av”

Bilden börjar klarna av vad som hände i Jetline-olyckan på Gröna Lund i somras. Bärarmen under den främre vagnen knäcktes på två ställen och säkerhetsbyglarna böjdes så att tre personer föll ur. Det uppger Haverikommissionen och åklagaren.
www.nyteknik.se www.nyteknik.se
www.svt.se

Knäckt bärarm bakom Jetline-olyckan på Gröna Lund

En knäckt bärarm på tågets främre vagn gjorde att bergochdalbanan Jetline spårade ur vid dödsolyckan på Gröna Lund i somras. Det uppger åklagaren i ett pressmeddelande under onsdagen.
www.svt.se www.svt.se
www.aftonbladet.se

Knäckt bärarm bakom Gröna Lund-olycka

En knäckt bärarm under den främre vagnen gjorde att bergochdalbanan Jetline spårade ur vid dödsolyckan på Gröna Lund i somras. Vad som knäckte bärarmen är därem
www.aftonbladet.se www.aftonbladet.se

When reading these articles it's hard to decipher if the new arm was the one to shear off or it was the second to break but didn't shear.
Anyway, if it was the one to break then it could point to a bad part, instead of wear and tear if it was older.

Also this might also force Liseberg to install belts on Lisebergbanan, since they use a similar lap bar design (or any other Schwarzkopf for that matter).
We just have to wait and see on what happens.
 
When reading these articles it's hard to decipher if the new arm was the one to shear off or it was the second to break but didn't shear.
Anyway, if it was the one to break then it could point to a bad part, instead of wear and tear if it was older.
Click to expand...

Intersting bit of news. Some years ago there was an accident with a refurbished Schwarzkopf Monster were the new welds failed due to the forces - on the other arms hairline cracks in the new welds were detected. Inspecting Monster that were not refurbished it was found that no original parts had any hairline cracks even after over 40 years of use. After further investigation it was found that the worker doing the welds did them not according to specs. No other Monster was refurbished by that company or in a similar way so far...

Also this might also force Liseberg to install belts on Lisebergbanan
Click to expand...

Hopefully they come up with a modern way to check if the belts are closed like an electric circuit connected to a LED status light. Doing those checks manually will kill capacity for good...

The best solution might be to buy new trains from Gerstlauer with hydraulic lapbars.
 
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An updated article with response from the Technical director of Liseberg was now posted on GP.

Liseberg won't take any actions regards to the accident and feel secure with the safe operation of Lisebergbanan. They replaced the trains 5 years ago, and still have plenty of original spares to go with them.
He do share the view of a 3 point safety belt would have stopped people from falling out, since the restraints (as said before) aren't ment for this sudden stop, neither are the cars them selves (as every other attraction out there), but there are no plans to introduce any belts on Lisebergbanan at the moment (but that may change depending on the full investigation of the accident).

Apparently both support arms were newish, but Gröna lund won't say the source of their support arms, but the prosecutor mentions that they are reproductions from a well established Swedish company. Some of which have been used on Jetlines trains for years (from the same batch).
But they haven't really figured out why the arm cracked and he is waiting for the final investigation report for that.

www.gp.se

Liseberg: ”Vi har originaldelar”

Enligt åklagaren orsakades dödsolyckan på Gröna Lunds attraktion Jetline av att en nästan ny bärarm under tågen brast.<br/>Den nya slutsatsen får inte Liseberg att vidta några åtgärder på Lisebergbanan, som kommer från samma tillverkare som Jetline.<br/>– Vad jag kan förhålla mig till från...
www.gp.se www.gp.se

The final report is expected to be done by May/June next year, and it's at that point that Göran Lund will decide what will happen to Jetline.

SimonProD said:
Intersting bit of news. Some years ago there was an accident with a refurbished Schwarzkopf Monster were the new welds failed due to the forces - on the other arms hairline cracks in the new welds were detected. Inspecting Monster that were not refurbished it was found that no original parts had any hairline cracks even after over 40 years of use. After further investigation it was found that the worker doing the welds did them not according to specs. No other Monster was refurbished by that company or in a similar way so far...



Hopefully they come up with a modern way to check if the belts are closed like an electric circuit connected to a LED status light. Doing those checks manually will kill capacity for good...

The best solution might be to buy new trains from Gerstlauer with hydraulic lapbars.
Click to expand...
Yeah you really need to go by the book, and use proper spares with the right material on these rides.
As hi said in the new article, then they don't have any plans of introducing them as of at the moment, but that might change.

The trains Liseberg have at the moment are fairly new (5 years), so I doubt that they will get any new ones again. They could however redesign the mechanism with Zierer if that's required to make it stronger (hydraulic) instead of putting seat belts on there. Since as you said, it would really kill the capacity.
 
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NyTeknik posted an update about this unfortunate accident, based on preliminary findings of the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority that has been relayed to the paper by two sources.
The support arms were made to faulty specifications, it missed an extra plate to brace between the welds that hold the support arm together, as well as the welds themselves haven't been up to standard.
The plate was in the original drawings that Gröna Lund provided to the manufacturer, but the manufacturer and their subcontractor didn't understand the drawings fully and didn't install it as the drawings specified.
The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority put the blame on all of them, the manufacturer for not supplying a faulty part and Gröna Lund for not being thorough in checking the parts, even though they had sent back other support arms due to visible defects.

Final report of this will come in May/June, and as posted before - Jetline will remain closed for this coming season.

Sources:
NyTeknik (paywall): https://www.nyteknik.se/samhalle/ny...lund-olyckan-otillracklig-hallfasthet/4231022
TT/OMNI: https://tt.omni.se/kallor-tillverkningsfel-bakom-grona-lund-olycka/a/nQdeJB
 
Even though the final accident report isn't out yet, the case has been handed over to prosecutors/police to try the cases of manslaughter, causing bodily injury or illness, and imposing danger to another against Gröna Lund and the company that manufactured the failed part.
Although no single person is suspected, this may end up with the companies given some corporate fine if they are found guilty. A fine could be in the multi-million range (SEK).

Sources:
www.nyteknik.se

Gröna Lund misstänks för brott efter dödsolyckan i Jetline

Två företag har delgivits misstanke om brott i samband med dödsolyckan.
www.nyteknik.se www.nyteknik.se
www.aftonbladet.se

Gröna Lund misstänks för brott efter Jetline-olycka

Senaste nytt • Snabba nyheter från Aftonbladet
www.aftonbladet.se www.aftonbladet.se
www.expressen.se

Åklagare har tagit över utredningen om brott på Gröna Lund

En åklagare på Riksenheten för miljö- och arbetsmiljömål har tagit över utredningen mot Gröna Lund. Brottsrubriceringarna är flera. – Förundersökningen pågår intensivt för att klarlägga vad som hänt och om någon kan ställas till svars för brott, säger senior åklagare Christer B. Jarlås.
www.expressen.se www.expressen.se
 

Causes of the Accident​

The accident was caused by deficiencies in the ordering, manufacturing, and inspections of new support arms for the trains in Jetline. This led to a support arm with insufficient strength being used in the train and breaking.

Contributing to the serious consequences of the accident was that the passenger restraint system was not designed for the forces that arose.

Underlying factors at the system level for the accident were:

  • Lack of a fixed and established method at the amusement park for identifying, assessing, and managing risks in the amusement activities.
  • Unclear regulations for the operator's responsibility for safety.
  • Insufficient public supervision.

Safety Recommendations​

Gröna Lund AB is recommended to:

  • Develop safety work for amusement activities to at least ensure that:
    • Risks in the form of organizational and technical deficiencies that can lead to accidents are continuously identified, analyzed, and addressed,
    • Routines are developed to ensure that replacement parts meet the original requirements for the attraction concerned,
    • Inspections are adapted to the operational time of an attraction and identified risks,
    • The entire safety work is regularly followed up, evaluated, and revised if necessary (see section 2.3). (SHK 2024:07 R1)
The Public Health Agency of Sweden is recommended to:

  • Review and clarify the Public Order Act and its regulations so that it is clear that the amusement park operator is responsible for safety, including that:
    • All replacement parts are inspected before being put into use,
    • The operator of an attraction should be able to present an updated risk analysis,
    • Clarify the importance of continuously following up and evaluating safety work (see section 6.4.2). (SHK 2024:07 R2)


Then I said "Thanks ChatGPT :)" (We have to be kind to our future AI overlords ;) ) "Now can you go into more detail on the causes..."
Click to expand...

The accident at Gröna Lund's Jetline roller coaster was caused by multiple factors involving structural failures and inadequate safety measures. Here are the detailed causes:

  1. Breakage of the Support Arm: The immediate cause of the accident was the breakage of the support arm (wheel suspension) at the front of the train. The right part of the front support arm, along with the right wheel bogie, completely detached from the train. This breakage resulted in the undercarriage scraping against the track, leading to severe jolts and vibrations. Eventually, the remaining part of the support arm and the left wheel bogie also detached, causing the train to lose further stability.
  2. Structural Deficiencies: The investigation revealed that the breakage of the support arm was due to insufficient strength caused by flaws in the welds and a missing crucial component within the tubular construction of the arm. This arm was one of five manufactured in 2019. During the order and manufacturing process, adequate requirements for production and sufficient quality controls were not implemented.
  3. Inadequate Safety Measures: The safety measures in place at Gröna Lund were found to be insufficient to prevent such accidents. This included a lack of comprehensive risk analysis and follow-up on safety protocols. The investigation indicated that the safety efforts at Gröna Lund did not provide a reliable level of safety for the roller coaster.
  4. Regulatory and Supervisory Shortcomings: There were also identified deficiencies in the regulations governing amusement rides and a lack of adequate public supervision. This contributed to the failure to detect and address the potential hazards that led to the accident.
  5. Operational Issues: On the day of the accident, passengers reported that the ride felt different from usual, describing it as shakier and noisier. These abnormalities were not detected by the staff before the ride commenced.
  6. Passenger Ejection: The severe impacts and jolts from the detaching components caused three passengers to be ejected from the train. This led to one fatality and several serious injuries. The design and strength of the safety bars contributed to the severity of the injuries sustained by the passengers.
These factors combined to create a situation where the structural failure of a critical component led to a catastrophic accident, highlighting significant gaps in both safety practices and regulatory oversight at amusement parks.
 
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Here's the press release from Gröna Lund:
www.mynewsdesk.com

Improperly manufactured front axle caused the accident in Jetline - Gröna Lund’s measures and change initiatives

The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority has now completed its investigation and presented its final report on the accident that occurred on Jetline on...
www.mynewsdesk.com www.mynewsdesk.com

What's not mentioned in the English press release but is in the Swedish version is that Jetline will not reopen and will be dismantled as soon as possible, my guess after this season.
 
Here is the English translation from the end of the Swedish statement;

We have also made a decision about Jetline's future. Out of respect for the accident and everyone involved, we have decided to close Jetline for good. It will be dismantled as soon as the opportunity arises.
Click to expand...

I guess that was inevitable after the accident last year, it will be sorely missed from the park though! I wonder how this will impact their expansion plans and if they will prioritise a replacement attraction in Jetline's place...
 
Jonsson said:
Here's the press release from Gröna Lund:
www.mynewsdesk.com

Improperly manufactured front axle caused the accident in Jetline - Gröna Lund’s measures and change initiatives

The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority has now completed its investigation and presented its final report on the accident that occurred on Jetline on...
www.mynewsdesk.com www.mynewsdesk.com

What's not mentioned in the English press release but is in the Swedish version is that Jetline will not reopen and will be dismantled as soon as possible, my guess after this season.
Click to expand...
Good spot, in full:

Vi har även fattat ett beslut om Jetlines framtid. Med respekt för olyckan och alla inblandade har vi beslutat att stänga Jetline för gott. Den kommer att monteras ner så snart tillfälle ges.
Click to expand...

Which translates as:
We have also made a decision about Jetline's future. Out of respect for the accident and everyone involved, we have decided to close Jetline for good. It will be dismantled as soon as the opportunity arises.
Click to expand...

This is a genuine surprise to me, I had expected it to eventually get new trains and reopen - it will not be easy to disentangle it from Twister, Kvasten and most of all the Wild Mouse so it will be interesting to see how they cope with this. As a minimum they will have to leave some bits of the structure standing to support the Wild Mouse.

As for the investigation support, the most shocking factor to me is the quality of those welds, and how they were done by an unqualified welder and then not inspected properly/at all. As usual with terrible accidents though there are multiple failings by multiple organisations, it's not fair to blame one company or individual.
 
This makes me immensely sad. Although I think the decision to dismantle *is a bit overkill when the ride is so tangled in and surely would still get riders with all new trains, I get it, they want to move on and save face. But for me, Jetline beat many a larger and more modern ride in fun and intensity and I'll be sad to see it go, especially as I haven't been able to ride it since 2019.

Edit: forgot to put "is a bit overkill" in that sentence
 
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^ yeah, even though I never got to ride Jetline, it's always sad to see another Schwarzkopf go to coaster heaven, especially a highly-regarded custom one.

And not too long after recently losing WEM's Mindbender a little while ago.

My count may be off, but I think that takes us down to only 11 custom Schwarzkopf left, globally.



But this is not a terribly surprising outcome, given the loss of life tragedy.
 
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