Trolley Crash At The Grove

The trolley at The Grove has apparently had a brake failure, causing an accident which injured several people. The injuries sound fairly minor.

From an AP report:

The trolley did not come off the tracks or hit anyone, said Davies, who didn't immediately have more information.

Witnesses and people injured on the trolley said the bus hit a bunch of plants.

"I was on the top of the trolley and it was going full speed and then we just crashed," said Wonoh Massaquoi, who was celebrating her graduation from the University of Southern California with family and friends.

Massaquoi said her mother, who was also on the trolley, injured her arm and was treated by paramedics.

Massaquoi said she saw three injured also being treated.

"They were all bloodied," she said.

From ABC7:

A 50-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man suffered minor injuries and asked to be taken to a hospital, Davies said.

Five children aboard were also treated at the scene and released to their parents, Davies said.

The trolley that travels from Farmer's Market to The Grove, lost its brakes at the end of the track near The Grove, Davies said.

"It hit the stop at the end, but it was not going that fast," Davies said. "The trolley had very minor damage."

Here is some information on the trolley's braking system:

The trolley, designed by George McGinnis, retired from Walt Disney Imagineering, and Dave Williams of Caruso Affiliated Holdings, sits on an historic undercarriage from a Boston street car of the 1950s. Its exterior ornamentation includes red oak running boards and custom-cast brass handrails and fittings. Two spiral staircases lead to the upper deck. The trolley has redundant braking systems as well as a parking brake with fail-safe caliper brakes to prevent skidding.

This does not bode well for The Americana's trolley being open this weekend.