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Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11) - State investigators now know what caused the Louisville zoo train to derail last summer.
The lengthy report due out next week is the result of a nine month investigation and could finally provide the answers as to what went wrong.
In that nine months there have been many theories as to what happened and just as many lawsuits trying to place blame, especially by those who claim they were injured.
Theories as to what caused the popular zoo train to derail have ranged from an unmarked emergency stop button on the train to driver error.
Investigators from the state have their answers, but attorneys for those who on the ride-those who claim injuries-have their own theories.
Chris Morris is an attorney who represents more than one dozen of the train passengers.
In court records he's asked many questions. He says clients have stated "We were going too fast."
Another woman, Cheri McKenzie of Tennessee described how the train cars jumped the track. She says that the driver - an 18 year old who had recently been hired - never turned around and was the last to know.
McKenzie, who was on the train with her grandchildren, says her head was scalped on the left side.
"Proper training would have prevented in part this incident as well as certain buttons present or not present that would have allowed the operator with proper training to stop the train beforehand," she says.
In December 2003, the train changed direction and began traveling downhill.
Did that cause the wreck? It is another theory that WHAS11 News asked the zoo director about.
"It was reviewed by investigators before it changed directions," says the director.
Mechanical factors have also been considered. WHAS11 News spoke with David Sclavis, who owns a miniature train company.
From looking at pictures, he believes "keeper plates" that connect the train cars to the wheels, were missing.
The state can take many actions including accessing fines and penalties of $10,000 per violation but they have never pressed criminal charges.
At the zoo, the rails are quiet and will remain that way until the zoo knows what went wrong.
