International ferris wheel consultant, Garrett Reuss was commissioned to determine the cause of the axle failure. Reuss has studied ferris wheel construction for the past 40 years and is considered to have the final say on issues related to ferris wheels.
“In my 40 years studying ferris wheels, I have never seen anything like this,” Reuss said. “If only they used more Vaseline, the friction would have never gotten so severe. Ferris wheels need lots of Vaseline.”
Reuss contends that the obvious disregard to Vaseline maintenance is the culprit. However, city officials claim that it was in the always in the budget.
Meanwhile, the city has quietly budgeted an extra $50,000 next year for procurement of the slippery, petroleum jelly.
Officials believe that it will be weeks before they can bring in a crane large enough to extract the wheel from the Pacific Ocean.
City Engineers have expressed interest in using the large crane currently erected behind City Hall.
However, a private engineering firm has already decided that the crane just won’t stretch that far.
“It cannot reach over the Rand Buildings,” said private engineer Dawn Kopecki.
The city engineers only replied, “Yes, it can.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 1, 2002. Read the original PDF.