Mysterious Monorail Work

Tom

Beta Return
Original Poster
A Notice of Commencement (Building Permit) was filed today in Orange County for concrete work related to 20 existing monorail pylons - with not one of them being directly related to the new maintenance spur.

Back on August 19, a Permit was filed for the new platform for the TTC tractor platform location.

I usually don't start new threads for construction permits, but I just thought this one was interesting enough to discuss. I immediately assumed it was for the new spur at the TTC, but then I realized there were 20 pylons total. So, I hopped on the Orange County Property Appraiser's site and looked up the locations of each set of them.

I'm guessing this is just some kind of maintenance to the pylons or their foundations, but it comes at an odd time, and only includes an assortment of 20 of them scattered about property.

For simplicity, I've listed the pylon numbers and their locations:

225-230 & 167: Epcot parking lot, just north of Epcot platform
23: Where beams pass over World Drive, south of Contemporary
273-275: At intersection of Epcot Center Drive & World Drive
29: Between Bay Lake/SSL connector and Contemporary parking lot
323-324: Near MK toll plaza
60: At intersection of Vista Blvd & World Drive, north of MK toll plaza
151: SE corner of Poly's parking lot
4-5 & S5-S6: NE of TTC over Topiary Lane (2 on switch leg, 2 on Epcot beam)
 

SeaCastle

Well-Known Member
I guess they're expanding the monorail. :lookaroun

In all seriousness, does anyone have a map of where the monorail pylons are located? If these pylons require maintenance, I wonder why these ones would be in such a state that they would require maintenance.
 

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
I'm wondering if these might the locations of some rectifiers or other electrical maintenance needs?
 

Figment1986

Well-Known Member
Perhaps they did a test on all the beams and found some minor wear and tear on those that needs to be fixed so the core doesnt get compromised in the future?
 

kaos

Active Member
I'm guessing, since each permitted space is 900 square feet and square, per the drawings, this could be either a back-fill to prevent/repair sinkage, or possibly electrical work.
 

Tom

Beta Return
Original Poster
could they be points where cleaning is required?

Unlikely, because they never filed any permits for the cleaning inside Epcot. Also the permit specifically cites "concrete" as the scope of work.

In all seriousness, does anyone have a map of where the monorail pylons are located? If these pylons require maintenance, I wonder why these ones would be in such a state that they would require maintenance.

I will take some screenshots from Google and dot the locations of the pylons being worked on. Give me a bit. They're all over the place.

I'm wondering if these might the locations of some rectifiers or other electrical maintenance needs?

I thought the same thing. However, the company doing the work is one of Disney's preferred contractors and specializes more in engineering and structural work than electrical. They probably would have hired Ermco (also on Dopey Drive) if it were electrical work.

Perhaps they did a test on all the beams and found some minor wear and tear on those that needs to be fixed so the core doesnt get compromised in the future?

Very likely, since I predict this is structural work of some kind. Or perhaps they're repairing spalled concrete.

I'm guessing, since each permitted space is 900 square feet and square, per the drawings, this could be either a back-fill to prevent/repair sinkage, or possibly electrical work.

More likely your first guess, and I agree. 900sf is a 30' x 30' area, which would encompass the entire underground foundation area for each pylon, as well as any work on the pylon itself. They're also very liberal when they draw the polygons on these drawings. Regarding electrical, see above.

Since the boxes are all specific to pylons it makes me think they're either pumping grout underneath the foundations to jack them up or repairing failing or spalled concrete on the pylons themselves.

I'm anxious to hear from someone on property in the coming weeks, since this work will be clearly visible to guests.

Now I'm going to work on some maps of the pylon locations.
 

Tom

Beta Return
Original Poster
Maps of Pylon Locations

TTC: 1 near Poly, 2 on Epcot Spur, 2 on Switch Leg
picture.php


MK Toll Plaza: 1 North and 2 South
picture.php


Epcot Lot: 7 in lot north of Epcot platform
picture.php


Epcot Center Drive: 3 near intersection of World Drive & EC Drive
picture.php


Contemporary: 2 south of Contemporary
picture.php
 

nolatron

Well-Known Member
Seeing as how these are located right next to a roadway and in the middle of the Epcot parking lot, seems maybe they could be adding (or fixing) some kind of pilon protection (eg: guards rails/bumper posts) to prevent a vehicle from taking out a pylon and the beam.

Here's the Epcot beam in the MK lot before just before TTC for a look at the pylon protection there. This was taken Sept 2009 (that's my Mazda there in the first row! woot!)
IMG_3009.jpg


Here's a look at a pylon in the Epcot lot from 2003 with no protection at all (screencap from 2003 vacation video):
2vds6dv.png
 

SeaCastle

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the graphics, Tom. They're very helpful.

It's interesting that the pylons mentioned are for ones between roadways. Perhaps they are doing some sort of reinforcement in case some sort of vehicle collides with a pylon?

EDIT: nolatron beat me too it! :lol:
 

kittybubbles

Active Member
maybe a barrier to avoid a car or truck accident from damaging the system...just seems these are all in points where traffic could get close to a pylon...or maybe some future road work they are making room for sort of like the rumored desire to move the the MK toll plaza.

Time will tell I imagine.
 

Figment1986

Well-Known Member
Seeing as how these are located right next to a roadway and in the middle of the Epcot parking lot, seems maybe they could be adding (or fixing) some kind of pilon protection (eg: guards rails/bumper posts) to prevent a vehicle from taking out a pylon and the beam.

Very possible, maybe after WESH's favorite story of all time :lookaroun they looked at some other suggestions to do to enhance the safety of the monorail system and decided to protect the structure integrity of the pylons better in areas something could strike it... :shrug:
 

Tom

Beta Return
Original Poster
Seeing as how these are located right next to a roadway and in the middle of the Epcot parking lot, seems maybe they could be adding (or fixing) some kind of pilon protection (eg: guards rails/bumper posts) to prevent a vehicle from taking out a pylon and the beam.

Thanks for the graphics, Tom. They're very helpful.

It's interesting that the pylons mentioned are for ones between roadways. Perhaps they are doing some sort of reinforcement in case some sort of vehicle collides with a pylon?

EDIT: nolatron beat me too it! :lol:

That's it!!!! In the words of Mr. Obvious' first time caller, "Heh, never made the connection."

Every one of those pylons is near live transportation. They're going to protect them from vehicular collisions. I imagine they'll be putting in sturdier pipe bollards (those red posts in the Epcot pics) that destroy a car before the car gets to the concrete.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the accident or government reports, or if this is just something they've decided to do on their own. Seems like a completely unrelated issue, but I guess it could be classified as a deficiency in monorail safety.
 

miles1

Active Member
Maybe I'm paranoid after 9/11, but perhaps their strengthening them in case of something more sinister since they're all in areas that can be easily accessed by a vehicle, or a vehicle can be parked near them.:lookaroun
 

SeaCastle

Well-Known Member
I wonder if this is for a post-9/11 security measure or is related to last year's monorail crash. In 2004 they installed anti-vehicle protection guarding against unauthorized backstage access (props to Martin for the info) in light of the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
 

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