Monorail beam cleaning and painting

[WDWtraveler]

While some monorail beam cleaning has occurred in the past (pressure washing), today I noticed a significant difference in monorail upkeep. Much of the monorail beam at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) area has been cleaned recently, and now, the beams have received a coat of paint (or some other coating) that matches the beam support towers (sort of a concrete beige color). The coating is thick enough to fill small air bubble holes left when the beams were originally poured concrete. And, in case you ask, this beam cleaning is on both sides of the beam, not just the front as you approach the TTC.

See photo below where the left side is as the beam has appeared for several years now, and the right side which has been cleaned and coated/painted. P.S.The support tower here has not been cleaned and coated/painted yet.

 

[zakattack99]

Are they painting the top of the beam or just the sides?

 

[Clamman73]

When I saw that last week I was taken aback by the sight...I almost thought they replaced a beam it looked so good.

 

[Adam N]

Wow that is oddly satisfying. I wonder when the last time they did this? When you watch that MK opening video with Julie Andrews that monorail reeks of the 70s future. It looks so clean and shiny.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I'm not sure if it's painted or simply cleaned.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'm not sure if it's painted or simply cleaned.

Either way it looks 100% better.

 

[Brewmaster]

Eventually will look fantastic in all the emergency evacuation photos in the AP. heyo! #rimshot

 

[Baltar]

Eventually will look fantastic in all the emergency evacuation photos in the AP. heyo! #rimshot

haha

 

[marni1971]

Nice.

 

[halltd]

I never understood painting the beams. Paint requires way more maintenance over time as it flakes off, etc... To me, cleaning would have been a much better option.

 

[danlb_2000]

Here are some picture of the beam cleaning that was done in Epcot back in 2010.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/epcot/news/01feb2010-monorail-beam-refurbishment-in-epcot.htm

 

[JoeCamel]

I hope they are not painting the concrete, with the daily showers the concrete needs to breathe and shed the moisture. If you allow it to enter on the top and shed out the sides when painted it will spall rather quickly.

 

[unkadug]

I hope they are not painting the concrete, with the daily showers the concrete needs to breathe and shed the moisture. If you allow it to enter on the top and shed out the sides when painted it will spall rather quickly.

Perhaps that is the plan...If they make the beams fail they will not have to replace the trains.

 

[boufa]

Here are some picture of the beam cleaning that was done in Epcot back in 2010.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/epcot/news/01feb2010-monorail-beam-refurbishment-in-epcot.htm

Does anyone have any recent photos of the Epcot cleaning 5 years later... did the florida sun prove the imagineers are fools, or does it still look good?

 

[boufa]

Never mind, I answered my own question... from September 2014, 4 years after they were worked on in Epcot, and they still looked pretty darn good. I have another photo from the beam just outside of epcot, taken on the same day, and you can tell clearly that section hadn't been treated/cleaned/whatever

 

[stini228]

Sweet! I noticed they were quite bad in front of the Poly during our last stay there.

 

[ParksAndPixels]

Sweet! I noticed they were quite bad in front of the Poly during our last stay there.

Sorry, you didn't pay enough for your stay to get clean cement... The MILDLY dirty beams don't bother me, but the clean beams scream excellence and quality experience. It sends the message "someone still cares..." I equate this to visiting a business that has burnt out exterior lights on their building (for more than a night or two). Sends a message "we don't care about the small things".

 

[DGracey]

While some monorail beam cleaning has occurred in the past (pressure washing), today I noticed a significant difference in monorail upkeep. Much of the monorail beam at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) area has been cleaned recently, and now, the beams have received a coat of paint that matches the beam support towers (sort of a concrete beige color). The coating is thick enough to fill small air bubble holes left when the beams were originally poured concrete. And, in case you ask, this beam cleaning is on both sides of the beam, not just the front as you approach the TTC.

Yes, it is painted. You can tell the "cleaned" sections vs the "painted" sections. The painted sections have all the "holes" filled in.

See photo below where the left side is as the beam has appeared for several years now, and the right side which has been cleaned and painted. P.S.The support tower here has not been cleaned and painted yet.

View attachment 114181

Simply, beautiful.

This is the Disney World we want, expect - and deserve.

 

[Figment2005]

I'm not sure if it's painted or simply cleaned.

It's being pressure washed and clear coated.

 

[wdisney9000]

Simply, beautiful.

This is the Disney World we want, expect - and deserve.

Please note that my comment is in no way directed towards you, @DGracey , I jut quoted you because it pertains to how I personally feel about maintenance at WDW.

While I agree with you about deserving a better WDW, I also feel compelled to point out that while this is good news that the beams are being cleaned, it is also sad that basic maintenance and upkeep such as this has gotten to a point that we as guests are excited to see it done and compliment them for doing it. I am not just speaking about the beams but about the Monorails and the entire resort in general.

It really speaks volumes about the mindset that Disney has created in the customer when we praise them for doing basic upkeep such as carpet or pressure washing. (not referring to you @DGracey ) Building a new attraction may cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but cleaning the Monorails does not. Maybe because theyve ignored them for sooooo long it may cost a little extra to get them up to snuff, but that is their fault. With prices on everything from resorts to AP's skyrocketing, they have no excuse, neither does any Disney defender lurking on these boards waiting to lash out at anybody who dares to speak ill of the company.

I will say that they have stepped it up a bit lately and the WDW that we want, expect, and deserve is slowly returning. Still a ways to go, IMO. I will also praise them for an amazing job at brainwashing and conditioning peoples minds to accept the shoddy upkeep theyve practiced for over a decade and how it has allowed them to look like super heroes when they decide to finally paint a wall or change the urinal cakes in the mens room. /rant.