Do they ever clean the monorail tracks?

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Original Poster
A lot of them are looking pretty rough, but I don't know if they're cleaned at certain times or just look better after lots of rain.

Anyone know?
 

hokielutz

Well-Known Member
Well its quite a ways up to use a pressure washer along the tracks around the Kingdom.

Also a problem with power washing concrete is you are wearing away at the material with each cleaning. Hurricanes and other inclimate weather do enough damage already. So I'm sure Disney wants to make sure the tracks & beams last as long as possible within the structural safety parameters. Those are not cheap fixes
 

haveyoumetmark

Well-Known Member
I would say no. They aren't cleaned nearly enough, if at all. Their appearance is particularly bothersome at Epcot. They look disgusting and they really detract from the appearance of the enterance plaza. I'm not speaking for myself only, I went with a few foreign first timers and they noticed it before I did!
 

raven

Well-Known Member
They do have a machine that they bring out for major cleaning projects and repairs on the beam. They also have a monorail "pusher" in case of a power failure (I've seen it once). But I noticed the beams are looking pretty shabby these days as well.
 

haveyoumetmark

Well-Known Member
29mrn6x.png


Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

:lookaroun
 

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Original Poster
I know they have a small maintenance vehicle that stays on the track, but not sure what is involved beside repairing the various electrical systems along the track
 

hpyhnt 1000

Well-Known Member
Yeah, its pretty bad inside the Contemporary as well. You'd think that they would at least clean that stretch every now and again, since its indoors and isn't exposed to the elements. Moldy concrete just doesn't look nice inside a hotel. :hurl:
 

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Do you think that the railroad tracks should be polished also?

I'm sure there is some rust and grime on those tracks....:eek:

Can anyone say D-Troops? I thought you could!
 

haveyoumetmark

Well-Known Member
I don't expect them to clean parking lots or anything on the ground... but these are up in the air, in plain view. They are in many pictures and they honestly just look gross. If they are at all indicative of the future... I would rather not go there. How magical is moldy concrete? :rolleyes:
 

Chape19714

Well-Known Member
Umm...guys monorail tracks are Train tracks...which aren't clean...ever.

It's just not that important, in my opinion. doesn't really bother me.
 

LongtimeReader

Active Member
But what is interesting... check the monorail beams just in front of the MK and in the TTC plaza area. They look far better, as though they semi-recently gave them a paint job in those areas. Since pressure cleaning is out of the question, it appears they could at least paint the areas of the monorail that go over the guest area plazas and in-park areas. Seems it can be done...
 

hpyhnt 1000

Well-Known Member
But what is interesting... check the monorail beams just in front of the MK and in the TTC plaza area. They look far better, as though they semi-recently gave them a paint job in those areas. Since pressure cleaning is out of the question, it appears they could at least paint the areas of the monorail that go over the guest area plazas and in-park areas. Seems it can be done...

That's what I've always thought. I understand that the beamway is outside and will never look spick and span, but still, that's not an excuse to let mildew and mold build up on it, particularly in areas where large numbers of guests will see it. I don't think its that hard to paint the beam at stations and theme parks. :shrug:
 

Missing20K

Well-Known Member
Well its quite a ways up to use a pressure washer along the tracks around the Kingdom.

Also a problem with power washing concrete is you are wearing away at the material with each cleaning. Hurricanes and other inclimate weather do enough damage already. So I'm sure Disney wants to make sure the tracks & beams last as long as possible within the structural safety parameters. Those are not cheap fixes

This is the first I've heard of power washing damaging the structural properties of concrete. And I'm an architecture student who has taken building materials classes as well as two architectural engineering classes. Think this would be something they might mention.

Not sure what type of power washers you have used, but concrete is an extremely durable building material, which is why it's used for highways, bridges and buildings, and it is not easily weathered.

Even conventional concrete can withstand over 6000 psi (though there are grades of concrete 2500 psi, 4000 psi, etc.), and reinforced concrete (which the monorail track certainly is) can withstand up to 10 times that. High-powered professional power washers sometimes can create up to 3000 psi.

In my opinion, there must be dirty for reasons other than they are afraid a power washer would damage the track irrevocably. There could possibly be some minor cosmetic damage. :shrug:
 

haveyoumetmark

Well-Known Member
This is the first I've heard of power washing damaging the structural properties of concrete. And I'm an architecture student who has taken building materials classes as well as two architectural engineering classes. Think this would be something they might mention.

Not sure what type of power washers you have used, but concrete is an extremely durable building material, which is why it's used for highways, bridges and buildings, and it is not easily weathered.

Even conventional concrete can withstand over 6000 psi (though there are grades of concrete 2500 psi, 4000 psi, etc.), and reinforced concrete (which the monorail track certainly is) can withstand up to 10 times that. High-powered professional power washers sometimes can create up to 3000 psi.

In my opinion, they must be dirty for reasons other than they are afraid a power washer would damage the track irrevocably. There could possibly be some minor cosmetic damage. :shrug:

$$$$$$$$ Disney is cheap and lazy. :lookaroun
 

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
Since the 1st time we did the walk from the Contemporary to the MK looking at the monorail track above we've noticed patches of the concrete that look cracked and as if they are de-laminating. We've observed this on the beams that the monorails run on but also on the support columns that support the beams. I'm not personally knowledgable but my husband and father-in-law both work in engineering fields in industrial settings and work with a lot of different building materials. They know a lot about materials including concrete, different types, applications, performance, etc. For these guys to say something appears to be de-laminating probably means a lot more than me saying the concrete looks to be in pretty crumby condition. Anywhoo, think about that. Really. Regardless of if it's just cosmetic flaws at this point if a situation arose where the need to do extensive repairs or replacement of these beams or supports became necessary there would be no alternative but to shut down the monorail. What would that do to the ability to move masses of people from point A to point B? Also, consider that these things were erected/fabricated for this particular area in the very early 70's. I don't know of any replacement or major overhaul of the track, beams, or supports that has taken place since then. Concrete doesn't last forever. Technology and techniques were also different then. They might not have had the benefit of some of the newer materials available today. That's a lot to wrap your brain around, huh?

:lookaroun
 

Missing20K

Well-Known Member
They built the Hoover Dam from reinforced concrete. It's pretty durable material. Not to say there isn't some erosion, but delaminating like you are talking about (I did not see this when I was last there, but I didn't look for it either) is usually caused by freeze/thaw, which I'm sure they don't have much of down there, trapped air, or corrosion of the steel reinforcing, which could certainly be the case.

Nevertheless, I was only responding to the idea that a power washer could cause irrevocable damage to an otherwise normal reinforced concrete structure. Obviously, there may be strong evidence that suggests that sections of the monorail track are not in good condition, based on sweetpee's observation.

I wonder if there is any chance this could be a serious safety issue, if in fact there is serious structural damage to any part of the monorail track? :shrug: As previously said, it seems it would be quite an undertaking just to replace small sections of track, and would certainly alter transportation services.
 

disney9752

Member
the beam might be dirty or unsightly in a few places, but how often do they clean the "trough" in the stations? wow i rode in the front during my trip earlier this month. when we pulled into the mk station i looked down, it appeared they handt cleaned it out in at least 2 weeks. granted most guests cant see in it, since the gates are far enough back you wont. try going up on the 5th floor at the contemporary & looking down at either side, or next time you ride in the front look down as you pull into the station at all that TRASH. now that is just pure lazy & cheap down there.:hammer::eek:
 

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