Mark VIII Monorail Concepts (again not sure where to post)

ShoalFox

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
View attachment 61854
...and each cabin would offer mood lighting (much like the Mark VII) but in each color of the train. Red would have Red Mood Lighting, Yellow with Yellow, and so forth...
Adding to this, the colored plastic on the inside of the train should be the same color as the train, unlike the pink interior plastic on the Mark VI.
 

nace888

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I also forgot to add that the rear facing lights (on the skirt) would appear in red! Forward lights in white, rear in red. I've got a few little details planned in my head... I often forget them though.
 

nace888

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I went online today, and found the WDW Monorail schematic/scaled drawing, and did a couple printoffs, one of Cab 1 and Car 2, as well as a larger version of Cab 1. I did this to allow meto trace (cheating I know) the shapes of everything aesthetic wise, and make my changes!
 

s8film40

Well-Known Member
I like the design. Especially the more rounded nose and the all black window section. I would change a few things though. First any new train for WDW WILL be driverless, and so it should be designed as a driverless train. Theres no need for a separate cab section, I would instead have the end/front windshields open to the car much like the Bombardier design for Seattle. Similar to this:
AYOVOCYl.jpg

This way the front and rear views would be accessible to guests. Being driverless also allows for the headlight and strobe light removal as you suggest.

While your idea to make the skirt panels all one piece is aesthetically great, there is a very good reason they are separate pieces. Many of the electrical components are accesed by lifting these up, this allows for quick and easy maintenance without having to remove the train from the line.
 

ShoalFox

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
I like the design. Especially the more rounded nose and the all black window section. I would change a few things though. First any new train for WDW WILL be driverless, and so it should be designed as a driverless train. Theres no need for a separate cab section, I would instead have the end/front windshields open to the car much like the Bombardier design for Seattle. Similar to this:
AYOVOCYl.jpg
I don't think this would work. Doesn't a cast member have to be monitoring the system anyway despite the automated driving?
 

s8film40

Well-Known Member
I don't think this would work. Doesn't a cast member have to be monitoring the system anyway despite the automated driving?
Nope, Las Vegas system and many others are completely driverless. Operators in the control center can remotely drive the trains if unusual circumstances happen requiring them to be manually driven.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
I don't think this would work. Doesn't a cast member have to be monitoring the system anyway despite the automated driving?
This is how it is being done, but that is more Disney's choice. Another option could be like the Disney Resort Line at Tokyo Disney Resort where the front is open with two rows of forward facing seats, and there is a conductor in a cab in the back. Even though the system is automated, like on most Japanese trains the conductor looks out the window to monitor the platform and has his hand on a kill switch to stop the train if necessary. Disney's pilots will mostly be working in a similar capacity once automation is implemented. The biggest hurdle to opening up the view on the Mark VIs is the drive tire and equipment that sits between the pilot cab and passenger compartment.
 

nace888

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I like the design. Especially the more rounded nose and the all black window section. I would change a few things though. First any new train for WDW WILL be driverless, and so it should be designed as a driverless train. Theres no need for a separate cab section, I would instead have the end/front windshields open to the car much like the Bombardier design for Seattle. Similar to this:
AYOVOCYl.jpg

This way the front and rear views would be accessible to guests. Being driverless also allows for the headlight and strobe light removal as you suggest.

While your idea to make the skirt panels all one piece is aesthetically great, there is a very good reason they are separate pieces. Many of the electrical components are accesed by lifting these up, this allows for quick and easy maintenance without having to remove the train from the line.
Thanks!! I do want to point out though, that the cab section is there, should WDW decide to "reintroduce" driving pilots... At the same time, there's a cool feature I'm looking into, which would require (for me) that the trains still have a cab...

I don't think this would work. Doesn't a cast member have to be monitoring the system anyway despite the automated driving?
The intended plan is to keep them as "initiators" to open doors, close doors, start the train, and many are hoping they'll still have ability to drive the trains through an override should something happen.

Nope, Las Vegas system and many others are completely driverless. Operators in the control center can remotely drive the trains if unusual circumstances happen requiring them to be manually driven.
Disney's goal was to keep the position, but tweak it, if I'm correct...

This is how it is being done, but that is more Disney's choice. Another option could be like the Disney Resort Line at Tokyo Disney Resort where the front is open with two rows of forward facing seats, and there is a conductor in a cab in the back. Even though the system is automated, like on most Japanese trains the conductor looks out the window to monitor the platform and has his hand on a kill switch to stop the train if necessary. Disney's pilots will mostly be working in a similar capacity once automation is implemented. The biggest hurdle to opening up the view on the Mark VIs is the drive tire and equipment that sits between the pilot cab and passenger compartment.

:D
You've made a good point, but my designs kinda has some cool feels to it, should it work out like I'm wanting... With the Mark VI's, if I"m correct, the drive/load tires aren't filling the entire wheel well, and are maybe half the height of the train... My goal/idea is to open up the train a little more with "half walls" between the cars... The pilot's cabin and the passenger cabin were to be separated in my plan, but utilize a half wall, with a glass type division between the two... If it worked, it would allow for guests to see through the front of the train, while still remaining a safe distance, and not bothering the driver or attendant... These half walls can also feature small step ladders to allow for the emergency escape should something happen, and open up the train a little, while still keeping the individual cabins. It would allow more air flow, as well as the ability to open the atmosphere some, so sorry "Nighttime Beamway High Club", that'll be gone...
As mentioned, the plan was to move the lights to the skirts, and kinda give a feel like that of Disneyland, but I'm really leaning torwards LED strips, as they are brighter, and look more futuristic. The rear of the train (as mentioned) would have red lights, while the front would have white. Reverse lights are also an option, as they are identifyable at day or night, and can help with visibility.
 

nace888

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Okay, so small update. In my design, I know what most everything will look like, or I'm getting ideas as I go along. That being said, I've decoded that a grey seating will be used, not blue... where that pink strip is around the cabin would now be mood lighting. Like the Mark VII, there will be some kind of Mark VIII Logo implimented, though I'm not sure where just yet. There will also be mood lighting under the seats, so they're not directly visible, but the color is. There's more design ideas coming to my head as I work on it, I promise! :D
 

Phantom Mickey

Active Member
I really like concepts. While I used to use them at work, I also use them for my own use when purchasing things, or making conceptual renderings.
My Favorite monorail was the MK IV, I thought the MK VI too boxy, too big, and if you recall, they caused a lot of problems when they were bought because, If I was told correctly, THEY didn't fit in the contemporary either.
As for a conceptual thought, I only have this.....
As much as Mr Gurrs great Lear Jet nose of the Monorail design is, I think it is becoming dated, and has proven dangerous.
And I like the thought of walk through cabins, but with the drive wheels being so tall, they would extend into the cabins.
Now, I have found some interior shots of the Las Vegas monorails, and they are not walk through design, but they do have side seating instead of the current MK VI seating.

https://www.google.com/search?clien.....1.0.0....0.sBgW6flFgZA#imgrc=HcAdJ2N5BOxmcM:

I realize that the old Disney thinking has always been to Disneyfy anything they buy but I have had thoughts that this round of very expensive monorails may be much like the Las Vegas model. To prevent having to alter the contemporary hotel and other stations, they would need to be made Thinner and possible lower, though the MKVI was built more to commercial stats, I read this as well.

As a glimps of what a MK VIII might look like, take a look at the monorails in JURASSIC WORLD. Throw on a thin horizontal color stripe and have the window posts blacked out and they may look quite appealing.

http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/LasVeg4.html

But I am guessing as the deal is in the works, that the design, layout and paint jobs are already on paper, so whatever shows up should be an attractive addition.

HOWEVER............... If Disney doesn't put a crew on at night to clean and sanitize the cabs, they will eventually smell like hot sweaty people again. This is one point that Disney needs to take a very close look at. Replacing the monorails is only the start of the fix. Hiring a clean up crew for nightly or at worst, weekly clean up operations is needed for each train...

Looking forward to what is being designed as the new Monorails....
 
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