Monorail #12

[Timon]

Now that Monorail Teal has hit the beam running, and looks great, does any one know about the 12th monorail? (Please do not name a Color to avoid a 2000 message discussion which some other brave soul can post!)

Here's the question:
Is WDW rebuilding the 2 damaged end cars locally OR will they be shipped to Bombardier for repairs OR they were so damaged that brand new end cars will be ordered? Does anyone have the inside information?

 

[WDW1974]

Now that Monorail Teal has hit the beam running, and looks great, does any one know about the 12th monorail? (Please do not name a Color to avoid a 2000 message discussion which some other brave soul can post!)

Here's the question:
Is WDW rebuilding the 2 damaged end cars locally OR will they be shipped to Bombardier for repairs OR they were so damaged that brand new end cars will be ordered? Does anyone have the inside information?

The monorail will be new. All the damaged pieces that can be used, have been.

Now, I don't know whether Bombardier will manufacture a new train or whether Disney will pull what they did with DL's new trains and reverse engineer a new one ... sadly, I'm thinking that's what will happen. Bombardier generally doesn't do small projects. I know when Disney talked to them about DL's new fleet, they showed little interest in building three. So, something tells me they wouldn't be interested in one, but you never know.

 

[_Scar]

Monorail Invisible has been on the track for about a week now.

 

[jt04]

The monorail will be new. All the damaged pieces that can be used, have been.

Now, I don't know whether Bombardier will manufacture a new train or whether Disney will pull what they did with DL's new trains and reverse engineer a new one ... sadly, I'm thinking that's what will happen. Bombardier generally doesn't do small projects. I know when Disney talked to them about DL's new fleet, they showed little interest in building three. So, something tells me they wouldn't be interested in one, but you never know.

[citation needed]

 

[Innoventions]

Is there a need for a 12th monorail right now?
Im sure if it was needed they would make one, but you would think if they were trying to save money they could hold off on another monorail. IMO

 

[CDavid]

I've seen contradictory information posted on the damaged Pink & Purple cab cars. One source indicated Disney would be making new Fiberglass shells for the damaged cabs in-house, while the other stated the new shells had been/would be supplied by Bombardier. However, both were in agreement in stating that the next monorial would be a rebuilt combination of Pink and Purple equipment.

Of course, what I have little way of knowing is if anyone posting the above information really knew what they were talking about (though I think members of this board have posted similar, and presumably reliable, details).

With serious damage likely isolated to the two cab cars, I can't believe Disney would build a new train with four good cars (and two damaged cabs) on the property. What I am not clear on is just how extensive the rebuilding of the damaged cab cars will be.
Do the new body shells refer only to the cab sections, or rather to the entire car (including the passengers sections)? Obviously the interior operating cabs must be new constructions, but will it also be a new interior passenger compartment?

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Is there a need for a 12th monorail right now?
Im sure if it was needed they would make one, but you would think if they were trying to save money they could hold off on another monorail. IMO

Not particularly... its just that there's one less back-up train now, and for the peak holiday season, wait times on one of the lines will probably be longer. I'm guessing the Epcot line will be the beneficiary of that as, if necessary, they"ll pull a train from it to increase capacity on the Express and Resort beams. :shrug:

By any chance, does anyone know what the distribution of the monorails on the three lines is for peak and off season times? I've always been curious...

 

[Innoventions]

By any chance, does anyone know what the distribution of the monorails on the three lines is for peak and off season times? I've always been curious...

I was wondering the same thing

 

[krankenstein]

[citation needed]

You've got a busted link. :wave:

 

[Timon]

The monorail will be new. All the damaged pieces that can be used, have been.

Interesting, not to insult but who/what is your source? Please don't say a bus driver.:ROFLOL:

I was thinking if they are going to the trouble of building one monorail from scratch wouldn't it make sense to order up a huge pile of spare body parts and other pieces. (Of course I would order up two additional trains, oh heck, in a new body style, too)

 

[Timon]

I've seen contradictory information posted on the damaged Pink & Purple cab cars. One source indicated Disney would be making new Fiberglass shells for the damaged cabs in-house, while the other stated the new shells had been/would be supplied by Bombardier. However, both were in agreement in stating that the next monorial would be a rebuilt combination of Pink and Purple equipment.

With serious damage likely isolated to the two cab cars, I can't believe Disney would build a new train with four good cars (and two damaged cabs) on the property. What I am not clear on is just how extensive the rebuilding of the damaged cab cars will be.
Do the new body shells refer only to the cab sections, or rather to the entire car (including the passengers sections)? Obviously the interior operating cabs must be new constructions, but will it also be a new interior passenger compartment?

This sounds very reasonable. I'd really like a Monorail pilot to confirm some of this stuff.

As to doing the work on property. The WDW Central Shops have experience. Long ago they built the Mark IV Coral and Lime trains which were good enough to be sold to the Las Vegas MGM Casino to run on their track for years.

Two end cars back to back. Bob Gurr WDI monorail designer

MGM/BAlly Vegas Mark IV

Personally I 'd have Bombardier at least make all the parts and have Central Shops crazy glue the parts together for new end cars.

I would think unlike Disneyland the CAD designs for the Mark VI trains would be available and there would be no need for the unfortunate reverse engineering WDI did to the Mark VII. Lets hope so.

By any chance, does anyone know what the distribution of the monorails on the three lines is for peak and off season times? I've always been curious...

Put me down for "curious" about this, too.

 

[Monorail Lime]

My sources say that the chassis are repairable but they will require new fiberglass shells for both the cab and passenger sections. Naturally this kind of hearsay information should be taken for granted, but it seems plausible based on the photographs of the accident.

Monorail Shop does indeed have the Mark VI plans and a few molds. Replacement parts have been cast in-house as needed over the years, including quite a few windshields.

If Disney decides to outsource the monorail shells, I think it is very unlikely that they would go back to Bombardier when local firms that specialize in small one-off projects could easily do the job. There are several engineering firms in the region that WDW has a standing relationship with for ride vehicles and other large-scale show items. Central Shops may also have the necessary tools and experience but in-house work is not always the most economical solution.

In any case, Shop doesn't get to touch the damaged cabs until OSHA releases its final report on or before January 5th.

 

[unkadug]

Monorail Invisible has been on the track for about a week now.

picture of new monorail clear:

 

[Timon]

My sources say that the chassis are repairable but they will require new fiberglass shells for both the cab and passenger sections. ... Monorail Shop does indeed have the Mark VI plans and a few molds. Replacement parts have been cast in-house as needed over the years, including quite a few windshields. ... In any case, Shop doesn't get to touch the damaged cabs until OSHA releases its final report on or before January 5th.

An earlier poster stated that a entire new train would have to be built from scratch which I would think is strange given the 4 inner cars appeared undamaged in the photographs. What's your view on this.

It's a shame WDW misses opportunities to do web slide shows of things like the up coming rebuilding of monorail #12 or other project updates in general. I would think this could generate some interest in the Fan Base.

 

[unkadug]

An earlier poster stated that a entire new train would have to be built from scratch which I would think is strange given the 4 inner cars appeared undamaged in the photographs. What's your view on this.

It's a shame WDW misses opportunities to do web slide shows of things like the up coming rebuilding of monorail #12 or other project updates in general. I would think this could generate some interest in the Fan Base.

All parts that could be reused were used to build Monorail Teal.

 

[GrumpyFan]

It's a shame WDW misses opportunities to do web slide shows of things like the up coming rebuilding of monorail #12 or other project updates in general. I would think this could generate some interest in the Fan Base.

Indeed! It would make for some great content on their new blog.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Last i heard, the two cabs were EVIDENCE and nothing could happen to them until all of the legal proceedings were finished.

 

[s8film40]

By any chance, does anyone know what the distribution of the monorails on the three lines is for peak and off season times? I've always been curious...

Minimum (slow day)

Express - 3
Resort - 3
Epcot - 2

Moderately busy day (most days in the busy seasons)

Express - 4
Resort - 4
Epcot - 3

Peak (Busiest days, holidays etc.)

Express - 4
Resort - 4
Epcot - 4

There are of course other combinations but these are the most common (before the accident)

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Minimum (slow day)

Express - 3
Resort - 3
Epcot - 2

Moderately busy day (most days in the busy seasons)

Express - 4
Resort - 4
Epcot - 3

Peak (Busiest days, holidays etc.)

Express - 4
Resort - 4
Epcot - 4

There are of course other combinations but these are the most common (before the accident)

Hmm, thanks for the info! :wave: I find it kind of surprising that the Epcot line would get 4 trains during peak times. I thought they might bring a fifth train onto the express beam, but I suppose that might overload the beam with too many trains? At any rate, I suppose the system will be in 4/4/3 arrangement for most of December including peak days. :shrug:

What about park hours and closing times? Does that affect distribution of the trains by any chance?

 

[s8film40]

Hmm, thanks for the info! :wave: I find it kind of surprising that the Epcot line would get 4 trains during peak times. I thought they might bring a fifth train onto the express beam, but I suppose that might overload the beam with too many trains? At any rate, I suppose the system will be in 4/4/3 arrangement for most of December including peak days. :shrug:

What about park hours and closing times? Does that affect distribution of the trains by any chance?

Yes on normal days Epcot will usually have 2 until the early afternoon when the third is added. Express and Resort will often open with 4 each then go back to three each and then back to 4 each in the late evening.

Anything more than 3 on express will not usually affect the wait time, since at that point the next train should be waiting for clearance into the station.

Having three on Resort will often cause the trains to stack up on one another, if one train spends a little too long in a station the other two will gain a small lead, this will slightly increase the wait time for the train and then with more guests on the platform due to the gap it will continue to slow the lead train down more and more while making it easier for the two following trains to maintain or increase their lead. 4 trains eliminates this effect.

Epcot can easily run on most days with two but with two the wait time is anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes, three trains will cut it down to about 5 minutes and four will take maybe another minute or two off of that. Epcot has a large ramp that can hold a lot of people so it never really gets priority in train distribution.