Monorail beam cleaning in Epcot - looks fantastic

[Phonedave]

Is the tug electrically powered? If not then they might be able to make some sort of an "accessory" that would attach to it an be able to clean the beam. Even something as simple as a platform extending from it that would allow a guy to uses a standard pressure washer on it without needing a scissor lift would be a big improvement.

My concern about this is WDW is most likely still gun shy from the monorail accident and the subsiquent OSHA inspection.

Me, I would stick a pallet on the forks of a Lull, throw on a harness and a lanyard, and go to work. But thats not exactly OSHA friendly. My guess is that they are following fall arrest, body positioning, egronomic, and other guidelines closely at this point.


-dave

 

[Hobnail Boot]

Wow, this was a nice thing to wake up and see first thing. :lol: It certainly brightens up the whole area.

 

[imagineer boy]

Wow, they look wonderful!

 

[Tiggerish]

Wow, what an amazing difference. Thanks for the pictures!

 

[raven]

Is the tug electrically powered?

Nope, it's a diesel engine and it's very loud. You can hear it coming from about a half mile away when it's out there.

what are they using to clean it? just a pressure washer? that's a tough clean right there...

Just pressure washing right now.

Any danger of spraying the water on the high voltage power line?
Zappo !

They power down the track at night and maintenence locks out like any other ride for safety.

As for the dirty water it simply falls below. Any debris that falls on the paths are hosed every night anyway. It also doesn't harm the plants like you think it would.

 

[kcnole]

Thank goodness. The last time I was in Epcot I couldn't help but notice how disgusting they were. They don't need to be washed every day, but a once a year cleaning isn't too much to ask.

 

[BigRedDad]

With the money, Imagineers, and technology available, you would think they could design a monorail service vehicle that could run slowly over night several times once a month to pressure wash automatically. It would not take a rocket scientist to figure out a rig that could be connected. Now this would only be for the beams and not the supports.

 

[montyz81]

With the money, Imagineers, and technology available, you would think they could design a monorail service vehicle that could run slowly over night several times once a month to pressure wash automatically. It would not take a rocket scientist to figure out a rig that could be connected. Now this would only be for the beams and not the supports.

Given that the Monorail beams probably only need to be cleaned once every 15 -20 years, the expense is not justifiable. Now if they could retrofit the existing tow vehicle then maybe it becomes more justifiable but still probably not enough to do it.

As for the cleaning, this only makes me think that the folks in charge of Epcot are really trying to get back to the original Epcot. Small examples include: Universe of Energy painting, Monorail cleaning, the painting of the Innovations areas, the fencing around the fountain... etc.

 

[Master Yoda]

Given that the Monorail beams probably only need to be cleaned once every 15 -20 years, the expense is not justifiable. Now if they could retrofit the existing tow vehicle then maybe it becomes more justifiable but still probably not enough to do it.

As for the cleaning, this only makes me think that the folks in charge of Epcot are really trying to get back to the original Epcot. Small examples include: Universe of Energy painting, Monorail cleaning, the painting of the Innovations areas, the fencing around the fountain... etc.

IMHO they need to be cleaned far more often than that. The beams have looked really bad for a very long time. Regular maintenance cleaning via some sort of automated vehicle would keep them looking pristine all the time. I pressure wash my driveway at least twice a year and it never ceases to amaze me how much dirt builds up in just 6 months.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

IMHO they need to be cleaned far more often than that. The beams have looked really bad for a very long time. Regular maintenance cleaning via some sort of automated vehicle would keep them looking pristine all the time. I pressure wash my driveway at least twice a year and it never ceases to amaze me how much dirt builds up in just 6 months.

Monthly cleanings, at least and the same goes for SSE and the FW West pavilions that use glass. TL and JII often have a gimmy look.

 

[marni1971]

Given that the Monorail beams probably only need to be cleaned once every 15 -20 years

Says the company. Should be every 12 months.

And yes, JIIs pyramids looked awful in December.

 

[Rob562]

IMHO they need to be cleaned far more often than that. The beams have looked really bad for a very long time. Regular maintenance cleaning via some sort of automated vehicle would keep them looking pristine all the time. I pressure wash my driveway at least twice a year and it never ceases to amaze me how much dirt builds up in just 6 months.

Exactly. If you clean it on a regular basis, a light cleaning once a month would be able to clean off the little bit of dirt that's built up, rather than a huge production that 15-20 years' worth of crud requires.
It's like dusting or vacuuming. Do it on a regular basis, and you only clean up a little bit each time. Wait a month or two and you're cleaning up a ton of crap.

Here in Massachusetts, the commuter train system has a special "track cleaning" car that steam cleans the rails and gets rid of any leaves that are on the tracks and can affect traction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0_3kY5egIQ

I'm sure that they could easily construct something that the tugs could push/pull along the beams with fixed pressure-wash nozzles aimed at the beam. Obviously it would have to be able to carry its own water, and either be able to refill it mid-beam, or just wash in sections so that each night they do however much the tank can hold. Over the course of a week or two they'd cover the entire beam.

-Rob

 

[DaGoof00]

Looks excellent!!! Can't wait to see what it looks like in March; it's about EPCOT is getting some TLC.
:king:

 

[raven]

Monthly cleanings, at least and the same goes for SSE and the FW West pavilions that use glass. TL and JII often have a gimmy look.

SSE is cleaned twice a year by utility workers repelling from the top. It takes about a week to clean the entire building.

I'm sure that they could easily construct something that the tugs could push/pull along the beams with fixed pressure-wash nozzles aimed at the beam. Obviously it would have to be able to carry its own water, and either be able to refill it mid-beam, or just wash in sections so that each night they do however much the tank can hold. Over the course of a week or two they'd cover the entire beam.

In order for a vehicle to run on the beam after hours (and after the power has been turned off) it would need to be diesel powered. Water can't be applied while there is power to the beam. Having said that AND how loud the existing diesel tow is, I can't imagine guests would be too happy for it to go through their resort at odd hours of the night.

Also in oder for the scrubber to do much good it needs to stay on a portion of track for a while so the vehicle would go very slow. I drive a floor scrubber once in a while on the concrete queues for Soarin' and it takes a full hours to do (entrance to blue floors in all 3 queues plus the exit queue). Removing gum each day adds another 2 hours.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Says the company. Should be every 12 months.

And yes, JIIs pyramids looked awful in December.

How often do they clean SSE and the other pavs?

 

[SirGoofy]

Looks great, but this is something that should be done regularly.

 

[WDW Vacationer]

How often do they clean SSE and the other pavs?

Raven said SSE is cleaned twice a year.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

SSE is cleaned twice a year by utility workers repelling from the top. It takes about a week to clean the entire building.


.

Quite a job! :lol: How do they "repell" from the top, though?

Raven said SSE is cleaned twice a year.

I see that. Now. :lol: Our posts crossed...

 

[kcnole]

Definitely too big of a job to do once a month, but I think a yearly cleaning (at least of the parts that are visible in the main guest areas).

 

[raven]

Quite a job! :lol: How do they "repell" from the top, though?

Very carefully. :lol:

Once the hatch is open they attach a verticle bar from the inside. They can walk about 30' from the top without needing to hang on. Once they cross that 30' mark though they are on their own.

On a side note, the hatch at the top of SSE isn't directly centered in the inner core. It's over the elevator and they have to take a scissors lift to the hatch, then crawl between the inner and outter core for about 20' until they reach the outter hatch.