Monorail beam cleaning?

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Growth on concrete can cause some level of degradation, but Im guessing that after 40 years on one line and 50 on the other that its not really something to worry about beyond appearances.
While improper cleaning can cause great damage. Might be why they don't scrub them every night
 

mergatroid

Well-Known Member
I've often wondered whether they could tow a device from the monorail that could clean it every day as it traveled? If it was done that way then there wouldn't be time for any major dirt to develop on the track.

However I'm sure such a simple idea like that couldn't work or be practical, otherwise it would have been done already.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
The link below will tell you more than you ever want to know about the porosity of concrete.


It is also most likely not black mold. It is a mix of black algae and dirt. Algae is essentially a plant. All it really needs is a small amount of water and sunlight. Florida's climate provides more than enough of both. The concrete is essentially just a growing medium. Nearly all of the black stains you see on highway overpasses, roofs, sidewalks, etc. is black algae.
Fine... Algae and mold are two different things and that was my point. Algae I can understand. Mold in that open air situation is highly unlikely. Porous concrete or not, that is also a completely different conversation dependent on degree and depth of the porous material.
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Fine... Algae and mold are two different things and that was my point. Algae I can understand. Mold in that open air situation is highly unlikely. Porous concrete or not, that is also a completely different conversation dependent on degree and depth of the porous material.
They are cleaning the MK area beamways now. Odd though as they have not finished cleaning the Epcot beam.
 

RCID

Member
I've often wondered whether they could tow a device from the monorail that could clean it every day as it traveled? If it was done that way then there wouldn't be time for any major dirt to develop on the track.

However I'm sure such a simple idea like that couldn't work or be practical, otherwise it would have been done already.
I think it’s a great idea! Should we trademark “Beam Broom” for the name?

The potential market may be a bit....limited I suppose
 

DisAl

Well-Known Member
Fine... Algae and mold are two different things and that was my point. Algae I can understand. Mold in that open air situation is highly unlikely. Porous concrete or not, that is also a completely different conversation dependent on degree and depth of the porous material.
Most if not all the "black stuff" on the beams are from the tires on the monorail as the rubber wears off and is ground into the concrete.
 

_caleb

Well-Known Member
Most if not all the "black stuff" on the beams are from the tires on the monorail as the rubber wears off and is ground into the concrete.
Why don’t they paint a black streak on the part of the beam where the tires run?
The white beams look good, but only while they’re white!
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Most if not all the "black stuff" on the beams are from the tires on the monorail as the rubber wears off and is ground into the concrete.
I think that is what I said originally. The blackest (darkest) parts are where the tires run. To most people they see the short runs that the monorails make to be insignificant to tire wear, but multiply each rotation by the number of trips they make per day, week, month, year and you have a whole lot of mileage and tire wear. That worn tire tread doesn't disappear into space, it sticks to the surface that it is touching, the rails. This is a prime example of how real life interferes with our conception of fantasy.

When I accepted algae over black mold it was more of an agreement that algae was much more likely then black mold, but I still believe it is the tire wear that causes the darkness.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Why don’t they paint a black streak on the part of the beam where the tires run?
The white beams look good, but only while they’re white!
Because you would have to paint the entire beam black. Even though most of the tire wear is where the tires are running, particles of the worn tire land below and above the tire due to gravity and air circulation around the tires. Why not just accept that it is a bi-product of the monorail configuration and enjoy the monorail without getting all worked up over the physics of the operation. We might just have to accept that if we like the Monorails we have to accept the reality of what it takes to operate them. It is fine to ask them to occasionally clean them (yearly perhaps) but to expect them to stay pristine white would be asking a little more then is possible.
 
Last edited:

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
From every photo of the Contemporary Resort from the early days, the hotels beams looked painted. Sort of a dark grey or black.
I can still see it somewhat even today.

Am I alone on this one?
Old post, but I was curious about this too. In the early photos, the beams definitely look grey to me. Why is this?
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom