lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Replaced. The Disneyland Monorail replaced the Viewliner.
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Monorail beams
- Thread starter kgaf99
- Start date
Pick145
Active Member
The Resort and Express lines have held up much better than the Epcot line. The Epcot line was produced on property, meaning the quality of concrete was lower and there was less experience. The real question is, if they ever decide to start replacing sections, will they produce the beams in-house, or contract them out. The molds for the beams are being kept somewhere on property.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
This may be appropriate here:
All of the monorail stations seem appropriate to me except for the Epcot station. It seems excessively large and overly concrete-y. It's as if someone bought concrete in bulk and decided to build a massive, and very early 1980s-like, station.
It's one of the things that really could be redone (with no real benefit other than aesthetic). It sits right out in front of Epcot and it's not a good looking station.
To contrast: The station in front of MK looks good and appropriate. Same with other stations along those loops at the resorts.
The Epcot station is just this bulking concrete station. It just seems like it could be more elegantly done.
I will give it credit for being efficient with the long ramps up and down (ability to handle a large crowd with loading - if you shortened that and put escalators in there it would be problematic on some nights with the escalators having to be shut down so that people didn't cram up at the top).
All of the monorail stations seem appropriate to me except for the Epcot station. It seems excessively large and overly concrete-y. It's as if someone bought concrete in bulk and decided to build a massive, and very early 1980s-like, station.
It's one of the things that really could be redone (with no real benefit other than aesthetic). It sits right out in front of Epcot and it's not a good looking station.
To contrast: The station in front of MK looks good and appropriate. Same with other stations along those loops at the resorts.
The Epcot station is just this bulking concrete station. It just seems like it could be more elegantly done.
I will give it credit for being efficient with the long ramps up and down (ability to handle a large crowd with loading - if you shortened that and put escalators in there it would be problematic on some nights with the escalators having to be shut down so that people didn't cram up at the top).
Holy smokes. You're not kidding. It's MASSIVE. And what the heck is that long platform for when you're exiting? It's like they have another waiting area for..... nothing. It almost makes me not want to walk down it but rather repel down the side of it!!
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
What does being produced on-site have to do with the quality of the concrete?
You specify a mix, and that is what you get. Whatever mix and admixtures that were used off site could also be used at a local plant. If the original beams were cured in a chamber, then WDW could have easily build a curing chamber on site as well - they build enough other stuff.
-dave
Timon
Well-Known Member
From what I've heard Experience plays a big part in Beam Manufacturing. Bombardier works with a Canadian University to improve beam quality and used their latest designs with the Sao Paulo, Brazil project. Seems to me if I was building new beams for expansion these guys are the current ones to have do it either on or off property.
FYI: Most of the 1980 beam and post forms are now gone from the Admin area beam manufacturing area after rusting for 3 decades. The area is now used for construction staging of various projects.
Epcot-Rules
Well-Known Member
I would imagine that the footers are horrendous!Never really thought about the monorail beams, until now.
I wonder if there are issues or how they dealt with sinking the beams into the Florida soil. How do they keep things from sinking or shifting over the decades?
Timon
Well-Known Member
I can speak for the EPCOT Line. Average support was 6 pilings to rock, connected together just below ground level in a massive reinforced concrete block probably 10' x 12' and maybe 4' thick. The column was pre-made with rebar extending downward into 2 large holes in the concrete base. Each column has a metal support to hold two lines of beams (2 on each side) Where the expansion joints are the concrete base was much bigger and had holes for 2 columns.
Other Monorails built in better soil like Las Vegas or San Paulo simply drill a hole straight down. Add a form for a column and rebar to make the columns.
Wow. That's massive. Shouldn't be issues with those for many many years. Never knew they were that big. And just think about how many of those there are throughout the entire span.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
That would be for handicap access. A ramp will never break down, an elevator will. I never measured it but I would be willing to bet that the rail is higher then the one at TTC or MK therefore requiring a longer ramp.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
A large chunk of the exist walkway is flat, so it's not all ramp.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what you mean. I don't remember a lot of flat except on the top and I was just on it last Wednesday. However, having pushed wheelchairs up there on many occasions, if there is a large flat area between landings, then I would like to kiss whoever engineered that idea.
Seems like I recall the stop was used as an observation platform while they were still building EPCOT Center.
This is what we're talking about. This is the view when you are waiting for the monorail. If you look off in the distance, beyond the slanted walkway, you'll see the large platform that you walk on to get to a ramp that you walk down to get to the exit. That platform area just seems a bit excessive. It's almost like they had other plans. It even has a roof. Just not sure why it's so massive.
Clamman73
Well-Known Member
I'm still trying to recall anything I remember from that time I went on the preview ride. Was only nine at the time, so I only remember standing out from the monorail, but not sure exactly where. Still can't find a picture that me or my dad took at the time. On my fall trip, I'll have to stand at that spot on that platform area to see if it triggers a memory of being in that spot and looking at SSE.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Sounds more like a quality control issue than anything else. Small changes in the composition of the admixture can have a large impact on the final product. You do want someone on the job who understands the specifications and follows them. I wish I got to make monorail beams in college (we just made "normal" ones)
-dave
Rasvar
Well-Known Member
Someone might have to correct me but I seem to recall an item that when they built it, it kind of got designed backward from plan. The original intention was to have the long area as the entrance, hence the more gradual slope of the ramps and the current entrance would be the exit, which is why it was shorter and steeper.
This is what we're talking about. This is the view when you are waiting for the monorail. If you look off in the distance, beyond the slanted walkway, you'll see the large platform that you walk on to get to a ramp that you walk down to get to the exit. That platform area just seems a bit excessive. It's almost like they had other plans. It even has a roof. Just not sure why it's so massive.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
I also remember a certain poster (whom shall not be named) pointed out the one time plan to connect to DHS and possibly DtD which might have been an anticipated higher traffic station then it inevitably became. To me it's not important, I like it airy and spacious like it is.