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Monorail Expansion?
- Thread starter mlnance
- Start date
TravisMT81
Well-Known Member
The transportation boats for the Epcot resorts, and across the World Showcase lagoon.
Invero
Well-Known Member
They're the boats that move slower than the Standby line at Test Track.
They're painfully slow, but pretty cool. And I mean that in both cold and neat. The A/C in those things makes it feel like a Meat Locker some days... lol... And they're pretty neat in that they don't have forward or reverse... the propeller actually can rotate 360 degrees, which is how they manage to turn so sharply.
TravisMT81
Well-Known Member
freediverdude
Well-Known Member
monorails on same track
Well, for all you experts out there, I have some contradictory information. I chatted with a real monorail pilot yesterday. His name I believe was Bob, and he was one of the pilots of the new monorail Lime on Sunday, July 21st, 2002 at approximately 12:30pm on the Epcot to MK beam. (the pilots seem to switch out). I got to ride in the front cab with him and chatted some with him about the monorails. He completely contradicted what some of you are saying about their operation. According to him, (and I asked him specifically if more than one monorail can be on a beam at once), by 7 am on busy days, already 4 monorails are operating, and by 11 am he said that day 11 monorails were operating. He said most days they run from 8 to 11 monorails at a time, and he even knew specifics of how much they cost in electricity per day, etc. So I'm sorry, but I don't buy this crap anymore of only one monorail per beam at a time and can't keep up with a park closing and all that. It sounds to me like if they really wanted to do it with monorails and spend the money to do it, they logisically could. The problem is probably the cost I would imagine, and they are probably trying to decide whether to partially expand it and spend quite a bit just doing that, or try to completely redo the whole transportation system.
Well, for all you experts out there, I have some contradictory information. I chatted with a real monorail pilot yesterday. His name I believe was Bob, and he was one of the pilots of the new monorail Lime on Sunday, July 21st, 2002 at approximately 12:30pm on the Epcot to MK beam. (the pilots seem to switch out). I got to ride in the front cab with him and chatted some with him about the monorails. He completely contradicted what some of you are saying about their operation. According to him, (and I asked him specifically if more than one monorail can be on a beam at once), by 7 am on busy days, already 4 monorails are operating, and by 11 am he said that day 11 monorails were operating. He said most days they run from 8 to 11 monorails at a time, and he even knew specifics of how much they cost in electricity per day, etc. So I'm sorry, but I don't buy this crap anymore of only one monorail per beam at a time and can't keep up with a park closing and all that. It sounds to me like if they really wanted to do it with monorails and spend the money to do it, they logisically could. The problem is probably the cost I would imagine, and they are probably trying to decide whether to partially expand it and spend quite a bit just doing that, or try to completely redo the whole transportation system.
DisneyPhD
Well-Known Member
Re: monorails on same track
I dont' believe that OUR expert (Tyler) said anything about operating one monorail per beam. They don't run 8-11 on a single beam but on 3 beams (express, resort and epcot) which averages out to 3 or 4 per beam. Still not enough to get you back to the Poly in less than an hour at MK closing!!! It'd be faster to swim.
I dont' believe that OUR expert (Tyler) said anything about operating one monorail per beam. They don't run 8-11 on a single beam but on 3 beams (express, resort and epcot) which averages out to 3 or 4 per beam. Still not enough to get you back to the Poly in less than an hour at MK closing!!! It'd be faster to swim.
TravisMT81
Well-Known Member
I am sorry but all I can do is laugh:lol:
Unfornately, since I am several hundred miles away from WDW all I can say is this:
Whoever is at WDW now or is getting ready to go (LISTEN UP)!
Get to a monorail driver and asked them what was just discussed on this list. I bet we could get some pretty interesting stories. Fantasia Boi, find several of your fellow co-workers to respond. This maybe our only chance of finding any " real dirt" about what's going on.
mike
Whoever is at WDW now or is getting ready to go (LISTEN UP)!
Get to a monorail driver and asked them what was just discussed on this list. I bet we could get some pretty interesting stories. Fantasia Boi, find several of your fellow co-workers to respond. This maybe our only chance of finding any " real dirt" about what's going on.
mike
freediverdude
Well-Known Member
ok whatever
Well I'm sorry that you guys don't believe me, and even sorrier that someone thought i was trying to say that all 11 trains were operating on one beam, I DID mean on all beams. But, as usual on this board, people try their best to misinterpret what i'm saying. I'm sorry if nobody believes me, but I got this information directly from a monorail pilot, and if you don't believe, then you don't believe. If another person who is or claims to be a monorail pilot or pilot supervisor wants to contradict, then I'll let their post stand as well, and people can believe who they want to.
Well I'm sorry that you guys don't believe me, and even sorrier that someone thought i was trying to say that all 11 trains were operating on one beam, I DID mean on all beams. But, as usual on this board, people try their best to misinterpret what i'm saying. I'm sorry if nobody believes me, but I got this information directly from a monorail pilot, and if you don't believe, then you don't believe. If another person who is or claims to be a monorail pilot or pilot supervisor wants to contradict, then I'll let their post stand as well, and people can believe who they want to.
I don't know what your problem is...
But don't be surprised when you get treated gruffly by everyone here when you come in attacking what everyone has been discussing here. You came in claiming that everyone in here was either stupid or a liar, no wonder your comments weren't treated warmly.
And I also reccomend that you reread both your original message and the entire thread before you reply.
1) You did imply that you thought all 8-11 monorails were on one beam.
2) No one said that only one monorail is on each beam. I believe the comment you are referring to was talking about an earlier post which suggest very long, high capacity monorails... monorails that would be so long that only one per beam would be feasible.
Also, to doubt the varacity of the identify of fantasia boi is just asking for further trouble. What do you hope to prove by bad-mouthing a respected member of this board?
Here's my suggestions:
1) calm down
2) carefully read back over the posts, I know there's a lot of them in this thread, but trust me, you'll learn a lot and anything further you post will be much more informed
3) post intelligent, well thought-out comments, we'd love to hear about what the monorail driver said... we're all in this thread because we love monorails.
If you do those things, I am sure you will be treated with every ounce of respect that we all can muster.
Lee
But don't be surprised when you get treated gruffly by everyone here when you come in attacking what everyone has been discussing here. You came in claiming that everyone in here was either stupid or a liar, no wonder your comments weren't treated warmly.
And I also reccomend that you reread both your original message and the entire thread before you reply.
1) You did imply that you thought all 8-11 monorails were on one beam.
2) No one said that only one monorail is on each beam. I believe the comment you are referring to was talking about an earlier post which suggest very long, high capacity monorails... monorails that would be so long that only one per beam would be feasible.
Also, to doubt the varacity of the identify of fantasia boi is just asking for further trouble. What do you hope to prove by bad-mouthing a respected member of this board?
Here's my suggestions:
1) calm down
2) carefully read back over the posts, I know there's a lot of them in this thread, but trust me, you'll learn a lot and anything further you post will be much more informed
3) post intelligent, well thought-out comments, we'd love to hear about what the monorail driver said... we're all in this thread because we love monorails.
If you do those things, I am sure you will be treated with every ounce of respect that we all can muster.
Lee
Invero
Well-Known Member
Re: monorails on same track
AAARRGGHH... stoopid internet... lol... went out before I could submit... lol
In addition to what I already posted above, I will elaborate a bit more.
Opening Resort drivers come in at 6:00am. Sometimes thier train will be parked at a station, and sometimes it will be back at Shop. I was the Grand Floridian opening driver, so my train would usually be either at the MK, or back in Shop. The Contemporary train would be at the Contemporary, and the Poly's train would be at TTC. If it were a peak day, a fourth train would be added. These trains are usually fired up at around 6:30. Once the trains are all set to go (warmed up, air pressure ready, whatnot), we do the morning MAPO checks (anti-collision system). This is all usually done by 7:00-7:15. So by 7:00-7:15, the Resort beam is up and running with 3-4 trains.
Opening Epcot and Express drivers come in at 7:00. Epcot's trains are at TTC + Epcot. They start 'em up, and make sure they're all set to go by 8:00. Express drivers all head back to shop, and take thier trains out. On a normal day, there will be 2 Epcots, and 3 Express. On a busy day, they'll have 3 Epcots and 4 Express.
As for the logistics thing... I suggest you re-read the past 352 posts a little more carefully, and this time, think about some of the arguments presented. Not just money, but guest traffic flow, transfers, theming, integration, and other logistics.
However, I seem to get the impression that you don't trust my experience or facts. *shrug* Not much I can do about that I suppose. But keep in mind... I'm a work-a-holic. I work 7 days a week, by choice. I'm there EVERY DAY. I get involved. I see things. I see how they work, and why they work that way. I see things that guests wouldnt see. Like I said... I am there EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even on the few days off that I get... (3 since March), I've been at Disney, doing something related to Disney Transport. I know my stuff, thank you.
AAARRGGHH... stoopid internet... lol... went out before I could submit... lol
I know Bob quite well, I used to work with both him and his wife Lynn (She's also a monorail pilot). Real nice folks.
Okay... first off... I was a monorail pilot, I worked there, I know what goes on. And I posted it on July 6th.
In addition to what I already posted above, I will elaborate a bit more.
Opening Resort drivers come in at 6:00am. Sometimes thier train will be parked at a station, and sometimes it will be back at Shop. I was the Grand Floridian opening driver, so my train would usually be either at the MK, or back in Shop. The Contemporary train would be at the Contemporary, and the Poly's train would be at TTC. If it were a peak day, a fourth train would be added. These trains are usually fired up at around 6:30. Once the trains are all set to go (warmed up, air pressure ready, whatnot), we do the morning MAPO checks (anti-collision system). This is all usually done by 7:00-7:15. So by 7:00-7:15, the Resort beam is up and running with 3-4 trains.
Opening Epcot and Express drivers come in at 7:00. Epcot's trains are at TTC + Epcot. They start 'em up, and make sure they're all set to go by 8:00. Express drivers all head back to shop, and take thier trains out. On a normal day, there will be 2 Epcots, and 3 Express. On a busy day, they'll have 3 Epcots and 4 Express.
Okay, I don't recall ever saying that our monorails could only handle one train per beam. However, if I did say that, show me, so that I can correct the typo.
As for the logistics thing... I suggest you re-read the past 352 posts a little more carefully, and this time, think about some of the arguments presented. Not just money, but guest traffic flow, transfers, theming, integration, and other logistics.
Well... I was a Monorail Pilot... and was even asked to apply for a Coordinator position (I'd never do it) and although I am currently in Bus Operations, I can go back and pick up a Monorail shift any day.
However, I seem to get the impression that you don't trust my experience or facts. *shrug* Not much I can do about that I suppose. But keep in mind... I'm a work-a-holic. I work 7 days a week, by choice. I'm there EVERY DAY. I get involved. I see things. I see how they work, and why they work that way. I see things that guests wouldnt see. Like I said... I am there EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even on the few days off that I get... (3 since March), I've been at Disney, doing something related to Disney Transport. I know my stuff, thank you.
GenerationX
Well-Known Member
I just got back from WDW, and I thought about this thread while I was there (scary, huh?). I came to a number of conclusions:
1. I just want to get to the park as quickly as possible.
2. I just want to get back to my resort as quickly as possible.
3. The Friendship boats are painfully slow.
4. I never went directly from one park to another, I always stopped at my resort between parks.
5. I don't like transfering from one form of transportation to another because it takes longer (folding/unfolding stroller, keeping eye on kids).
I don't have any solution to offer, but merely my perspective as a guest. If monorail expansion means I get to the park sooner, I'm all for it. If not, I wouldn't use it. My opinion that monorails are kinda cool does not outweigh my opinion that I want to get where I'm going quickly. Given my extremely limited amount of vacation time, I choose to spend as little of it as possible "in transit". Whether this is high-tech or low-tech transportation, I don't care. I walked to Epcot from the Beach Club because I knew I'd get there faster on foot, on average, than by taking the boat. I took the bus to MK (the second time I went there), and that came out much faster than driving to the TTC and taking a monorail to the park.
1. I just want to get to the park as quickly as possible.
2. I just want to get back to my resort as quickly as possible.
3. The Friendship boats are painfully slow.
4. I never went directly from one park to another, I always stopped at my resort between parks.
5. I don't like transfering from one form of transportation to another because it takes longer (folding/unfolding stroller, keeping eye on kids).
I don't have any solution to offer, but merely my perspective as a guest. If monorail expansion means I get to the park sooner, I'm all for it. If not, I wouldn't use it. My opinion that monorails are kinda cool does not outweigh my opinion that I want to get where I'm going quickly. Given my extremely limited amount of vacation time, I choose to spend as little of it as possible "in transit". Whether this is high-tech or low-tech transportation, I don't care. I walked to Epcot from the Beach Club because I knew I'd get there faster on foot, on average, than by taking the boat. I took the bus to MK (the second time I went there), and that came out much faster than driving to the TTC and taking a monorail to the park.