News Monorail Red in motion with guests on board and doors open

[the.dreamfinder]

It'll never happen, but I wish WDW would partner with Tesla to overhaul its transportation system. Automated/overhauled monorail, possibly even automated buses that would have sensors that enable them to stop at the same point at the stations (which would make level loading platforms for wheelchairs/ECV's possible), possibly even automated "Minnie Vans". Ahhhh, the Disney in my imagination is so much better sometimes

Unfortunately, Elon Musk thinks public transportation is gross.

Though the rumors weren’t true, Siemens would have been a good partner for a monorail rehab/expansion project.

 

[msg7]

This is how maintenance is handling broken monorail doors...
(It appears that this video was uploaded before the incident.)

 

[lazyboy97o]

Fair enough... I forgot about that. That said, they could still achieve more capacity without stretching the trains. I bet new ones could be built to do away with the need for such high bogies between the trains. That in and of itself would increase capacity by at least 30%. The fact is, I now agree with you, they would have to custom build trains to map to the current track. With new trains, comes more efficiencies, more reliability, probably much more cost savings. I bet if they changed the trains 10 years ago with some of the improvements I stated above, they would have made up the cost by now.

The 300s already have a new, unique bogie design. You’re no longer proposing using the 300s but designing an entirely new train system.

 

[esskay]

Unfortunately, Elon Musk thinks public transportationis gross.

Its a bit of a missquote there. Think of the two options you have on the table, as a complete bluesky option.

Option 1. One big vehicle that carries loads of people, you sit next to some random person you dont know.

Option 2. A much smaller, but personal vehicle (Which can still be operated automatically or by someone else), with your own desired interior.

Option 1 is the boring mass transit we have now. Option 2 is what Elon Musk wants, and he's 100% spot on with it. I mean, nobody likes sharing a monorail car with a sweaty bloke who stinks after a day at the parks, standing next to his wife nagging at him that he's in peoples way (genuinely happened).

If money was no object the monorail would be replaced with some sort of plussed version of the people mover, with personal ride cars which would essentially be the size of one side of a monorail carriage. When you get in you just pick a destination, sit back and watch TV, browse the web, etc with your family.

EDIT: This all being said, people seem to forget what Disney were once capable of. The entire MK IV was designed in-house. Go back not to long ago and most of their systems were in-house, its only in the last 20 or so years they've seemingly lost the ability to make anything other than an audio-animatronic. The company collectively needs to grow a pair and go back to taking risks on big new ideas instead of outsourcing it to the highest sponsor.

 

[peter11435]

Its a bit of a missquote there. Think of the two options you have on the table, as a complete bluesky option.

Option 1. One big vehicle that carries loads of people, you sit next to some random person you dont know.

Option 2. A much smaller, but personal vehicle (Which can still be operated automatically or by someone else), with your own desired interior.

Option 1 is the boring mass transit we have now. Option 2 is what Elon Musk wants, and he's 100% spot on with it. I mean, nobody likes sharing a monorail car with a sweaty bloke who stinks after a day at the parks, standing next to his wife nagging at him that he's in peoples way (genuinely happened).

If money was no object the monorail would be replaced with some sort of plussed version of the people mover, with personal ride cars which would essentially be the size of one side of a monorail carriage. When you get in you just pick a destination, sit back and watch TV, browse the web, etc with your family.

EDIT: This all being said, people seem to forget what Disney were once capable of. The entire MK IV was designed in-house. Go back not to long ago and most of their systems were in-house, its only in the last 20 or so years they've seemingly lost the ability to make anything other than an audio-animatronic. The company collectively needs to grow a pair and go back to taking risks on big new ideas instead of outsourcing it to the highest sponsor.

Disney has always worked with outside companies during some aspects of many of their projects. This process as well as sponsorship dates back to 1955.

The original Disneyland monorails, the original WDW fleet, and the current WDW Mark VI trains all had involvement from outside companies.

 

[halltd]

Whatever they go with, it'd be nice for the monorail and platform to be level with each other. Yes, they would have to modify the platforms though (probably widen them slightly?).

The new Brightline trains (which are beautiful, comfortable, and the first fully ADA accessible trains in the US) use this cool automated gap filler. Small ramps/gap fillers could deploy on the monorails, too at every door. I would hope the floor of the train could be lowered slightly if there was a new design. If combined with automatic gates at every station, the efficiency would soar.

 

[lazyboy97o]

EDIT: This all being said, people seem to forget what Disney were once capable of. The entire MK IV was designed in-house. Go back not to long ago and most of their systems were in-house, its only in the last 20 or so years they've seemingly lost the ability to make anything other than an audio-animatronic. The company collectively needs to grow a pair and go back to taking risks on big new ideas instead of outsourcing it to the highest sponsor.

ALWEG provided Disney with the technical information behind their prototype so they could fabricate the Mark I Monorail. The Mark IVs were manufactured for Disney by Martin Marietta.

The new Brightline trains (which are beautiful, comfortable, and the first fully ADA accessible trains in the US) use this cool automated gap filler. Small ramps/gap fillers could deploy on the monorails, too at every door. I would hope the floor of the train could be lowered slightly if there was a new design. If combined with automatic gates at every station, the efficiency would soar.

Bombardier had already developed level loading for the Mark VI monorail.

 

[halltd]

Bombardier had already developed level loading for the Mark VI monorail.

Really? Where? How? Why wasn’t it implemented?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Really? Where? How? Why wasn’t it implemented?

The Las Vegas Monorail has level loading. The doors slide instead of drop and swing.

 

[montyz81]

The 300s already have a new, unique bogie design. You’re no longer proposing using the 300s but designing an entirely new train system.

I think they would kind of have to because of all the low tolerances through the Contemporary. I am not sure the beam is the same too.

 

[Myth Maker]

The Las Vegas Monorail has level loading. The doors slide instead of drop and swing.

The Las Vegas system also has automatic doors in the station that match up with the monorail doors. Honestly a truly automated and modern system.

The issues with contemporary height could be fixed by moving the beam over and using the space under the rooms as the loading platform... would require some work, but isn't an excuse not to upgrade to modern and new trains that solve many issues.

 

[peter11435]

The Las Vegas system also has automatic doors in the station that match up with the monorail doors. Honestly a truly automated and modern system.

The issues with contemporary height could be fixed by moving the beam over and using the space under the rooms as the loading platform... would require some work, but isn't an excuse not to upgrade to modern and new trains that solve many issues.

The WDW system also has automatic doors at the MK and TTC.

I think abandoning the rooms over the beam would be far more likely than moving the beam. Although the much more likely scenario would simply be designing trains to fit the current system with modern improvements.

 

[s8film40]

The issues with contemporary height could be fixed by moving the beam over and using the space under the rooms as the loading platform... would require some work, but isn't an excuse not to upgrade to modern and new trains that solve many issues.

Sure because driving new pylons through 4 floors and the foundation of a 14 story building is just a little work.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think they would kind of have to because of all the low tolerances through the Contemporary. I am not sure the beam is the same too.

Correct. The stock INNOVIA 300s are physically larger and run on a larger beam.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The Las Vegas system also has automatic doors in the station that match up with the monorail doors. Honestly a truly automated and modern system.

The issues with contemporary height could be fixed by moving the beam over and using the space under the rooms as the loading platform... would require some work, but isn't an excuse not to upgrade to modern and new trains that solve many issues.

Moving the beam inside the Contemporary is more than “some work.” You would have to realign the entire approach and build a new structure through the Contemporary.

 

[s8film40]

Moving the beam inside the Contemporary is more than “some work.” You would have to realign the entire approach and build a new structure through the Contemporary.

Well I guess upgrading to the 300 would require ALL new track, pylons and station throughout the whole system so in the grand scheme that wouldn’t be as huge. I would expect if that happened they would probably just put the station outside the hotel. They would essentially be demolishing the whole system and building a new one from ground up. For that kind of money I’d much rather see them upgrade to the 200’s and just extend the system further through the resort.

 

[Rteetz]

I’ve been told Disney was meeting with some companies this past week on possible train replacements...

 

[msg7]

I’ve been told Disney was meeting with some companies this past week on possible train replacements...

If this is true, this just made my day. I imagine one of the main deciding factors could be which company gets them the trains the fastest.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If this is true, this just made my day. I imagine one of the main deciding factors could be which company gets them the trains the fastest.

What about the tracks?

 

[NormC]

Well I guess upgrading to the 300 would require ALL new track, pylons and station throughout the whole system so in the grand scheme that wouldn’t be as huge. I would expect if that happened they would probably just put the station outside the hotel. They would essentially be demolishing the whole system and building a new one from ground up. For that kind of money I’d much rather see them upgrade to the 200’s and just extend the system further through the resort.

The 200 could be made to work more easily. Top of beam to top of roof is only 5 inches higher which would just clear the Contemporary Balcony and the width is just about 3.5 inches wider so that is 1.75 each side. We discussed this a couple years ago in another monorail thread.