Monorail seating

[DDPGambit]

Maybe I'm a bit too young to remember clearly enough, but weren't there seats in the middle of the monorail cars?
Like where those "things" are now...you know what I mean, right?
If anyone would like to clue me in, that'd be rad. And if anyone can post pictures of this...well, you'll have just made my day!

 

[KevinPage]

I honestly have no idea what you are eluding to

The only thing I even can congure up is that in the middle of some cars, they are open, and the seats are front and back together without a wall separating them. (I'm not even sure if I'm explaining this right)


Kevin Page

 

[DDPGambit]

Alright,
In each car, there are two halves.
Each half has two benches. In between these benches is that "thing". It's were some of the bars for standing riders are.
I'm pretty sure those were seats at one point, but they were removed to make more standing room....or prehaps I'm wrong altogether?

 

[freaklarm]

Folding seats, they're still there, just that they are locked now, dont now why.

 

[jmarc63]

ddp

I can answer that for you, your probably think of the older Marl IV series of Monorail trains they were in use from 1971 untill sometime in the 80s when they were replaced. The older mark IV series had five Isles or rows, each row had a set of two bench seats that faced each other, and the doors had to be closed manualy or "Slammed" shut by a CM on each depature, each of the Mark IV trains had five cars per train. The Monorail in use now are the Mark VI series these have an Isle going the length of the car with the seats along the outer side of each car, each car now has two sets of "Blinker" doors on each side. these cars are considered to be "Transit Style" cars since the seats are configured much like the "T" in boston or the "EL" in chicago. The most noticasble diffrence between the two Series it the Mark VI is several inces Taller Than it's predacesor to allows for standees and the doors operate automatcaly, each Mark VI train has six cars and each car is shorter than the Mark IV. Fantasia Boi is the resident expert on the Monorail so if I have left anything out he can add to it.

 

[Monorail Lime]

hmph... Fantasia isn't the only one around here who knows about monorails... where is that Boi, anyway?

Back to the question, with the folding seats down it is very difficult to move around in the monorail without bumping your knees and legs. The people sitting on the folding seats are knee-to-knee with the people in the main seats which seriously reduces standing room. With the seats up, approx 25 people can fit in each compartment but with the seats down it would be more like 15 people. Stroller capacity is also seriously reduced to two tops, which would be a big problem during busy exits.

The folding seats are still there in the center consoles and shop can open them up when they need to. I've seen shop open the seats up when someone was suspected of stuffing a stolen item down inside them.

 

[Invero]

LOL... Thanks Lime And as for where I was... Well, someone's gotta put the Magic in Motion!!

Currently, the folding seats are in such disrepair, if one happens to fold down, that car won't even be loaded. They look as if they could hold one, maybe two people max... So I can see why they aren't used anymore.

As for what the posts are called... they're called Stanchions.

 

[Rider]

Originally posted by jmarc63
ddp

The Monorail in use now are the Mark VI series these have an Isle going the length of the car with the seats along the outer side of each car, each car now has two sets of "Blinker" doors on each side. these cars are considered to be "Transit Style" cars since the seats are configured much like the "T" in boston or the "EL" in chicago. The most noticasble diffrence between the two Series it the Mark VI is several inces Taller Than it's predacesor to allows for standees and the doors operate automatcaly, each Mark VI train has six cars and each car is shorter than the Mark IV. Fantasia Boi is the resident expert on the Monorail so if I have left anything out he can add to it.

I think it should be noted that the "Transit" style are only in use at Tokyo Disneyland. Not at WDW.

 

[DDPGambit]

Thanks guys for all the info!

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by Rider


I think it should be noted that the "Transit" style are only in use at Tokyo Disneyland. Not at WDW.

Well... if what you mean is that the Hitachi trains at TDL are walkthru trains, versus the Bombardier design, then yes, you are correct. However separate cars does not always mean that it's not "transit style." I think what jmarc63 was referring to was the bi-parting automatic doors, and the addition of standees. However, the floor plan that he was referring to I believe is the one for the Bombardier MVI train being built for Las Vegas. (the MVI train is to not be confused with the Mark VI train... although the MVI is based upon the Mark VI general operating specifications, and while general shape is simmilar, they are vastly different trains...)

Currently at Disney, each Mark VI car is split into two halves, by a center bench with seats on both side. There is also a bench seat at each end of the car. In between the center bench, and each end bench is a stanchion, the one in which is discussed earlier. On each side of the train, there is a bi-parting door for each section.

The MVI train on the other hand, has perimeter seating, and one bi-parting door on each side, in the center of the car. It should be noted that plans for the MVI train specify for sliding doors, that stay flush with the train, rather than Disney's Pop-out doors, that prevent the train from being level with the platform.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by Rider


I think it should be noted that the "Transit" style are only in use at Tokyo Disneyland. Not at WDW.

Not true. The Mark VI trains at WDW Did away with the bench seats that went across each train in five indivudualy accessable rows two benches per row and allow for standees, Which the Mark IV did not. The Mark VI are desinged more like the Rapid Transit trains like the "T" in Boston or the "EL" in Chicago. there are two sets of automatacaly operated doors on each side and you have seating aranged in sets of two seats together, which you didn't have in the older Mark IV, That is why there are called " Transit style". The Monorail at TDL is really a bullit train car placed on a Monorail Chassie. these trains are taller that the Bombadier Mark series and much wider than the Mark series as well.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by Fantasia Boi


Well... if what you mean is that the Hitachi trains at TDL are walkthru trains, versus the Bombardier design, then yes, you are correct. However separate cars does not always mean that it's not "transit style." I think what jmarc63 was referring to was the bi-parting automatic doors, and the addition of standees. However, the floor plan that he was referring to I believe is the one for the Bombardier MVI train being built for Las Vegas. (the MVI train is to not be confused with the Mark VI train... although the MVI is based upon the Mark VI general operating specifications, and while general shape is simmilar, they are vastly different trains...)

Currently at Disney, each Mark VI car is split into two halves, by a center bench with seats on both side. There is also a bench seat at each end of the car. In between the center bench, and each end bench is a stanchion, the one in which is discussed earlier. On each side of the train, there is a bi-parting door for each section.

The MVI train on the other hand, has perimeter seating, and one bi-parting door on each side, in the center of the car. It should be noted that plans for the MVI train specify for sliding doors, that stay flush with the train, rather than Disney's Pop-out doors, that prevent the train from being level with the platform.

Wow... I did forgret something. Well I am a fan of the original Mark IV trains since most of my visits to WDW were made from 71 to 79 when the Mark IV were in there prime, my last visit was in 93 when the Mark VI were in use and I forgot that there was a middle seat between the two sections.... my apologies for that. .

Maybe they aren't true "Transit style" trains but they do incorporate many Transt design features not used in the older Mark IV series.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by Fantasia Boi


Well... if what you mean is that the Hitachi trains at TDL are walkthru trains, versus the Bombardier design, then yes, you are correct. However separate cars does not always mean that it's not "transit style." I think what jmarc63 was referring to was the bi-parting automatic doors, and the addition of standees. However, the floor plan that he was referring to I believe is the one for the Bombardier MVI train being built for Las Vegas. (the MVI train is to not be confused with the Mark VI train... although the MVI is based upon the Mark VI general operating specifications, and while general shape is simmilar, they are vastly different trains...)

Currently at Disney, each Mark VI car is split into two halves, by a center bench with seats on both side. There is also a bench seat at each end of the car. In between the center bench, and each end bench is a stanchion, the one in which is discussed earlier. On each side of the train, there is a bi-parting door for each section.

The MVI train on the other hand, has perimeter seating, and one bi-parting door on each side, in the center of the car. It should be noted that plans for the MVI train specify for sliding doors, that stay flush with the train, rather than Disney's Pop-out doors, that prevent the train from being level with the platform.

Tyler ....correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't the WDW Mark VI doors lower an inch, then push out before parting to each side .

 

[Rider]

They do lower (on of my favorite things is to hold onto the poll the roates) when it opens. I guess it is a clearence thing.

 

[dmspilot00]

Originally posted by Rider
They do lower (on of my favorite things is to hold onto the poll the roates) when it opens. I guess it is a clearence thing.

Hey, I did that all the time too!! One time I was there, there was a mix of Mk IVs and Mk VIs, and since I was only 10 the first difference I noticed was the pole did not rotate with the doors on the old ones. It's kind of strange, why does it do that?

And what was the point of designing the doors to slide downward before swinging out? Bad design.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by dmspilot00


Hey, I did that all the time too!! One time I was there, there was a mix of Mk IVs and Mk VIs, and since I was only 10 the first difference I noticed was the pole did not rotate with the doors on the old ones. It's kind of strange, why does it do that?

And what was the point of designing the doors to slide downward before swinging out? Bad design.

From what I have seen it may be to seal the doors at the top from the weather like rain getting in.

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by Rider
They do lower (on of my favorite things is to hold onto the poll the roates) when it opens. I guess it is a clearence thing.

Please refrain from doing that in the future... By holding onto the doors, it damages the bearings inside the door mechanism, causing the door not to close properly.

As for why the slide up... From what I'm to understand, it's to lock them in place. The doors are air-actuated... without the locking in place, with enough force, the door could be pushed open.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by Fantasia Boi


As for why the slide up... From what I'm to understand, it's to lock them in place. The doors are air-actuated... without the locking in place, with enough force, the door could be pushed open.

Tyler that makes sense, There must be a clip of some kind that slides into a slot after the door raises up to prevent the door from pushing outward while the Monorail is moving, Where as the older Mark IV had the "Slammer "doors that had a lock simular to to a car door and only could be opened from the outside to prevent you from opening the door while you were moving.

Tyler, on a side note, i seem to remember on the Mark IV series that the windows on the doors could be opened. I seem to have this memory that they did, or am I think of something else

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by jmarc63
Did the doors on the IV series had a window that could open on the door ? I somehow have this thought that they did, I could be thinking of something else.

The Mark IV trains had pop out windows on each door, simmilar to the windows on the cab doors of the Mark VI trains.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by Fantasia Boi


The Mark IV trains had pop out windows on each door, simmilar to the windows on the cab doors of the Mark VI trains.

Thats right, simular to a van window with a locking clip on the bottom