Monorail Teal Automation Update, Lime Update, Gray Update and Black Update

nace888

nace888

Well-Known Member
rangerbob said:
Maybe this is another case of an employee saying something just to rouse a response from a visitor to the park. Maybe the automation system is working perfectly on Teal so they are ripping it out to test it on another sytem just to ensure that placing it works exactly the same way with the previous train. I'm sure they won't want to have custom pieces made and then have to be modified on each train just to make it work or fit into the cab.
Click to expand...
Teal was kind enough to blow out circuit breakers on it's beamway recently,
 
Bluewaves

Bluewaves

Well-Known Member
As with many things, you have monorail trains that are 20 plus years old, over the years I am sure they have picked up their differences, different faults at different times, different techs, fixes, replacements etc...

Problems with one train may not happen with another or may be worse with another, one train may need to be completely rewired from the breakers out, one may just need a new line ran for the automation system. Overtime especially as long as time as they trains have been in service they will develop their own personalities, quirks etc...

If one train takes the automation better than another it wouldn't surprise me in the least.
 
nace888

nace888

Well-Known Member
MaryJaneP said:
We believe we previously mentioned that it may be advisable to develop ONE monorail as a test-bed example of this. Pressure test this example and develop some repeatability/longevity of the modification. Put in the other infrastructure portions, which would be needed for this or any other automated fleet.

If TEAL was selected as the first test-bed victim, that has apparently been abandoned. As such, a different monorail will be "tested". Kinda raises the question of what to do with TEAL eventually needing the automation system or does TEAL just sit unused? Also what happens if other monorails "reject" the "upgrade"? Really, nobody else apparently sees this as a Don Quixote mission or are they just smart enough to steer clear? You say tomato...
Click to expand...

Please read bottom quote and my response. :D

Bluewaves said:
As with many things, you have monorail trains that are 20 plus years old, over the years I am sure they have picked up their differences, different faults at different times, different techs, fixes, replacements etc...

Problems with one train may not happen with another or may be worse with another, one train may need to be completely rewired from the breakers out, one may just need a new line ran for the automation system. Overtime especially as long as time as they trains have been in service they will develop their own personalities, quirks etc...

If one train takes the automation better than another it wouldn't surprise me in the least.
Click to expand...

I wanted to say how much this was true. Each train is different, inside and out. Over the last 20 years, and almost even from the beginning, each train has developed its own personality. If one were to get technical, it could be blamed on the parts, but regardless, each has it's own attitude.

I've not ridden them, but have seen quite a lot about them, and heard from pilots as well as friends as passengers.

Red used to (and still might be) the one to either overspeed, or be the fastest train on the beam.

Silver in many pictures appears to be the lowest sitting train on the beam, often being just roughly a cenemeter lower I think.

Gold has been known to have quite a few technological issues.

I think Lime(?) Has been known to be one of the slower trains? Or has a hard time stopping...

There's even one I think that can often have a door issue, moreso than other trains.

@peachykeen can tell that what one train may reject, another may willingly take no problem! It's wise that they test the technology on a few trains to see if it WORKS, thus showing that the stuff was wired properly, and does work even before spending money on a new train. Peachy can tell (and maybe @MonorailRed too) can tell you that each CAB is different in how it reacts with the components.
 
N

NeonNinja

Active Member
Original Poster
nace888 said:
Please read bottom quote and my response. :D



I wanted to say how much this was true. Each train is different, inside and out. Over the last 20 years, and almost even from the beginning, each train has developed its own personality. If one were to get technical, it could be blamed on the parts, but regardless, each has it's own attitude.

I've not ridden them, but have seen quite a lot about them, and heard from pilots as well as friends as passengers.

Red used to (and still might be) the one to either overspeed, or be the fastest train on the beam.

Silver in many pictures appears to be the lowest sitting train on the beam, often being just roughly a cenemeter lower I think.

Gold has been known to have quite a few technological issues.

I think Lime(?) Has been known to be one of the slower trains? Or has a hard time stopping...

There's even one I think that can often have a door issue, moreso than other trains.

@peachykeen can tell that what one train may reject, another may willingly take no problem! It's wise that they test the technology on a few trains to see if it WORKS, thus showing that the stuff was wired properly, and does work even before spending money on a new train. Peachy can tell (and maybe @MonorailRed too) can tell you that each CAB is different in how it reacts with the components.
Click to expand...
Hey Red has door disease sometimes too.
Orange is the loud one too.
 
Monorail_Red

Monorail_Red

Well-Known Member
It's not that Red overspeeds, it gets false overspeeds very often. When I was there it seemed like Lime had the best "get up". I'm not sure which one you can call the fastest, depends on passenger load and beamway traffic. For example, if driving on Resorts, the train is full, no train at TTC, I could get the train up to 48 MPH without an overspeed. I would never do that if there was another train in the TTC. With a full load on Express exiting the Contemporary, you could hit 40 MPH without an overspeed. Epcot is where it varies, because it is pretty much flat. In the 40 MPH zone, this is where the train made the difference. When I was there, some would top out between 37-39 MPH. If I remember correctly, Blue, and sometimes Coral, would cruise at 43 MPH without an overspeed. Don't ask me why. Each train can behave differently from each Cab. Red is a prime example, as it is a dream to operate out of Cab 6 (Resorts). Doors are doors, with all the moving parts and environmental variables for each and every moving part, can't expect much better from them based on how often they are used. Gold had an issue with unbalanced propulsion groups which sometimes made a rough ride. No idea if that was ever resolved or not. Silver can be cranky at times, although during my drive training, after Silver was having issues, I took it for 12 laps on Epcot before parking it at the Contemporary on Resorts for the night. Don't ask me how an Epcot train was a Resort stay-out that night. Never had a problem with Silver. I would say the best all-around trains (speed, reliability, behavior from either Cab, and overall vibe) would have to be Blue, Black, and Coral from my experience. Red just happens to be my favorite color, and has the best horn (from Cab 6).
 
N

NeonNinja

Active Member
Original Poster
Monorail_Red said:
It's not that Red overspeeds, it gets false overspeeds very often. When I was there it seemed like Lime had the best "get up". I'm not sure which one you can call the fastest, depends on passenger load and beamway traffic. For example, if driving on Resorts, the train is full, no train at TTC, I could get the train up to 48 MPH without an overspeed. I would never do that if there was another train in the TTC. With a full load on Express exiting the Contemporary, you could hit 40 MPH without an overspeed. Epcot is where it varies, because it is pretty much flat. In the 40 MPH zone, this is where the train made the difference. When I was there, some would top out between 37-39 MPH. If I remember correctly, Blue, and sometimes Coral, would cruise at 43 MPH without an overspeed. Don't ask me why. Each train can behave differently from each Cab. Red is a prime example, as it is a dream to operate out of Cab 6 (Resorts). Doors are doors, with all the moving parts and environmental variables for each and every moving part, can't expect much better from them based on how often they are used. Gold had an issue with unbalanced propulsion groups which sometimes made a rough ride. No idea if that was ever resolved or not. Silver can be cranky at times, although during my drive training, after Silver was having issues, I took it for 12 laps on Epcot before parking it at the Contemporary on Resorts for the night. Don't ask me how an Epcot train was a Resort stay-out that night. Never had a problem with Silver. I would say the best all-around trains (speed, reliability, behavior from either Cab, and overall vibe) would have to be Blue, Black, and Coral from my experience. Red just happens to be my favorite color, and has the best horn (from Cab 6).
Click to expand...

I agree with you on that for Black!!. Also any updates on Black oir Blacky as I nickname it!
 
N

NeonNinja

Active Member
Original Poster
Huge update
Monorail Black :D is back in the rotation bringing the train count back to 12. Now only teal and lime are in the shops!:D
 
NelsonRD

NelsonRD

Well-Known Member
On my last visit to Orlando in September we stayed at the contemporary. One thing I noticed that was annoying to me, was each train that entered the contemporary on the express loop would slow entering the contemporary, but immediately begin speeding up as soon as half the train exited. This resulted in the last car zipping out, only to stop sometimes a few yards further down at the hold point.

Has any discussions taken place that will make sure the cars pass through the contemporary with better consistency when this is automated? Am I the only one annoyed by this? Has this been discussed already? It is possible it is marked on the rail where they can speed up, but it clearly off if that is the case.
 
Monorail_Red

Monorail_Red

Well-Known Member
NelsonRD said:
On my last visit to Orlando in September we stayed at the contemporary. One thing I noticed that was annoying to me, was each train that entered the contemporary on the express loop would slow entering the contemporary, but immediately begin speeding up as soon as half the train exited. This resulted in the last car zipping out, only to stop sometimes a few yards further down at the hold point.

Has any discussions taken place that will make sure the cars pass through the contemporary with better consistency when this is automated? Am I the only one annoyed by this? Has this been discussed already? It is possible it is marked on the rail where they can speed up, but it clearly off if that is the case.
Click to expand...
This isn't uncommon and its the doing of the pilot. The speed limit through the Contemporary has always been 15mph, and it steps up to (I believe 30mph if I remember correctly) when exiting on the Express side. While still in the 15mph zone you can basically open up the throttle and get away with a bit of speeding by hitting the 30mph zone just before the pilot gets an overspeed.
 
NelsonRD

NelsonRD

Well-Known Member
Monorail_Red said:
This isn't uncommon and its the doing of the pilot. The speed limit through the Contemporary has always been 15mph, and it steps up to (I believe 30mph if I remember correctly) when exiting on the Express side. While still in the 15mph zone you can basically open up the throttle and get away with a bit of speeding by hitting the 30mph zone just before the pilot gets an overspeed.
Click to expand...

Thanks. So the question is why? What advantage do they get by speeding up early, other than making the monorail look ridiculous?
 

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

Back
Top Bottom