Monorail tid bit

[bugsbunny]

Another interesting bit of information I learned during my recent trip to WDW Oct. 2004:

For those that know anything about electricity, you will be amazed to know that the Monorail draws over 2000 amps at 600 volts DC when under load! Apparently, there are a huge amount of rectifiers along the tracks that convert the AC to DC to power the monorail. If one was to come in contact with that amount of power, the results would no doubt result in a limb being instantly being removed from someone's body. It is a serious amount of power!

DL has had a few deaths from people coming in contact with the power supply on the monorail. However, for the sake of clarification, they were all caused by morons trying to climb into the park by means of the monorail track and succeeded in electrocuting themselves. I don't know what the safety record is at WDW.

Also one other interesting fact is that if the track was just completely straight, the current monorails at WDW (the Mark IV's??) could reach speeds of 80+ MPH and be within their safe operating windows. Pretty amazing, I think.

Sorry for these somewhat boring facts, but I am a nuts-n-bolts kind of guy that just has to know how things work, so I asked some questions.

 

[*PlutoFan*]

I have been obsessed with the monorails ever since my first Disney trip! Its so great to hear more about how they work and where they are worked on. I would love to see a pic of those hurricane doors in the contemporary! Thanks for sharing everybody

 

[BrerWolf]

If you have the extra $ for a backstage tour, do it!

Speaking of tours, why are they sooo expensive? Just wondering

 

[TimeTrip]

another thing, does anyone have a map or a pic where the barn is??? or like maybe you could tell us what the barn is behind (ex. Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, etc.) thanks!

It is north of the MK. You can see a satellite picture here. You can then navigate around to see where the barn is in relation to the MK.

 

[marni1971]

Hey all!

Just a Big Kid -

my videos are available at Disney Central IRC - more info in the digital media forum - and Steve is in the process of getting lower res versions (320x240) available here for WDWMagic.com subscribers. Give me an email address and I can send you my current list of whats available. Must get a website sorted out....

BrerWolf -

Here is an aerial pic of the barn: http://disneypix.com/2000ft/Roll3/Roll03_023.htm (looking South East - the Monorail beam goes off to the top of the pic to join the Seven Seas loop, the Railroad goes off up and right to join the MK loop just North of Toontown station. Note the expansion that doubled the barn in size - was this when EPCOT Center`s line was built?

Monorail Man -

I just did some research, and no, the MkVI`s cannot be dissassembled and still run (eg with 5 cars) - on was assembled with cars 3 and 4 in the wrong order, and had to be reassembled to run.

For the unititiated, the Hurricane doors (also known as Air Doors) at the Contemporary are in the openings the Monorails pass through as they enter/exit. They don`t close that often (obviously, although I bet they got a work out this year) but there must be a picture somewhere. George McGinnis (Imagineer) told a great story at Mouseplanet about the the MkVI - as originally designed they were 8 inches too tall to fit through the gap! The height was lowered, but a CM tells the story in 1988 they still had to be widened, along with the platform clearences being increased.

 

[Invero]

Also one other interesting fact is that if the track was just completely straight, the current monorails at WDW (the Mark IV's??) could reach speeds of 80+ MPH and be within their safe operating windows. Pretty amazing, I think.

Actually, with all governors removed its top speed is more along the lines of 55 mph, give or take. (Although I have heard pilots tell guests that they can do 150... )

 

[s25843]

Speaking of tours, why are they sooo expensive? Just wondering

Because they are....

 

[Invero]

Speaking of tours, why are they sooo expensive? Just wondering

Because if they were affordable, EVERYONE would do them, thus taking away the magical mysteriousness.

 

[tampabrad]

The monorails run fine in most types of weather. They run in places all around the world, not just Walt Disney World. The problem and expense with the monorails is that they are not mass produced. In the short run, it is cheaper to build a road, but in the long run, it would be cheaper to build a mass transit.

Look at Tampa and the problems with the Lee Roy Selmon Cross Town Expanson. Tampa could have built a mass transit line, but instead built a double decker road that is falling down before it is finished. Monorail beams could have been put anywhere, but the FDOT decided to but a second tier on a road that traveled though swamps and now the tiers are sinking and the upper deck of the road is unsafe. Apparently 80something of the 100something of the pilons are not safe. A monrail would have cut down on traffic, and could have been built in other areaswith minimal damage to the enviorment, buisness, etc.

(Sorry, I got off topic a bit)

 

[BrerWolf]

its ok to get off topic every once in a while

 

[monorail_man]

The monorails run fine in most types of weather. They run in places all around the world, not just Walt Disney World. The problem and expense with the monorails is that they are not mass produced. In the short run, it is cheaper to build a road, but in the long run, it would be cheaper to build a mass transit.

Look at Tampa and the problems with the Lee Roy Selmon Cross Town Expanson. Tampa could have built a mass transit line, but instead built a double decker road that is falling down before it is finished. Monorail beams could have been put anywhere, but the FDOT decided to but a second tier on a road that traveled though swamps and now the tiers are sinking and the upper deck of the road is unsafe. Apparently 80something of the 100something of the pilons are not safe. A monrail would have cut down on traffic, and could have been built in other areaswith minimal damage to the enviorment, buisness, etc.

(Sorry, I got off topic a bit)

There is a really simple explanation as to why they did that instead of anything else. And you even have the answer in your statement.

We're talking about FDOT here. The same moreons that brought you the E/W Exprway and the Fla Turnpike. Comming attractions from the FDOT: "The Road to Hawaii"

 

[mikeymouse]

Ok, I guess I made a mistake ... the switch is off the MK outer express beam near SM. (as u can see in those aerial photos) There IS a switch off the Epcot line, it appears it is to move those trains to the outer express beam. The inside beam is the resort monorail, but unknown how they get trains on that track.

 

[joel_maxwell]

We're talking about FDOT here. The same moreons that brought you the E/W Exprway and the Fla Turnpike. Comming attractions from the FDOT: "The Road to Hawaii"

i thought they already had one of those.................. lol, oh wait, no, that is the bridge that goes over Lake Ponchutrain............. that bridge is forever

 

[Salty-]

They run in places all around the world, not just Walt Disney World.

Like Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook?

:animwink:

 

[jesserin]

It is north of the MK. You can see a satellite picture here. You can then navigate around to see where the barn is in relation to the MK.

Thanks so much for that link! That was so neat being able to see all the arial views of MK and the surrounding areas! How fun! You are awsome!

 

[donsullivan]

Ok, I guess I made a mistake ... the switch is off the MK outer express beam near SM. (as u can see in those aerial photos) There IS a switch off the Epcot line, it appears it is to move those trains to the outer express beam. The inside beam is the resort monorail, but unknown how they get trains on that track.

The switch in front of SM at the Magic Kingdom actually allows movement of traines from the Roundhouse spur onto the Express (outer loop) it also can be switched to move trains between the Resort (inner loop) as well.

All of the trains leave the roundhouse onto the Outer Loop in front of Space Mountain. From there they can be moved over to the the Resort Loop at the same switch in front of the Magic Kingdom. It is capable of moving trains from tne roundhouse beam as well as between the two Seven Seas Lagoon beams.

To get to the EPCOT loop, they move to the switch set on the north side of TTC. This one is a whole lot larger than the others because of the curving beam headed off to Epcot. Once they pass around the loop, they pass onto the Epcot beam to the east side of World Drive.

 

[TimeTrip]

The switch in front of SM at the Magic Kingdom actually allows movement of traines from the Roundhouse spur onto the Express (outer loop) it also can be switched to move trains between the Resort (inner loop) as well.

All of the trains leave the roundhouse onto the Outer Loop in front of Space Mountain. From there they can be moved over to the the Resort Loop at the same switch in front of the Magic Kingdom. It is capable of moving trains from tne roundhouse beam as well as between the two Seven Seas Lagoon beams.

I've seen this in action a few times. So here are the photos:
Moving from the barn beam to the express beam
Switch moved so that the express beam and resort beam are linked
Train moving from express beam to resort beam

A video of the switch resetting to normal position

 

[stuart]

It can get down to the 20's-30's at night down here in the winter. No matter where you live, that IS cold.

If you mean 20-30 celcius, which i take it you do, then i think you are wrong. In Scotland 20-30 degrees celcius is WARM for us!!! And to be honest 20-30oC isnt cold. U just think its cold compared to the usual daily temps u get over there.

 

[peter11435]

If you mean 20-30 celcius, which i take it you do, then i think you are wrong. In Scotland 20-30 degrees celcius is WARM for us!!! And to be honest 20-30oC isnt cold. U just think its cold compared to the usual daily temps u get over there.

He did not mean celcius. We don't really use that system too much in the states. 20-30 celcius is warm to most everyone. He meant 20-30ºF. Thats about - 4ºC.

 

[ciscobee]

So why do the Monorails smell like cow? :hurl: