Mike S
Well-Known Member
Indeed they are.
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Monorail Update January 2015
- Thread starter WeekendGM
- Start date
BrerJon
Well-Known Member
For basic cleaning, scrubbing stains etc., isn't that what third shift is for? Sure, they would need to take the trains out of service to replace the cracked plastic etc., but the daily cleaning should keep the carpets and fittings in fairly good condition.
It's when they let things go for ages that something that can be removed in two minutes with a scrubbing pad becomes a deep mark that needs in industrial cleaning machine to shift, but if they keep on top of it things are a lot easier to keep tidy, as with anything in life.
articos
Well-Known Member
See, this is why I'm asking the questions. These are things that need to be re-looked at by upper transportation management in conjunction with safety managers. It should not be one person unloading. They've changed procedures that used to work well, and in doing so, broken them. And now they don't know any better because that's the procedure. And cast not being allowed by the trough is ridiculous. Cast members are trained to be there. That's an overreaction by someone, and one that gets in the way of efficient operation and good show. These are items I can have looked into. Thank you.
This also explains why there's not as much time to deal with the trains while they are in the station, too.
BrerJon
Well-Known Member
If they chose different materials to cover the surfaces it would be possible. Stainless steel and tile you can hose off
How about requiring all strollers to be folded, no open beverages or foodstuff consumption on all the vehicles ?
I think that's too strict, and not really necessary.
I've noticed in the USA that's very much the approach with public transport - make everything metal, seats plastic, and do everything possible to stop people messing things up. Often, however this just makes people feel like they're treated like animals so you get grafitti, litter etc. anyway.
With the monorails, people see them in a bad condition and think, well if Disney doesn't care that they're beat up, why should I?
Then look at the way the UK does things - eating and drinking isn't banned on public transport, passengers are just politely asked to take their trash home with them. Seats have soft furnishings, carriages have soft lighting, making it feel more like a living room than a prison cell. And for the most part, while there are occasional spillages, people treat them well, and for the most part they can run pleasantly for decades with just a daily clean overnight, and that's with thousands of people from all over the world using them daily.
If Disney kept the monorails in a better condition, I suspect guests would treat them better too. Having cracked plastic, dirty marks, leaking oil and frayed furnishings sends a message to the guest to do their worst, but you give that guest a great environment and they're more likely to respect it.
articos
Well-Known Member
Retlaw transferred specific items to the Disney Company in '81 and '82, including the rights to the trains and monorails. Retlaw had been paid fees from the company towards upkeep and ownership of the "rail-based attractions" prior. However, I don't think the ownership change has anything to do with the changes in the upkeep or custodial of the monorails, that's more due to structural changes within management, budgets and staffing over the past 15-20 years.
Also, fun fact, Retlaw existed in some part through 2005, when it was folded into the Disney Family Foundation.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
You keep making excuses as though the current funding and staffing levels were dictated by God. The job of doing a quick sweep does not have to be added to an existing position. It could just be an extra custodian or two at the Transportation and Ticket Center and/or the park stations.
BrerJon
Well-Known Member
If we're talking keys I'd say prioritising an efficient service over one that looks good, smells good, and works well is very much prioritising efficiency over show and courtesy, the opposite of how the keys should be. At least they get safety right, most of the time.
asianway
Well-Known Member
Or even having a little more pride in your work location
Figment2005
Well-Known Member
It may be an excuse in your eyes, but I have to deal with it. Perspective.
nace888
Well-Known Member
Thanks!! I do want to point out though, that the cab section is there, should WDW decide to "reintroduce" driving pilots... At the same time, there's a cool feature I'm looking into, which would require (for me) that the trains still have a cab...
The intended plan is to keep cast members as "initiators" to open doors, close doors, start the train, and many are hoping they'll still have ability to drive the trains through an override should something happen.
You've made a good point, but my designs kinda has some cool feels to it, should it work out like I'm wanting... With the Mark VI's, if I"m correct, the drive/load tires aren't filling the entire wheel well, and are maybe half the height of the train... My goal/idea is to open up the train a little more with "half walls" between the cars... The pilot's cabin and the passenger cabin were to be separated in my plan, but utilize a half wall, with a glass type division between the two... If it worked, it would allow for guests to see through the front of the train, while still remaining a safe distance, and not bothering the driver or attendant... These half walls can also feature small step ladders to allow for the emergency escape should something happen, and open up the train a little, while still keeping the individual cabins. It would allow more air flow, as well as the ability to open the atmosphere some, so sorry "Nighttime Beamway High Club", that'll be gone...
As mentioned, the plan was to move the lights to the skirts, and kinda give a feel like that of Disneyland, but I'm really leaning torwards LED strips, as they are brighter, and look more futuristic. The rear of the train (as mentioned) would have red lights, while the front would have white. Reverse lights are also an option, as they are identifyable at day or night, and can help with visibility.
Okay, so small update. In my design, I know what most everything will look like, or I'm getting ideas as I go along. That being said, I've decided that a grey seating will be used, not blue... where that pink strip is around the cabin would now be mood lighting. Like the Mark VII, there will be some kind of Mark VIII Logo implimented, though I'm not sure where just yet. There will also be mood lighting under the seats, so they're not directly visible, but the color is. There's more design ideas coming to my head as I work on it, I promise!
Just wanted to plop this here... XD
The trains do need some TLC though, and I feel like from reading this, they are getting it, slowly but surely.
Since y'all wanna harp on 'Rails cleaning crew and such, let me invite you to Chuck E. Cheese's, and you can work with me for a day. The concept is VERY similar. We clean as much as possible, but stuff can still manage to become a train wreck (pun not intended). We can clean our floors, but the carpets will still end up NASTY after a while. We can clean our walls, but they end up NASTY from guest hands. We can clean SO MUCH, but it's hard to keep up with, unless we take a specific week to have tons of Cast Members come in and detail clean EVERYTHING. First glance, our windows would look clean, but at the end of the day, they're horrid. First glance, our floors look clean, but they're full of soda and cake stains. It's the same concept that takes time and patience.
asianway
Well-Known Member
Thanks I was actually speaking of the WDW transportation co(Yknow, $.25 of this ticket goes to fund the monorails)?
At some point they used to hold their own capital reserves etc. then it collapsed into WDW Company and they became overhead
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
I can't imagine the hell that would fall on the employee who delays a train for a few seconds to pick up some trash. Despite what they say, the keys are Efficiency, Efficiency, Efficiency and Efficiency.
Just because you have to deal with it does not mean you have to make excuses for it too.
Figment2005
Well-Known Member
Just to get your opinion, what would be more courteous? Stopping guests at the top of the ramp so that a train could dispatch, or waiting until all guests that could fit are on the train? This is after the train has been in the station for about 2 minutes.
Figment2005
Well-Known Member
I was stating the situation, and was being very factual. How is explaining why something is the way it is making an excuse?
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
There are plenty of transit studies that show prompt, predictable service is pretty much the prime factor in how people weigh a transit experience.
Because you keep making it out to be a given that cannot be changed.
asianway
Well-Known Member
Ole Sam Lau was trying to change things, and they put him out to pasture at EPCOT.
If he'd not rocked the boat and killed a couple kids he would be CFO
nace888
Well-Known Member
Again...
Sometimes it takes a person IN THE POSITION to know exactly what the issue is.
Sometimes it takes a person IN THE POSITION to know exactly what the issue is.
BrerJon
Well-Known Member
I don't really understand the question, but here's how I think it should work.
Train comes in, guests get off. A couple of CMs walk up the platform inspecting the carriages for litter and obvious Code-Vs etc., then the gates open and the guests get on, with the amount of guests limited by the CM at the top of the ramp. At the end of the night, the train goes home to the barn where a custodial team gives it a thorough clean before the next day.
Would it mean longer waits and fewer trains? Probably. So what? What would you prefer to ride, Splash Mountain with a ten minute wait but all the animatronics broken, or Splash Mountain with a fifteen minute wait but everything working? I bet guest satisfaction would be much higher with a pristine but less frequent service than it is now.
I know you say it can't be done because CMs can't go on the platform etc., there's no money for cleaning and all that, but if that's the case Disney need to change the rules, train the staff better, and invest more into the system, because they sure managed it fine for the first twenty years of the resort's operation.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
You're not the only person who has ever worked in the service industry. It's not some insurmountable goal, especially since it's a goal a smaller Disney set.