Monorail Yellow Evacuation - Bus entrance to MK closed...detouring now (somewhere)

[ford91exploder]

As a former local and someone who used to go to the parks waaaaaaaay too often.......

By the end of my tenure in Orlando, I began to avoid the monorail at all costs. It is not the reliable system that it was ten years ago. It is simply not something you can depend upon and a cursory glance at these forums reinforces that premise - and those are the ones we find out about. I used to have people text me when the monorail went down but it got to the point of "If its a day that ends in Y, the monorail is messed up."

Its not a case of things being reported on social media, rather its a case of an overburdened system being asked to do too much with limited hours and budgets to do repairs.

The budget is more a limiting factor than time, with an adequate budget a sufficiently large crew of technicians can be onstaff to conduct nightly maintenance on the trains.

For example aircraft receive an A check every 125 hours of flying time takes about 60 man hours to do and is usually performed overnight, Subway cars are at about the same interval this level of check basically ensures all systems are working and wear components are within operating limits and time limited components are replaced if they have run out the clock. in addition a thorough cleaning inside and out is usually performed.

it's this kind of maintenance the Monorails are not getting.

 

[Creathir]

The budget is more a limiting factor than time, with an adequate budget a sufficiently large crew of technicians can be onstaff to conduct nightly maintenance on the trains.

For example aircraft receive an A check every 125 hours of flying time takes about 60 man hours to do and is usually performed overnight, Subway cars are at about the same interval this level of check basically ensures all systems are working and wear components are within operating limits and time limited components are replaced if they have run out the clock. in addition a thorough cleaning inside and out is usually performed.

it's this kind of maintenance the Monorails are not getting.

Not that I do not think there are examples of these repairs and checks not happening, but do you have specific insight into the level of maintenance the trains get? I personally have zero insight into the internal practices of the WDW maintenance shops.

 

[rucifee]

Post the pics here

Ok..

Isn't there some transportation authority/agency that you can report that to? If they're as unsafe as you say, then surely you'd want that incident investigated.

It was reported to a CM, there's nothing more to do than that. Sounded like it wasn't the first time it had happened.

 

[ford91exploder]

Not that I do not think there are examples of these repairs and checks not happening, but do you have specific insight into the level of maintenance the trains get? I personally have zero insight into the internal practices of the WDW maintenance shops.

I have some friends in the engineering community and the general consensus is the trains are repaired on an 'as needed' basis, No direct insider knowledge but as an engineer myself when I see streaks of lubricant on the skirts that usually means a blown seal which needs to be replaced and under a regular maintenance program would be and the lubricant trail removed from the body ( for appearance and to verify the repair)

 

[ford91exploder]

Ok..

It was reported to a CM, there's nothing more to do than that. Sounded like it wasn't the first time it had happened.

This is the kind of stuff which speaks to the lack of regular maintenance, None of these are the failure of a single fastener, Multiple fasteners and supports have failed to allow THIS to happen. When I maintain my own machinery if fasteners are worn or corroded I replace them not try to save a few pennies by reusing a part which belongs in a recycling bin.

 

[alissafalco]

Ok..

It was reported to a CM, there's nothing more to do than that. Sounded like it wasn't the first time it had happened.

 

[Creathir]

I have some friends in the engineering community and the general consensus is the trains are repaired on an 'as needed' basis, No direct insider knowledge but as an engineer myself when I see streaks of lubricant on the skirts that usually means a blown seal which needs to be replaced and under a regular maintenance program would be and the lubricant trail removed from the body ( for appearance and to verify the repair)

I guess it really comes down to just a few things:

• The people in the maintenance department are incompetent

Or

• The trains are not being regularly maintained due to management policies

Or

• There is a complete lack of funding and the maintenance guys are doing the best they can with what they have

Or

• Some combination of all of the above

It really is a shame. Growing up the monorail was my most favorite part of Disney World. It made it something really special. It really saddens me to see it being neglected like it is.

 

[unkadug]

Pretty sure that with the "painting" of the beams that TDO is planning on getting rid of the monorails completely.

Painting of the beams is a sure way to ensure that the beams deteriorate therefore negating the need to replace the fleet.

 

[rucifee]

My sentiments exactly, the poor couple sitting right under it about had a heart attack when it fell, it was LOUD.

 

[peachykeen]

Ok..

It was reported to a CM, there's nothing more to do than that. Sounded like it wasn't the first time it had happened.

Not saying it's acceptable, but hatch covers and those door access panels came loose almost daily when I worked there. When the hatch cover comes down, the car should be deadheaded until maintenance can reattach the cover.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Funny story.

Guy has a car, maintains it perfectly, even changes the oil every three thousand miles down to the letter, yet one day while driving he blows the head gasket making the car inoperable.

Now blowing the head gasket came out of the blue, pretty much just normal wear and tear and could not be avoided because sometimes, just sometimes people need to understand...

Things break.

Jimmy Thick- And he didn't have a budget to get it fixed... Who knew?

 

[rucifee]

Funny story.

Guy has a car, maintains it perfectly, even changes the oil every three thousand miles down to the letter, yet one day while driving he blows the head gasket making the car inoperable.

Now blowing the head gasket came out of the blue, pretty much just normal wear and tear and could not be avoided because sometimes, just sometimes people need to understand...

Things break.

Jimmy Thick- And he didn't have a budget to get it fixed... Who knew?

Funny story.

Guy has a monorail system, doesn't maintain it, it breaks and goes out of service every single day. Things break, but they break more when you don't maintain them.

An A for effort though.

 

[wm49rs]

Funny story.

Guy has a car, maintains it perfectly, even changes the oil every three thousand miles down to the letter, yet one day while driving he blows the head gasket making the car inoperable.

Now blowing the head gasket came out of the blue, pretty much just normal wear and tear and could not be avoided because sometimes, just sometimes people need to understand...

Things break.

Jimmy Thick- And he didn't have a budget to get it fixed... Who knew?

Not really funny (or applicable considering the age of the monorail), but I suppose the definition of the word escapes someone named Thick....

 

[ford91exploder]

Pretty sure that with the "painting" of the beams that TDO is planning on getting rid of the monorails completely.

Painting of the beams is a sure way to ensure that the beams deteriorate therefore negating the need to replace the fleet.

I've seen stranger things in corporate america

 

[lunchbox1175]

And? These are not autos. 25 years is not that old for equipment in the transportation world. Proper maintance is a must, and when it is being performed age is not really important.

Define transportation industry....because most people don't drive 25 year old cars on a daily basis, cities don't use 25 year old buses, and airlines don't use 25 year old planes.

 

[danlb_2000]

Not really funny (or applicable considering the age of the monorail), but I suppose the definition of the word escapes someone named Thick....

What did you expect, him to say that Disney is doing something wrong?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Isn't there some transportation authority/agency that you can report that to? If they're as unsafe as you say, then surely you'd want that incident investigated.

Federal Railroad Administration.

 

[JoeCamel]

What did you expect, him to say that Disney is doing something wrong?

Just that the magical thinking of equipment lasting forever was not in force at this time.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Funny story.

Guy has a car, maintains it perfectly, even changes the oil every three thousand miles down to the letter, yet one day while driving he blows the head gasket making the car inoperable.

Now blowing the head gasket came out of the blue, pretty much just normal wear and tear and could not be avoided because sometimes, just sometimes people need to understand...

Things break.

Jimmy Thick- And he didn't have a budget to get it fixed... Who knew?

Eh..... I've heard a lot of stories. Some managers try but.....

 

[ford91exploder]

Define transportation industry....because most people don't drive 25 year old cars on a daily basis, cities don't use 25 year old buses, and airlines don't use 25 year old planes.

Cars yes, You would be surprised at the age of most city bus fleets, Subway cars have a design life of 40+ years, NYC subway still have over 200 R32 subway cars in service and the LAST R32 unit built was built in 1964, Most airlines are flying planes 20+ years old you cant tell when a plane was built (unless you look up the tail number) with good maintenance planes are effectively immortal.

There is no way the monorails should look as bad as they do right now, If they were properly maintained they would be good for another 25 years, In their current state ???