Monorails - because people can't stop talking about it!

PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
People who know me here know that I've been a vocal advocate for monorail expansion. I've probably researched this subject more than anyone here and investigated all forms of transit options as well as urban planning.

The WDW monorail system was built more as a demonstrator system for Disney's monorail technology, which Disney planned to build for paying customers outside of Disney. This was also the story for the WEDWay PeopleMover, which Disney did build for at least one paying customer, the Houston International Airport. In the 1980's, Disney sold their patents outright to Bombardier, thus no longer owning the rights to the system and, thus, their WDW "demonstration" system was demoted for transit-only use. Bombardier used the monorail patents they purchased from Disney as the basis of the Las Vegas monorail.

Bombardier is not very nice to Disney, even though Disney once owned the patents, charging Disney insane prices on parts that break down. The monorail system has unfortunately become an albatross. Therefore, expansion is unwise. Keeping what is already there, maintaining it, and modifying it is the only logical thing Disney can do with it. A short extension to HS from EC might be doable, but it might be better to build an industry standard people mover for this distance.

The rest of the "World" can be connected by light rail. The viaduct of the monorail system in the future could be converted to light rail for compatibility.

An Atlanta company has patented a maglev monorail system and has a deal with the state of Florida to build a test system connecting the OCCC and OIA. The odds of this actually getting built and proven to work safely and cost effectively are not favorable, but it could happen...
 
Knothead

Knothead

Well-Known Member
Petey, I left you a gift in the spirit thread, but I think you were away at the time and it got buried. I will repost it here for you.
IMAG0386.jpg
 
Timon

Timon

Well-Known Member
There's nothing wrong with the WDW monorail, some long over due updating and NEW or Rebuilt trains can't solve. Don't be too harsh on Bombardier or they wouldn't be so successful in the Mass Transit business. If Disney needs parts for a model no longer in production there will be extra costs. Also, Disney had always built their own trains and the 90's was the start of Disney outsourcing and a new experience for Disney. Bombardier has embraced the Disney Mark VI design and enhanced it with the Las Vegas INNOVIA 200 with strong Mark VI influences. Today the INNOVIA 300 is now in test phase in Sao Paulo and has gone way beyond the Disney designs.

Here's the latest Bombardier train.
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Knothead said:
Petey, I left you a gift in the spirit thread, but I think you were away at the time and it got buried. I will repost it here for you.View attachment 59385
Click to expand...
Can you repost it? I'm not seeing anything.

Also, none of these posts showed up in my alerts so I thought this thread was either deleted or no one posted here. I just randomly checked it and saw all these posts! Sorry for that!
 
J

jwm

New Member
I agree with you that the Monorail system could use an update and possible expansion. I would love to see a design change to mimic the Disney-Paris design for Space Mountain. A Jules Verne / Victorian science fiction motif. The next best amazing technology from 1880 that has been caught in time. Play it up

Unfortunately, I have written long rants in the past about Monorails. As I stated, I too would love to see some kind of expansion although the costs/benefit seems to rule it out. The added complexity of modifying the EPCOT hub for one or two additional routes that could service any/some combination of Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney would be monumental.

In the past, I had designed a multi-line terminal with a nearby maintenance facility that could service the MK-EPCOT line, EPCOT-HS-DD line as well as EPCOT-AK line but obviously this is much fiction as The Incredibles.

I went so far as to include a link from the High-Speed Rail connector from MCO, which we'll never see, as well as utilizing the monorail easements to also accommodate new hybrid bi-articulated BRT to service all Parks, Activities, onsite Lodging and parking.

Needless to say, this project would make the Big Dig look reasonable. Fun to plan but unlikely to ever be built.

Regardless, it can't hurt to dream....it is Disney
 
nace888

nace888

Well-Known Member
jwm said:
I agree with you that the Monorail system could use an update and possible expansion. I would love to see a design change to mimic the Disney-Paris design for Space Mountain. A Jules Verne / Victorian science fiction motif. The next best amazing technology from 1880 that has been caught in time. Play it up

Unfortunately, I have written long rants in the past about Monorails. As I stated, I too would love to see some kind of expansion although the costs/benefit seems to rule it out. The added complexity of modifying the EPCOT hub for one or two additional routes that could service any/some combination of Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney would be monumental.

In the past, I had designed a multi-line terminal with a nearby maintenance facility that could service the MK-EPCOT line, EPCOT-HS-DD line as well as EPCOT-AK line but obviously this is much fiction as The Incredibles.

I went so far as to include a link from the High-Speed Rail connector from MCO, which we'll never see, as well as utilizing the monorail easements to also accommodate new hybrid bi-articulated BRT to service all Parks, Activities, onsite Lodging and parking.

Needless to say, this project would make the Big Dig look reasonable. Fun to plan but unlikely to ever be built.

Regardless, it can't hurt to dream....it is Disney
Click to expand...

I want to say what they are doing now, was updating the system for Automation, and as soon as Teal passes tests and seems to get approved, I wanna say that the rest of the trains would be retrofitted until the time for new trains.

If I am correct, the goal was to test Automation on the old trains, and ensure it works before bringing in NEW trains already built with said technology already implemented. THEN, an expansion would be considered as new trains were purchased.

I may be wrong, but I want to say that was the floating goal.
 
nace888

nace888

Well-Known Member
Timon said:
There's nothing wrong with the WDW monorail, some long over due updating and NEW or Rebuilt trains can't solve. Don't be too harsh on Bombardier or they wouldn't be so successful in the Mass Transit business. If Disney needs parts for a model no longer in production there will be extra costs. Also, Disney had always built their own trains and the 90's was the start of Disney outsourcing and a new experience for Disney. Bombardier has embraced the Disney Mark VI design and enhanced it with the Las Vegas INNOVIA 200 with strong Mark VI influences. Today the INNOVIA 300 is now in test phase in Sao Paulo and has gone way beyond the Disney designs.

Here's the latest Bombardier train.
Click to expand...


The fact that that train has blinking caution lights like a car intrigues me, XD HOWEVER, I did want to say that IIRC, Bombardier got the bogey structure and steering structure from Disney, as well as beam size and power options (IE: The bus bars on either side of the beam) I MAY be wrong, but I want to say that's the case. I also want to say that those Innovias are much advanced versions of the Mark VI trains, and if the right one is chosen, will fit the exact specifications as the current trains. :D
 
MonorailLover

MonorailLover

Well-Known Member
nace888 said:
I want to say what they are doing now, was updating the system for Automation, and as soon as Teal passes tests and seems to get approved, I wanna say that the rest of the trains would be retrofitted until the time for new trains.

If I am correct, the goal was to test Automation on the old trains, and ensure it works before bringing in NEW trains already built with said technology already implemented. THEN, an expansion would be considered as new trains were purchased.

I may be wrong, but I want to say that was the floating goal.
Click to expand...

I hope to believe that this is their plan, but I still worry it'll just be a pipe dream. I frankly think its inefficient for them to be building themselves the yeti parking lot at AK instead of building a monorail loop, but I know, its too expensive!!!!
 
nace888

nace888

Well-Known Member
Alex nadeau said:
I hope to believe that this is their plan, but I still worry it'll just be a pipe dream. I frankly think its inefficient for them to be building themselves the yeti parking lot at AK instead of building a monorail loop, but I know, its too expensive!!!!
Click to expand...
You never know until it happens! :D
 
Bacalou

Bacalou

Member
I thought I'd mention that there were monorail plans drawn for connecting DHS and AK back in the late 90's early 00's but 9/11 changed the course of things quite a bit. The plans are still very much a real thing but I feel the issue is the cost of the upgrade and the size of the system. Automation, I believe, it the very first step for the eventual expansion of the system.
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Yay! It's the footer!

I don't know if they could ever use it in the future. Or if there are others.

Why people waste their energies trying to deny things they don't know about is beyond me. Their trust level for accuracy has been seriously diminished, in my point of view. They have caused me damage here in the form of wasted time, grief, and friends. Unless they make right that damage, I can't forgive them.

Sorry, I have not been participating as I should here. I've been focusing on a trip I'm planning Aug. 25-30 to the Burning Man festival in the dessert of Nevada, but I'm also going to spend two nights in San Francisco. I've never been to Northen California before, so I'm really excited!

I hope this trip will heal my soul and I'll come back a renewed person!
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Alex nadeau said:
I hope to believe that this is their plan, but I still worry it'll just be a pipe dream. I frankly think its inefficient for them to be building themselves the yeti parking lot at AK instead of building a monorail loop, but I know, its too expensive!!!!
Click to expand...
Knothead said:
View attachment 59447
Click to expand...
That was their internal unannounced intentional plan. However, it's all up to the people in charge and the money they have to work with. I do expect something will happen some day.

But, yes, automation, is a prerequisite to expansion.
 

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