Rumor New Monorails Coming Soon?

[larryz]

If you're in Atlanta, just drive.

Good luck with that.

 

[Horizons '83]

Good luck with that.

haha, as a resident of the ole ATL, I echo this sentiment

 

[nace888]

Let's just use light tape on the new trains for their stripes. THEN, the guests could see the trains AND their colors. XD

 

[s8film40]

So, took the TTC monorail to MK and there was a man in an ECV in our car. When we arrived we slipped out quickly because he had to wait for the ramp. Only... he didn't. Since you exit the same way you get in, he had to back out. And he forgot to wait for the ramp.

As we rounded the railing and was heading down the exit ramp, we heard a big crash. Looked back and he was on his back and had hit his head and the ECV was also on its back.

And that's what happens when your exit isn't flush with the vehicle and you don't tie down their ECV like on a bus and you make people back out of the way they came in and can't see that there's a drop and they forget they have to wait for a ramp.

Don't know his status, there was a crowd around him and a CM on a walkie talkie, so, we just cleared out.

Really hope the new monorails are flush.

I saw a very similar incident even with the ramp. I never found out exactly how bad the guy was hurt, but I got to spend some time with WDW safety and legal it was interesting.

Had something similar happen when I was there last year, I had to hold a train there to take care of the issue. Sad thing was, he had the ramp. I have doubts that the trains will be flushed, if they are, they will have to raise the platform or lower the beam which will take some work. Either that, or maybe they could look into creating a slightly curved floor to make up the two inches on either side. It would be nice to see something like that.

Yeah if they ever get new trains they need to make them flush. The platform was raised for the Mark VI trains, but only couldn't be raised high enough to be flush due to the way the doors open.

There are local, state and federal limits on the cross slope of walkways. The entire platform would have to be raised or some sort of automated ramp installed.

There are a few inclines at WDW that are beyond those limits.

 

[nace888]

I saw a very similar incident even with the ramp. I never found out exactly how bad the guy was hurt, but I got to spend some time with WDW safety and legal it was interesting.

Yeah if they ever get new trains they need to make them flush. The platform was raised for the Mark VI trains, but only couldn't be raised high enough to be flush due to the way the doors open.
There are a few inclines at WDW that are beyond those limits.

The sliding doors of the Vegas MK VIs would be nice then. They're on a track, and don't drop down to unlatch, if I recall correctly. Platforms could remain the current height, and the trains could be adjusted to compensate, I suppose.

 

[s8film40]

The sliding doors of the Vegas MK VIs would be nice then. They're on a track, and don't drop down to unlatch, if I recall correctly. Platforms could remain the current height, and the trains could be adjusted to compensate, I suppose.

Yep, and I've watched people with scooters get on/off of those trains. They just drive on and off with no issues, assistance or any ramps. Just like an elevator.

 

[nace888]

Yep, and I've watched people with scooters get on/off of those trains. They just drive on and off with no issues, assistance or any ramps. Just like an elevator.

In my old Mark VIII thread, I designed the train to have "minivan" styled doors, they'd have the tracks, but would blend in with the black of the windows on my design. The doors could remain flush, but be able to pop out of the way. Maybe they'll go that route?

 

[monothingie]

In my old Mark VIII thread, I designed the train to have "minivan" styled doors, they'd have the tracks, but would blend in with the black of the windows on my design. The doors could remain flush, but be able to pop out of the way. Maybe they'll go that route?

Aren’t the beams at about the same level as the platform? Even if the new trains had redesigned doors they would still need to rebuild the platforms accordingly.

Just curious even if the ne

 

[s8film40]

In my old Mark VIII thread, I designed the train to have "minivan" styled doors, they'd have the tracks, but would blend in with the black of the windows on my design. The doors could remain flush, but be able to pop out of the way. Maybe they'll go that route?

Yeah they did a good job with blending the sliding doors on the Vegas trains. I think the Mark VII's pop out and slide, maybe that's just the cab though?

For anyone who hasn't seen the Vegas system it's worth looking at. It's clean, efficient and very well designed. Puts the WDW system to shame sadly.

Aren’t the beams at about the same level as the platform? Even if the new trains had redesigned doors they would still need to rebuild the platforms accordingly.

Just curious even if the ne

The platform is higher than the beam. If you're ever in a station and you look across to the other edge of the platform you can usually see the extra ~6 inches they added for the Mark VI trains. Also that's the reason for the small ramp when approaching the load area at the Contemporary.

 

[nace888]

Yeah they did a good job with blending the sliding doors on the Vegas trains. I think the Mark VII's pop out and slide, maybe that's just the cab though?

For anyone who hasn't seen the Vegas system it's worth looking at. It's clean, efficient and very well designed. Puts the WDW system to shame sadly.



The platform is higher than the beam. If you're ever in a station and you look across to the other edge of the platform you can usually see the extra ~6 inches they added for the Mark VI trains. Also that's the reason for the small ramp when approaching the load area at the Contemporary.

Judging based on videos, it appears that all the doors on the Mark VIIs pop and slide. You can also kinda tell as when they open, there's a chunk of the black molding that pops open with the door to cover what I think is the track. I feel like this could be an improvement for the Mark VIIIs though, if they did it.

 

[NormC]

In my old Mark VIII thread, I designed the train to have "minivan" styled doors, they'd have the tracks, but would blend in with the black of the windows on my design. The doors could remain flush, but be able to pop out of the way. Maybe they'll go that route?

How do the Innovia 200 doors work? That is your answer.

 

[IMDREW]

I'd rather have the monorails we have now vs the ones in Disneyland without the AC. Not to start a debate about that, but if thats something they're thinking about, I'd rather keep these. They're so old, yet so magical and still (imo) futuristic.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Just a thought here, but, it seems to me that if they are putting a huge amount of money into the old trains that they have no intention of buying new ones. Even if they do plan on it... it will be pretty far into the future.

 

[s8film40]

Just a thought here, but, it seems to me that if they are putting a huge amount of money into the old trains that they have no intention of buying new ones. Even if they do plan on it... it will be pretty far into the future.

That's been my thought as well. Although other than the recent automation everything being done currently is short term, even if they announce today that new trains are coming it would still be a few years off.

I was also kind of skeptical of this discussion from the beginning. Now with the recent wave of cuts from the Fox merger though I have to wonder if this was actually happening if it still is happening. We haven't really heard anything since then and to me everything we heard before is outdated and irrelevant now due to huge changes.

 

[JoeCamel]

That's been my thought as well. Although other than the recent automation everything being done currently is short term, even if they announce today that new trains are coming it would still be a few years off.

I was also kind of skeptical of this discussion from the beginning. Now with the recent wave of cuts from the Fox merger though I have to wonder if this was actually happening if it still is happening. We haven't really heard anything since then and to me everything we heard before is outdated and irrelevant now due to huge changes.

Well a freshly painted train sells for more on ebay..

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'd rather have the monorails we have now vs the ones in Disneyland without the AC. Not to start a debate about that, but if thats something they're thinking about, I'd rather keep these. They're so old, yet so magical and still (imo) futuristic.

The Disneyland trains have never had air conditioning, are significantly smaller than the Walt Disney World trains and would not fit on the beamway. The Mark VIIs were not entirely new trains but reused the Mark III chassis and Mark V bodies (except the nose).

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Just a thought here, but, it seems to me that if they are putting a huge amount of money into the old trains that they have no intention of buying new ones. Even if they do plan on it... it will be pretty far into the future.

I believe that money would have to be spent on upkeep whether new trains are coming or not. As much as we rag on the monorails, their condition could still take quite a fall from grace if upkeep was throttled significantly.

It certainly doesn't seem they've made any capital improvements lately to the trains, only maintenance cost.

 

[lazyboy97o]

In most cases those at Walt Disney World charged with maintaining existing assets are not those involved in developing new assets.

 

[nace888]

How do the Innovia 200 doors work? That is your answer.

The ones on the Vegas innovia 200 are on a top and bottom track that just slide from side to side similar to the grocery store door. It doesn't make a body look flush, but it also doesn't look bad either.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Well a freshly painted train sells for more on ebay..

Sure, they should be able to pick up an additional 10 bucks out of that.

I believe that money would have to be spent on upkeep whether new trains are coming or not. As much as we rag on the monorails, their condition could still take quite a fall from grace if upkeep was throttled significantly.

It certainly doesn't seem they've made any capital improvements lately to the trains, only maintenance cost.

You could be right, but, it isn't like Disney (especially in Orlando) to spend a lot of money on complete overhauls which sounds like that to me. To be fair, I don't have a clue what extent the trains are being overhauled. It might just be a coat of paint to look new. I just think with all the money they have been spending on other things, if they can get another 5 or 10 years out of the old fleet, they will do it. Maintenance is cheaper then buying a new fleet at today's prices.