Upgrades and Improvements to Disney Transport

[DznyRktekt]

Yes, they did this for a short time since the ferry boats could not keep up with demand. I think it was right before all of the monorails came on line. So maybe first month or so. Or I could have this backwards. I think it was also mentioned in Bob Gurr's video as well. So the tractors were designed to pull the trams up the 6% grade on the water bridge by Contemp. Initially they could not do this very well and would overheat regularly. This is why the design has not changed much from the orange/brown trams to current purple/white ones.

I remember the first generation trams (after the airport tugs) and how they would belch black smoke into the air like a tractor pull. They had smokestacks that protruded from the back of the engine cover from the black ovals shown below. Anyone know if the current trams are the first generation tractors converted/ modified/ painted?

....goes to read Bob Gurr article to answer own question.
Yup. Second to the last paragraph, there it is. CNG to Diesel, back to CNG. Same trams for 40+ years.

 

[jme]

I wonder if they will color corrdinate at TTC so villains colors are on one side and heros colors on the other?

Will these new trams still smell like a diesel fire blowing directly at every passenger?

 

[Flalex72]

The new tractors look to be a modified pushback tractor from TLD Group.

https://www.tld-group.com/products/conventional-aircraft-tractors/

 

[BubbaQuest]

I was so excited by the headline, and then so disappointed. Look everyone Disney found some paint cans!

 

[Big Hair]

this! I miss the mickey mouse club march playing as you pulled in to the MK, or the resort specific music as you got closer to that resort etc. do we need disco clubs on the busses?

The Mickey Mouse club march was what used to play as the magic express bus passed onto WDW property wasn't it. I really miss that. It was a great punctuation to the actual start of the magic. I don't think I have heard it for a couple of years now. Why did they quit playing it as you arrived on property? Maybe it was just us but I thought it was something really special.

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm very sensitive to high pitched sounds. It's not the loudness, it's the tone and sure enough it's when they're accelerating or decelerating. Still though, I get your point- it's loud/annoying regardless.

Ah sorry about the sensitivity because most turbo 'whine' is actually pretty loud from a decibel standpoint.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Perhaps improving frequency and reliability should be the focus...

 

[GhostHost1000]

Perhaps improving frequency and reliability should be the focus...

and we have a winner!

 

[RustySpork]

You know, a surprise trivia contest is a great way to kill time while the monorail is down. Maybe they can add dessert parties for those times that we wait for the faults to clear?

 

[brb1006]

"Larry Truong writes:
“Our buses, monorails, boats and trams aren’t just modes of transportation for our Guests and Cast Members,”says JasonKirk vice president of Walt Disney World Transportation Operations, “They are apart of the fun and a part of the immersive Disney experience.”
Special greetings themed to a bus’s destination now appear on the marquees. ‘Charmed To See You” is one of the greetings for buses headed to Magic Kingdom Park.
New digital screens at all of our resort bus stops let Guests know in real-time when their bus is scheduled to arrive.
An all-new interior themed to the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” mesmerized Guests during a limited play test in 2016. Nicknamed “the fun bus.‘ it featured a custom light show, advanced GPS technology and comfy seats as seen in this video
And watercraft Cast Members across property now sport new costumes.
Technology has been updated to a more automated system as part of several recent enhancements, for a safer and more efficient ride.
Monorail Cast Members are hosting spontaneous trivia contests for Guests aboard the monorail and Guests can win prizes. “How many monorail cars make up a monorail train?”
Monorail highway in the sky dining includes three resorts five courses in a culinary monorail journey.
“We’ll be there in 223 elephant steps.” says the educational, new signage in the parking lots at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. That’s about a four- minute walk in human steps.
Our parking trams will receive an all-new paint job inspired by the monorail colors. New, custom-made tram tractors will also ensure a quieter transit." I just saw this on Facebook and figured id share. Most information has already been reported but

I thought I made a thread similar to this.

 

[Luxe]

I thought I made a thread similar to this.

Glad I'm not the only one feeling a bit of deja vu...

 

[roj2323]

Perhaps improving frequency and reliability should be the focus...

Well they finally changed the safety spiel in November-ish to a much better method. They say the spoken safety message and then get the tram moving while they play the recorded multi language versions. It cuts the load to departure time by about 2 minutes and has really helped speed things up.

 

[jbolen2]

Yes, they did this for a short time since the ferry boats could not keep up with demand. I think it was right before all of the monorails came on line. So maybe first month or so. Or I could have this backwards. I think it was also mentioned in Bob Gurr's video as well. So the tractors were designed to pull the trams up the 6% grade on the water bridge by Contemp. Initially they could not do this very well and would overheat regularly. This is why the design has not changed much from the orange/brown trams to current purple/white ones.

Never knew they did this

 

[GVentola]

When I first heard the news about the new trams, I was a little disappointed, thinking of treasured memories from my childhood...and my adolescence and adulthood! But if they're softer, that's good. I've often been on the tram and heard the announcer mumble things (perhaps very important things!) and not been able to hear him/her because of all the noise the tram makes just running.

I've used the buses in the past when I've made a staycation to one of the hotels, but nowadays, I'm hesitant to er, resort, to using the resort buses. Both my knees haven't been the same in the last couple of years (long, non-Disney story), and I'm afraid of it being standing room only. I don't look like a person with any physical problems, so I'm afraid no one would give up their seat for me. I don't use buses anywhere that often, so I'm not very skilled at standing up straight and still while the bus bounces around. Once I almost fell on two ladies' laps!

 

[Obobru]

I can't understand why Disney doesn't purchase a fleet of double deck buses as its all point to point and for high capacity routes such as to the values this could clear lines faster.

 

[peter11435]

I can't understand why Disney doesn't purchase a fleet of double deck buses as its all point to point and for high capacity routes such as to the values this could clear lines faster.

Likely clearance issues with that. They did purchase a fleet of the 70 foot articulated buses.

 

[Rteetz]

WDW Monorail Train Control System autopilot will be running on all three beams all day starting Tuesday. This is the plan unless technical issues arise, then they will switch back over to legacy. Monorail midday closures and modified schedules will still be happening to further test and tweak system programming, as well as other maintenance.

 

[Creathir]

WDW Monorail Train Control System autopilot will be running on all three beams all day starting Tuesday. This is the plan unless technical issues arise, then they will switch back over to legacy. Monorail midday closures and modified schedules will still be happening to further test and tweak system programming, as well as other maintenance.

That's some big news!

Be interesting to see if wait times decrease/thruput increases as planned.

 

[articos]

I remember the first generation trams (after the airport tugs) and how they would belch black smoke into the air like a tractor pull. They had smokestacks that protruded from the back of the engine cover from the black ovals shown below. Anyone know if the current trams are the first generation tractors converted/ modified/ painted?

View attachment 187649

....goes to read Bob Gurr article to answer own question.
Yup. Second to the last paragraph, there it is. CNG to Diesel, back to CNG. Same trams for 40+ years.

Yes, 40 year old trams, originally re-engineered in 3 days. That doesn't happen in today's Disney. Considering WDI's work on the reskin for the DL monorail trains, the new parking tram cabs are a travesty.

 

[BubbaQuest]

You know, a surprise trivia contest is a great way to kill time while the monorail is down. Maybe they can add dessert parties for those times that we wait for the faults to clear?

Lol. Monorail down? For only $40 we'll bring you a cupcake to make you feel better.