Monorail automation process to begin--huh?

[Epcotfan64]

OK, I read the link on here about the monorail automation process, but what exactly does that mean? Will there be no more drivers, and will it operate much like the monorail at OIA does?

 

[Figmentforever24]

OK, I read the link on here about the monorail automation process, but what exactly does that mean? Will there be no more drivers, and will it operate much like the monorail at OIA does?

They will need no driver and can dispatch faster making shorter wait times at the stations.

 

[Epcotfan64]

Thanks for your quick response and clearing that up! It's going to look odd seeing it pull up with no driver at the helm.

 

[doconeill]

I expect there will still be a "driver". They won't have to do as much, but they may be needed to override the system from time to time. Plus, there would be a CM on board in case there is a problem such as the train needing to be evacuated, etc.

 

[JACKNAG]

Who else doesn't like this ?
I think this is a semi bad Idea. As it is I'm not to keen on college kids driving a Monorail. There are plenty of mature Disney fans that would drive the Monorail if it would pay a living wage. Upgrading the system to have an anti collision system should be done. The newest Subaru advertises an anti collision system, it would seem Disney could put one in. But to have a moderately trained Pilot at the helm in the event of an emergency running it manually with no driving hours under his belt is ridiculous to me. I read on a web site the cost is around 75 million dollars.
Whats everyone's thoughts?

 

[doconeill]

Who else doesn't like this ?
I think this is a semi bad Idea. As it is I'm not to keen on college kids driving a Monorail. There are plenty of mature Disney fans that would drive the Monorail if it would pay a living wage. Upgrading the system to have an anti collision system should be done. The newest Subaru advertises an anti collision system, it would seem Disney could put one in. But to have a moderately trained Pilot at the helm in the event of an emergency running it manually with no driving hours under his belt is ridiculous to me. I read on a web site the cost is around 75 million dollars.
Whats everyone's thoughts?

The monorail was meant to be a transportation system of the future...well, transportation systems are moving to automation. Many already are. It's the future of such systems.

And the monorail already had safety systems, but they often needed to overridden by the pilot.

 

[Laz]

RATS! One of my retirement dreams was to get a job driving the WDW monorails. Oh well, here I come WDW boats! Everyone put on your life jackets!

 

[rteetz]

Thanks for your quick response and clearing that up! It's going to look odd seeing it pull up with no driver at the helm.

There will still be a driver because of safety. That driver has the right to take over at anytime if the auto malfunctions.

 

[SoarinSC]

RATS! One of my retirement dreams was to get a job driving the WDW monorails. Oh well, here I come WDW boats! Everyone put on your life jackets!

HA! Mine too! Ah well, if they need someone to hose them down each day I can do that ;P

 

[JACKNAG]

There will still be a driver because of safety. That driver has the right to take over at anytime if the auto malfunctions.

The question is how many hours of experience will the driver have? MY thoughts after a few years , very few pilots will have ever driven a Monorail or know how to deal with the MAPO system if it will even exist with the new system.

 

[rteetz]

The question is how many hours of experience will the driver have? MY thoughts after a few years , very few pilots will have ever driven a Monorail or know how to deal with the MAPO system if it will even exist with the new system.

What they really should do is get completely new monorails to update their over 20 year old trains but we know that isn't going to happen.

 

[Polydweller]

There will still be a driver because of safety. That driver has the right to take over at anytime if the auto malfunctions.

When they first announced this a year or two ago, they announced there would be a driver just as you say and they also said that a driver will have to actually start it moving at a station. That way it won't begin to leave a station until it is safe.

 

[Gracie09]

Who else doesn't like this ?
I think this is a semi bad Idea. As it is I'm not to keen on college kids driving a Monorail. There are plenty of mature Disney fans that would drive the Monorail if it would pay a living wage. Upgrading the system to have an anti collision system should be done. The newest Subaru advertises an anti collision system, it would seem Disney could put one in. But to have a moderately trained Pilot at the helm in the event of an emergency running it manually with no driving hours under his belt is ridiculous to me. I read on a web site the cost is around 75 million dollars.
Whats everyone's thoughts?

Idk most if not all of the major train accidents including the one that kills the driver at wdw were caused by human error. It seems like it would be safer to have it automated. If the monorail needs to stop it does, immediately. No waiting for the driver to recognize the danger and then react.
It will also allow trains to run more frequently. With Disney adding to every resort on the line in recent years ridership has increased.

 

[rteetz]

Idk most if not all of the major train accidents including the one that kills the driver at wdw were caused by human error. It seems like it would be safer to have it automated. If the monorail needs to stop it does, immediately. No waiting for the driver to recognize the danger and then react. It will also allow trains to run more frequently. With Disney adding to every resort on the line in recent years ridership has increased.

Yes but train capacity hasn't increased. Also the insides of these trains are atrocious they need to be redone but disney isn't going to do that. All of this is showing that disney needs to update their trains but they aren't because it will be way too costly right now. The monorails as they are now are running themselves into their own respective graves and by the time disney does something it may be too late. It's brought up all the time why doesn't disney expand the lines because its way too expensive. I could care less if they expanded or not but the appalling state of the trains means something needs to be done.

 

[WDWMania22]

One step closer to Westworld? If they start producing bald robots dressed as cowboys I'm outta there!

 

[caisland]

Haven't they said the automation is only certain hours of the day?
Something like 10 am until 9 pm.
Outside that the drivers would have control

 

[wcurry66]

Its already happening at other places

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-20985642

 

[Lewisc]

AFAIK the Las Vegas monorail is automated (no drivers). AFAIK the elevated trains (technically not a monorail) which transport us from the main terminal to the gate areas at MCO are also automated. I think the autotrain at JfK is also automated.

I'd be shocked if Disney is spending $$$ to automate the monorail but will still have monorail drivers.

 

[rteetz]

AFAIK the Las Vegas monorail is automated (no drivers). AFAIK the elevated trains (technically not a monorail) which transport us from the main terminal to the gate areas at MCO are also automated. I think the autotrain at JfK is also automated.

I'd be shocked if Disney is spending $$$ to automate the monorail but will still have monorail drivers.

It has been reported they will still have someone in there incase of a override problem. The disney monorails are different than those monorails. what disney really needs to do is spend money on a new set of trains. these are over 20 years old and are showing their age.

 

[disneynutz]

Idk most if not all of the major train accidents including the one that kills the driver at wdw were caused by human error. It seems like it would be safer to have it automated. If the monorail needs to stop it does, immediately. No waiting for the driver to recognize the danger and then react.
It will also allow trains to run more frequently. With Disney adding to every resort on the line in recent years ridership has increased.

Exactly, remove human error that can result in death and lawsuits and improve the service and shorten wait times.

Bill