Monorail Operating Costs and Reliability

[Disney Von Drake]

Let's not forget that when the monorail first went into operation, the idea was that cheap nuclear power would soon be available to run the system. In 1977 Crystal River 3 Nuclear Power Plant came on line and the WDW monorail system greatly benefitted from that cheap power. Of course they expanded the monorail based upon the promise of continued cheap power. And everything went as planned until they started having major problems with Crystal River 3.

Now, the plant is closed and the monorails are now powered by dirty and expensive coal fired power plants. It is now the desire of WDW to get out of the monorail business.

 

[disBOBney]

This is an interesting thread. While, I understand that it may seem that operating the monorail would be cost prohibitive, lets consider some of the assumptions made thus far. 1) they must be considering eliminating the mr because they haven't upgraded it significantly. Isn't that a point for its continued use? Buses have to have regular engine replacements and repair and the coaches replaced periodically. Each bus has an engine, while the mr has many cars propelled by one engine. The fact that there seems to be infrequent upgrades speaks to the longevity of the mr cars and locomotives. 2) Only a fraction of the quests are serviced by the the mr. While this is true, it must be remembered that each bus, or boat only serves a much smaller fraction of the guests and the number of destination points any transportation mode makes is similar (i.e. one park and one to three resorts). 3) More personnel are required to operate the mr than the other modes. I sincerely doubt this assumption. One pilot moves considerably more people than the many bus drivers, or boat coxswains. There are most likely fewer mechanics assigned to work on the mr than on the buses, and fewer maintenance people to take care of the track than are required to take care of the roads. 4) It is a cost center. One might try to argue that all the supplied transportation modes are cost centers, however, it has obviously been determined by disney that providing the transportation of it's guests they actually make more money, not least by charging more for their rooms than off campus hotels charge. MR resorts even charge more than other Disney resorts, therefore I would contend that the mr makes more money than the other forms. In addition, to the higher room rates of mr resorts, remember Disney is not making money while quest are being transported from point a to point b, therefore the quicker you can get the guest off of the transportation mode the higher the profit, the mr is the fastest mode of transportation. BTW the boats are the slowest per distance traveled. 5) It doesn't make sense to add any new stops on the loops. While it may not be smart to put all the resorts on the mr because the number of stops would slow everything down, it might be good to make stops at Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom. By adding these two locations they would have a quick means of transporting people between the parks, which currently is a laborious chore. While some may speculate that Disney doesn't want hoppers, what they do want is people spend the most time on property as possible.

I agree that the buses are more flexible, if one breaks down on the road traffic moves around it until it is repaired or removed. If a detour is needed, a bus can handle exceptions while the mr is not accommodating.

Lastly, the mr is not only a mode of transportation it is an attraction in and of it's self.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

We can all go in circles with the Monorails..........

It its clear they will never close any more then The castle is removed from the MK........they are a Icon. Many people ride them just to run them, so usage figures based in MK attendance or resort attendance is meaningless. The monorails are a big attendance draw all by themselves.

Costs...........the building costs at WDW have gone down (taking into account inflation etc) since the original system. Manufacturing costs are cheaper as new designs and building technics have come a long way. Compared to urban systems, Disney controls everything, less approval costs, land there, routes there, fewer stations and actual maintainace and operational labor costs less.

Yes I love the monorails, but that aside the reasons to keep them and maybe expand them far out weight removing them.


Now all that said.

The system most like to be reduced in a big way are the buses........their costs are always raising and people see no fun in riding a bus. People who go to work on them hate them and people that don't ride them, don't want to ride them. Bus manufacturing cost are rising, environmental costs are rising, fuel costs, Diesel or gas are rising. Roadways take abuse big time from buses and bus stops always need to be worked on.

Now all that said......


I don't see the monorails being removed, what I do see happening is a pod system or light rail, connecting parks and resorts and possible a monorail from MCO to a station or two in WDW. Light rail track/channels are actual not much more then roads ways, the pods or car can carry form 4 to 30 or 40 people and can run more often then buses and faster.

New and innovative transportation is one reason people come to Disney, they are a big attendance draw, both travelers and local.

AKK

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Tonk,

I disagree with you 1000%

By all reason...they should be looking for a mass, prederably energy efficient, transport to replace the buses.

I see 0.00% chance they're doing that.

The monorail is a bit of a showpiece... The boats are too if you're honest. And that was a thing that Disney "did" in the past and were willing to swallow the cost without much of a second thought...

But we're past that...they care only of costs and profits...and those systems are a higher per capita cost (we think) than the flexibility of diesel buses...

Those buses aren't cheap...neither are the fleet of drivers and their benefit costs...

But they have steadily expanded their use property wide.

This isn't a new thing...it they were losing money on buses we would have seen another mass transit project long ago - most likely in the ak construction era.

The current leadership has shown an outright distaste for any bill that can't be tied directly to profits - and fast.

The park projects that don't...fantasyland and avatar notably...have these ridiculous slog construction approaches - logically to dilute bills because they came specifically upcharge for them.

Yet...ridiculous dessert parties and overpriced tours roll out in a matter of minutes without prep or thought.

I think if you believe anybody in the Dwarf House or the sham board gives a dung about maintaining the monorail for "nostalgia"...then lets play poker

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Tonk,

I disagree with you 1000%

By all reason...they should be looking for a mass, prederably energy efficient, transport to replace the buses.

I see 0.00% chance they're doing that.

The monorail is a bit of a showpiece... The boats are too if you're honest. And that was a thing that Disney "did" in the past and were willing to swallow the cost without much of a second thought...

But we're past that...they care only of costs and profits...and those systems are a higher per capita cost (we think) than the flexibility of diesel buses...

Those buses aren't cheap...neither are the fleet of drivers and their benefit costs...

But they have steadily expanded their use property wide.

This isn't a new thing...it they were losing money on buses we would have seen another mass transit project long ago - most likely in the ak construction era.

The current leadership has shown an outright distaste for any bill that can't be tied directly to profits - and fast.

The park projects that don't...fantasyland and avatar notably...have these ridiculous slog construction approaches - logically to dilute bills because they came specifically upcharge for them.

Yet...ridiculous dessert parties and overpriced tours roll out in a matter of minutes without prep or thought.

I think if you believe anybody in the Dwarf House or the sham board gives a dung about maintaining the monorail for "nostalgia"...then lets play poker

We totally disagree..no problem there (if we always agreed, we would not be here)........however the reasons I gave are thought out, and present the future, not the past. the last 20 years was the expansion era and now WDW needs to up grade and improve a state of the art and future type transportation system that improve the transit system and will continue to increase attendance just by being there, like the monorail and boats did/do.

That is my most important reason. The transportation, like boats and Monorails bring in attendance..............the *shame board and yes I agree with you on that in the past 10 years* look to attendance.

The buses have expanded all they can and they cannot handle the crowds now and ridership is increasing. The more the buses cost to buy and maintain and operate the more my ideas become possible.

Time will tell!


AKK

 

[disBOBney]

and possible a monorail from MCO to a station or two in WDW.

I would love to see this happen. Of course this has been a dream of many people for decades. Unfortunately, traffic congestion is not bad enough to overcome the political nightmare they would create. If the system only serviced Disney, the other tourist attractions would cry foul. If it included, stops to other resorts and key locations it would still affect so many jobs in the car rental, limo and taxi services, bus service industries etc. that the political fallout (sorry to be so cynical) will keep the authorizers from taking the chance. I am afraid that we will have to dream a few more decades,on this proposal.

 

[wallrock]

We can all go in circles with the Monorails..........

It its clear they will never close any more then The castle is removed from the MK........they are a Icon. Many people ride them just to run them, so usage figures based in MK attendance or resort attendance is meaningless. The monorails are a big attendance draw all by themselves.

Costs...........the building costs at WDW have gone down (taking into account inflation etc) since the original system. Manufacturing costs are cheaper as new designs and building technics have come a long way. Compared to urban systems, Disney controls everything, less approval costs, land there, routes there, fewer stations and actual maintainace and operational labor costs less.

Yes I love the monorails, but that aside the reasons to keep them and maybe expand them far out weight removing them.


Now all that said.

The system most like to be reduced in a big way are the buses........their costs are always raising and people see no fun in riding a bus. People who go to work on them hate them and people that don't ride them, don't want to ride them. Bus manufacturing cost are rising, environmental costs are rising, fuel costs, Diesel or gas are rising. Roadways take abuse big time from buses and bus stops always need to be worked on.

Now all that said......


I don't see the monorails being removed, what I do see happening is a pod system or light rail, connecting parks and resorts and possible a monorail from MCO to a station or two in WDW. Light rail track/channels are actual not much more then roads ways, the pods or car can carry form 4 to 30 or 40 people and can run more often then buses and faster.

New and innovative transportation is one reason people come to Disney, they are a big attendance draw, both travelers and local.

AKK

Completely disagree here as well.

“Icons” matter not if they don’t generate profit, or if their maintenance expense outweighs their financial benefits. Maintenance expense notwithstanding, it’s been pointed out that the monorails don’t generate money – they consume it fully. Similar arguments to a degree can be put forth for buses and boats but as mentioned if there were a cheaper alternative it would be in place by now.

Regarding your costs, you’re implying that because it’s cheaper now than during the original and Epcot build phases (I’d like to see the numbers on that) that Disney should jump on board. Again there’s no need to do it with the infrastructure (buses and boats) already in place. Disney, like any other dutiful Wall Street conglomerate, will only spend money if that’s the only alternative to bring profits back up.

The fuel question…natural gas is being used instead of diesel.

And guests don’t come to Disney for transportation innovation. I’d wager that ninety-nine percent could care less what mode of transportation they use just as long as it gets them from A to B. Word has it that Disney is already putting elements in place so guests know almost down to the minute when the next bus will arrive. If memory serves, there is testing going on in Anaheim to monitor the buses in real time. Buses are here to stay.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Completely disagree here as well.

“Icons” matter not if they don’t generate profit, or if their maintenance expense outweighs their financial benefits. Maintenance expense notwithstanding, it’s been pointed out that the monorails don’t generate money – they consume it fully. Similar arguments to a degree can be put forth for buses and boats but as mentioned if there were a cheaper alternative it would be in place by now.

Regarding your costs, you’re implying that because it’s cheaper now than during the original and Epcot build phases (I’d like to see the numbers on that) that Disney should jump on board. Again there’s no need to do it with the infrastructure (buses and boats) already in place. Disney, like any other dutiful Wall Street conglomerate, will only spend money if that’s the only alternative to bring profits back up.

The fuel question…natural gas is being used instead of diesel.

And guests don’t come to Disney for transportation innovation. I’d wager that ninety-nine percent could care less what mode of transportation they use just as long as it gets them from A to B. Word has it that Disney is already putting elements in place so guests know almost down to the minute when the next bus will arrive. If memory serves, there is testing going on in Anaheim to monitor the buses in real time. Buses are here to stay.

THE BUSES ARE IN Place.............Yes....BUT AS many delays and problem the last 5 years or so prove, they are not able to carry the present ridership and will not be able to carry the future increases in attendance. I would point out the increase in natural gas prices the last year, which s expected to continue. I use NG at home I know about the increases!


I disagree. the transportation system does bring in attendance all by themselves, especially the Monorail and the boats. People enjoy the new innovation. To prove it, read post after post about interest in the boats and Monorail. How people are so upset of any of them are down for maintenance or whatever!...

I have carefully read your post, but you have not proven any of my points as wrong.

Innovative Transportation ........is put of the show to the guests and thus is part of the over all profit.


AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I would love to see this happen. Of course this has been a dream of many people for decades. Unfortunately, traffic congestion is not bad enough to overcome the political nightmare they would create. If the system only serviced Disney, the other tourist attractions would cry foul. If it included, stops to other resorts and key locations it would still affect so many jobs in the car rental, limo and taxi services, bus service industries etc. that the political fallout (sorry to be so cynical) will keep the authorizers from taking the chance. I am afraid that we will have to dream a few more decades,on this proposal.

Good points, but the last plan I read about did include other stations and stops in Orlando and Disney, agreed to provide land and to biuld at WDW, a station or two.

Time will tell and it well maybe a decade yet!

 

[DDLand]

“Icons” matter not if they don’t generate profit

You do realize what business Disney is in right?

Getting people to escape their hectic lives, and then go some place arguably more hectic. All starting at just 105$.

You don't do that by offering things you can do at home. You don't do that by destroying people's fond memories. You don't do that by knocking out a key storyteller and place setter.

Does any single attraction make money? Nope. (unless you're talking about merchandise, in which case monorail is probably one of the best income drivers. They also drive hotel rates on the line.)

The entire experience makes money. The experience is made up of hundreds of details. The monorail is one of them.

 

[DDLand]

And guests don’t come to Disney for transportation innovation.

No, they come for the experience. Expecting a more comfortable aesthetically form of mass transit is a part of that experience.

I’d wager that ninety-nine percent could care less what mode of transportation they use just as long as it gets them from A to B.

That's why people are furious when there's a monorail outage and have to take the boat.

Word has it that Disney is already putting elements in place so guests know almost down to the minute when the next bus will arrive.

Absolutely right. Actually they're installing infrastructure into the monorails to do the same thing. So by using your logic Monorails

are here to stay.

 

[PACVII]

I also feel time will tell. Sorry so long winded here.

I feel the cost to operate a monorail per rider has to be lower then bus (by the way each car has motors not just a locamotive unit as stated by prior poster). However the cost to build it out is going to be so much more over buying new buses the break even point is in years, tens of years. So will say disney is not going to spend the money to do it no matter how much sense it makes. Unless it makes cents in a few years and not a decade. People do like to ride it much better then a bus but is just not enogh of a reason for them to do it.

I would think boats have a higher per rider cost then any other mode of transportation on property but overhead is low so that is the balance point.

Cost of fuel is going up so the point where it maybe plausible to build some kind of people mover is coming. largest expense for most large company is wages. However the cost for that should be close per rider between bus, boat and monorail and not going to be an overall factor. All three have support crews and operators to pay. Comes down to highway maintance vs railway track. What I am not sure of if disney pays out of pocket for road or highway as they have a interstate thru the property and that maybe coming out of taxpayers pockets. My guess is they pay for the roads coming off and around the property but not i4. They will still need the roads, so overall again, that will need to come out of the equations used here.

Comes down to building out the track and the internal support systems for a people mover type system. That is going to be the highest cost. If they can partner with a manufactor (would be a big win for a company) and the goverment to try and offset cost it will bring cost down but still much higher then one billion spent on magic bands (bands have reported to increase customer spending) and has no revenue. Sure it will greatly improve the experance but that is not income when you have record attendance at the gate right now.

I for one wish they would build out some kind of system but just don't see it in the next 25 years. When you are waiting for a monorail the time seems to be half of that when waiting for a bus and that maybe true due to timing on a fix schedule vs that of all the flexibility of the bus (yes that is sarcasm). I don't mind standing on a packed magic people mover in the sky but can not stand the 'pack the bus' game they play at my expense.

I do really think if built in stages it makes sense. You may never connect all the resorts but can connect the parks, including the water parks, and the downtown area. Along that line you include the resorts that you can. Then you can justify an even larger room cost increase then annual increases seen now. Basically making them in line with deluxe resorts overnight just by adding the monorail service. Thus giving revenue. Even a modest $10 / $20 a night per room could be justified easily and is big income given occupancy rates.

Sure it will cost more then one billion that was spent on colored rubber bands but given the possibility, would think the return on the investment (yes investestment) could be so much more then what disney will ever get out of magic bands. The problem is you have no brave visionary thinkers in the chain of decision makers. Unless you feel a few chotskies are the path to take or adding a land that is really going to be a building and a few given attractions of limited return then the current direction is the path for you to take. I just always thought disney was to be visionary but unfinished and always building for the future on the cutting edge of technology and maybe that is where magic band (not feeling it myself, a little programming and RFID to get in my wallet) is not enough.

Build out a visionary land and they will come. The monorail although not an attaction in the park is an attaction for the parks. Spend the capital and do it right and you will recoup from it for many years. That is your return and the reason in itself to invest in it. Buses are not the magical answer they served the purpose getting you through the growth you have seen in the last few decades now it's time to return to what disney was to be and build out the tranportantion needed for the future getting you throught the next century.

 

[DDLand]

Yeah... Since you brought it up...

Those number are off by at least 50%

Contrary to perception...75% of travelers are not in magic kingdom...

It's statistically about 37-38%...

So we'll assume 40 - or around 56,000 daily based on the daily average.

So you take that... Add the transfer business from EPCOT, and the 600 or so rooms/330 villas from contemp, 800 or so (previllas) from poly, 600+ villas from GF worth of visitors...

Subtract boat travels, walkers from contemp, and ALL THE BUS VISITORS FROM ALL OTHER HOTELS...

And what is your real number? 50,000...being generous.

So the estimate was only off by 100-200%

Of course some days are much higher...many more are much lower

The monorails, while important, are NOT work horses. They are incredibly important in the morning and two times at night...but other than that they are more or less scenery

They're there...we love em...but are they immune from the axe permenantly?

No...I can't find enough reason to justify that stance.

Indeed, looking at the numbers it does appear to be high. It was probably found it here:
http://www.wdwmagic.com/transportation/monorail.htm

Not the OP's fault. Though WDWmagic is usually accurate. Strange how all this comes together. This would suggest that:

1)Way more people take monorail then boat travel and bus capturing the majority of the average total 112,000 trips.
2) Magic Kingdom Attendance is not accurately being reported by ratings agencies.
3) Lots of people just ride it for kicks.

Or the 4th most likely explanation WDWmagic got it wrong.

 

[wallrock]

THE BUSES ARE IN Place.............Yes....BUT AS many delays and problem the last 5 years or so prove, they are not able to carry the present ridership and will not be able to carry the future increases in attendance. I would point out the increase in natural gas prices the last year, which s expected to continue. I use NG at home I know about the increases!


I disagree. the transportation system does bring in attendance all by themselves, especially the Monorail and the boats. People enjoy the new innovation. To prove it, read post after post about interest in the boats and Monorail. How people are so upset of any of them are down for maintenance or whatever!...

I have carefully read your post, but you have not proven any of my points as wrong.

Innovative Transportation ........is put of the show to the guests and thus is part of the over all profit.


AKK

As far as proving points wrong, you haven’t yet presented something that needs to be proven wrong. As with other posts it’s speculation. And frustrated folks posting on this forum doesn’t exactly give you a pulse of the roughly 50 million guests that come to the Orlando campus each year.

Show me that people come to WDW for the transportation. If they did, you would see a four hour wait to ride the monorail instead of waiting to see Anna and Elsa.

And I would hardly call a transportation system that’s half a century old innovative in today’s world. Should Disney decide to install something akin to Elon Musk’s Hyperloop – a.k.a. something truly revolutionary – then I’ll happily eat my words.

 

[wallrock]

You do realize what business Disney is in right?

Getting people to escape their hectic lives, and then go some place arguably more hectic. All starting at just 105$.

You don't do that by offering things you can do at home. You don't do that by destroying people's fond memories. You don't do that by knocking out a key storyteller and place setter.

Does any single attraction make money? Nope. (unless you're talking about merchandise, in which case monorail is probably one of the best income drivers. They also drive hotel rates on the line.)

The entire experience makes money. The experience is made up of hundreds of details. The monorail is one of them.

I sure fully realize what business Disney is in - content and IP management. Take a look at which division generates the most revenue for the company. A hint: it isn't parks and resorts.

Explain the regular closings of attractions and not the openings of new ones. Not sure how long you’ve been visiting WDW, but take a look back when 20K Under the Sea was closed, or Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, or Alien Encounter, or Horizons, or Body Wars. Ask Disney if they were concerned with people’s fond memories of riding those attractions. And since when did the monorail become a 'key storyteller' or 'place setter'?

And those hotel rates are sure doing well, aren't they? That explains converting a third of the Polynesian to DVC. Yeah, because occupancy rates are so high with the cash paying guests.

The big difference between other attractions and the monorail in terms of making a profit is exactly what you stated – they have a hundred dollar cover charge. The monorail doesn’t.

 

[wallrock]

No, they come for the experience. Expecting a more comfortable aesthetically form of mass transit is a part of that experience.

As I mentioned above, show me a four hour wait to ride the monorail for fun and I’ll agree with you. Next time you ride the monorail, or any other mode of transportation there, take a look at the faces around you. In the morning they’re all interested in their destination. In the afternoon the heads are hung low, they’re holding passed out kiddos or have their heads buried in their smartphones. Hardly definitions of people absorbing their transportation experience.

That's why people are furious when there's a monorail outage and have to take the boat.

So 50 million annual guests are furious? As I mentioned above a sampling from posts on this forum doesn’t provide an overall pulse of the visitors. I’ve stated it numerous times; ninety percent of the onsite guests never have to touch the monorail. Why would they be furious for something that doesn’t impact them in the slightest? Sure a small handful may have a desire to ride for fun, but if it isn’t there they aren’t going to stop their feet in frustration and walk back to their resort in protest.

Absolutely right. Actually they're installing infrastructure into the monorails to do the same thing. So by using your logic Monorails

There’s a slight difference here. The tools being put in place for the buses are for the guests’ benefit (and I’m sure Disney management as well). I don’t recall anything stated about the current modifications on the monorail including a minute by minute status of when the next monorail is due. It’s being done to automate the system, which in my opinion is happening to reduce their liability insurance costs more than anything. Automation has a tendency to do that.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Without quoting and making things lengthy...

I have to weigh in on something..

Nobody comes to Disney world for the monorail (or the number is statistically irrelevant)...and nobody would boycott if they took transportation options away in favor of replacement (or it's statistically irrelevant)

You think paying $500-$600+ a night for a room had to do with the monorail? Maybe 5%...but nobody would boycott.

They'd gripe and complain...but the 7 seas hotels
Area is new money paradise for many customers and they'll be there...count on it.

More DVC construction makes the monorails bones ache as well...because the monorail would affect DVC usage 0.0% (margin of error)...

The hints are there...just have to read them.

Am I saying wdw clientele are a sucker, captive audience and the chooch isn't gonna drive anyone away?

Yep...me Included. Weren't not even a "captive" audience...we jump in the cage willingly and lock it behind us.

 

[clsteve]

I just wanted to add one point to the discussion without any comment on any previous comments. As all have pointed out, costs are 1 or 1.1 in any Mono discussion - including YTY's as well as depreciables around FA, B&I, etc.

But, there's a logistical side that's very important to the discussion and without a doubt is a major influencer in what they plan to do with it and maybe why it's been hanging out there for quite some time: the Mono is a Single Point of Failure (SPF) in their transpo system for a significant number of guests.

When it goes down, it's down. The whole thing. Meaning they have to continually include MTBF or even MTTF of the Mono in all other transportation models. Boats, the bus, walking, etc. Not to mention, just planning for scheduled maintenance.

So, they have to keep a certain percentage of other options for guest transpo capacity in reserve planning to be able to cover (within certain levels of pain) that SPF going down. That translates into higher costs and inefficiencies due to unoptimized capacity across the transportation board.

A bus goes down, get another bus. A road is blocked take the back way. A mono stuck, or a med emergency...... All other parts of the transpo system have to compensate.

It's a bigger issue than just the specific yty and depreciable costs for the Mono. It's a larger transpo issue since it impacts all of the costs of all of the other transpo modes.

Whoever hit on Disney going outside the box. Great thoughts. Bridges, walking flyovers, etc. They all make a lot of sense and fit the whole reduction of yty and depreciables in "non-revenue" generating areas.

Another thing they need to continue to plan for on the transpo side is any reduction in Length of Stay or an increase in the desire to travel off-site for other Orlando options that might cause a reduction in the use of Magical Express. More guests grabbing rental cars (or driving their own) so they can do a couple of days at UOR, or any other of the new options appearing in Orlando does really bad things to their parking models and traffic models.

In some ways, that's a bigger worry and one to watch...

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

As far as proving points wrong, you haven’t yet presented something that needs to be proven wrong. As with other posts it’s speculation. And frustrated folks posting on this forum doesn’t exactly give you a pulse of the roughly 50 million guests that come to the Orlando campus each year.

They do indeed give you a pulse and people over and over again want the monorail and boats etc.

Show me that people come to WDW for the transportation. If they did, you would see a four hour wait to ride the monorail instead of waiting to see Anna and Elsa.

That is not a realistic comment.

And I would hardly call a transportation system that’s half a century old innovative in today’s world. Should Disney decide to install something akin to Elon Musk’s Hyperloop – a.k.a. something truly revolutionary – then I’ll happily eat my words.

There are relatively few monorail system in the country and they are being upgraded and redesigned and new light rail and pod designs are very innovative. All this makes them a attraction in their own right


I have a MS degree and background expertize in Transportation Science and that is where I draw on my reasoning and the facts I have presented.

All we can do is politely agree to disagree.

AKK

 

[lockedoutlogic]

There are relatively few monorail system in the country and they are being upgraded and redesigned and new light rail and pod designs are very innovative. All this makes them a attraction in their own right


I have a MS degree and background expertize in Transportation Science and that is where I draw on my reasoning and the facts I have presented.

All we can do is politely agree to disagree.

AKK

I agree with you completely that light rail and site to site transport systems are a MUCH better option..

The problem is its capital investment with 0% potential of revenue or profit generation...

Would people love it? Absolutely...

Would anyone book a trip because of it?
Absolutely not.

Just like no monorails would likely effect business little if any...a new system wouldn't either.