Monorail Rumors?

[PACVII]

Another monorail rumor posted over on Screamscape. Link->
http://www.screamscape.com/html/walt_disney_world_resort.htm#Monorail

"Monorail System News - (4/5/12) I’ve heard this rumor countless times before… but a good source claims that Walt Disney World may be taking another long hard look at expanding the resorts iconic Monorail system once again in order to cut back on their reliance on bus transportation and move towards a functional mass transit network that would service all of the theme parks and bigger attractions eventually. Stay tuned."

Anyone have an idea? Would love to see it expanded to HS From EPCOT. This seems to the most logical point to expand as you can link in another theme park and some additional hotels. Expense is always an issue but this to would be the biggest bang for the buck.

Hope its just not another area to park a tow vehicle.

 

[DizCaptain]

I'll believe it when I see it. Sure it would be nice, given its done right. In my eyes, the only way to do that right is by linking with the Epcot resort area hotels as well in a circle with Hollywood Studios. I can definitely see that being an option, but I would hope to never see some stray monorail track making its way to Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney, thats just not economic or really functional given the distance and how crammed they get (compared to buses, I've seen children stacked on monorails). Expanding around Epcot resort areas and HS would be the only plausible step imho, but that itself would cost ALOT and take a good bit of time without disturbing the current system and other transit. It'd be nice to see one day, I just don't know if it'd happen anytime soon...

 

[OKW Lover]

I don't know why WDW would want to "cut back on their reliance on bus transportation". The busses are already part of a "a functional mass transit network that would service all of the theme parks". What is gained by spending $$$ on extending the monorail?

 

[doconeill]

I don't believe it at all. It would be very, VERY expensive to expand the monorail. I sure hope they don't try and say it would be oft-quoted "$1 million/mile" fallacy.

The monorail is not flexible at all either. One breakdown basically shuts down the beam, which takes a whole route offline. To improve that, they'd have to put in a lot more switches, which are also very expensive for these systems.

They also reportedly have problems supplying enough power to the system as it is. They'd probably have to retrofit the whole power system on the existing lines as well. And they already have enough maintenance problems with the current fleet.

It also means that a distiguishing feature of the monorail resorts would be lost. If you believe some of the threads about X-PASS being free to deluxe guests to fill those rooms because they need something else to entice them, then taking something else away won't help.

 

[k5jm]

It would be more economical to put a light rail type system or ground level/elevated train system like what is at IAH in Houston (not the peoplemover at IAH).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R_A5SM9l3w

Here is the peoplemover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67170UxSwkw

 

[Friendly Frog]

Since they cut back the monorail operating hours, it seems to me that they favor the bus as the mode of transportation.


I guess if gas gets expensive enough, it might be a consideration.

 

[chartle]

1. It would be more economical to put a light rail type system or ground level/elevated train system like what is at IAH in Houston (not the peoplemover at IAH).

Ground level wouldn't be any different than a bus so you would have to elevate it to remove at grade crossings.

Either one, elevated being worse, you still have the same issue as the monorail. A train breaks down and the entire line is down. So what do you do, you call up the more flexible buses.

 

[chartle]

Since they cut back the monorail operating hours, it seems to me that they favor the bus as the mode of transportation.


I guess if gas gets expensive enough, it might be a consideration.

Maybe if it got to I don't know $200 - 300 a gallon, but at that level no one will be driving to WDW anyway.

But gas being that expensive will probably make electricity very expensive. Remember the monorails don't run on pixie dust.

 

[nuts]

At one time there was a rumor that Disney was looking at using this companies idea:

http://taxi2000.com/

 

[marius97]

They also reportedly have problems supplying enough power to the system as it is. They'd probably have to retrofit the whole power system on the existing lines as well. And they already have enough maintenance problems with the current fleet.

Well in that case, I think that it is time to invoke their right to build a nuclear power plant.

 

[Golf4food]

Well in that case, I think that it is time to invoke their right to build a nuclear power plant.

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! And Uranium Rods!

 

[umichigan10]

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust! And Uranium Rods!

 

[FTWFAN]

Ground rail..Quarter the cost..

 

[chartle]

Ground rail..Quarter the cost..

But since it would have to cross roads, no different than bus travelwise and it still has all the problems of all tracked vehicles. Which is they are on a track and can't just move aside to let other vehicles around them when not if they breakdown.

 

[chartle]

At one time there was a rumor that Disney was looking at using this companies idea:

http://taxi2000.com/

This looks like some college student's graduate thesis. In fact the address on the website is a university.

There are huge hurdles to cross with something like this, first one that comes to mind is a power failure. It would hours to evacuate, like a day.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

It looks really cool but I do not think Disney is looking to move people in small amounts.

 

[DCTooTall]

Ground level wouldn't be any different than a bus so you would have to elevate it to remove at grade crossings.

Either one, elevated being worse, you still have the same issue as the monorail. A train breaks down and the entire line is down. So what do you do, you call up the more flexible buses.

The difference between the monorail and an elevated light right however would be the costs and difficulty involved in switches. It would be much easier to build/design a system with crossover switches placed at regular intervals to allow single-track operation to bypass a stranded vehicle.

Besides being much less expensive to install those switches, it would also allow the trains to switch tracks without the need to take power offline on both track segments in the process.


Honestly, i don't expect the monorail system to be expanded at this point. I can't help but wonder though if maybe some of the rumors might be getting fed from some behind the scenes talk of a large capital expenditure on the monorail system in the not-too-terribly-distant future. (you know... the type which could possibly be used to purchase new trains to replace the current aging fleet)

 

[chartle]

It looks really cool but I do not think Disney is looking to move people in small amounts.

Not if they had 500 to a 1,000 of them.

 

[chartle]

Honestly, i don't expect the monorail system to be expanded at this point. I can't help but wonder though if maybe some of the rumors might be getting fed from some behind the scenes talk of a large capital expenditure on the monorail system in the not-too-terribly-distant future. (you know... the type which could possibly be used to purchase new trains to replace the current aging fleet)

No I think its being fed by people who think the monorail is the magical way to get around and its what Walt would have wanted.

Not thinking about the cost and the operation.

 

[DCTooTall]

No I think its being fed by people who think the monorail is the magical way to get around and its what Walt would have wanted.

Not thinking about the cost and the operation.

Under normal circumstances, I'd totally agree as to the source of the rumor. We've all heard it too many times to count. I just wonder if the "Good Source" mentioned in the first post's citation could be someone who may actually have a tad bit of inside info access and heard rumors of a drastic increase in Monorail spending coming, and then made the jump to "EXPANDING THE MONORAIL!!" instead of thinking about the other MAJOR Capital expenditure that is much more likely and way overdue in replacing the aging fleet. (Seriously, No other Disney monorail Generation at either DL or WDW has been in service for this long, or wracked up nearly as many miles/hours of usage as the current MKVI's).


Of course... I'm probably running off the mistaken hope that maybe this isn't just a standard rehash of the old "MONORAIL EXPANSION!!" rumor just coming out of the grave again and actually has some actual legitimate information that's prompted it. (You know, some nugget of truth that is then completely taken the wrong direction and blown way out of proportion by the Disney Rumor Mill )