Monorail Rumors?

[doconeill]

Although I do think such systems could be the future of short-haul peoplemover-style transportation, I think it is a far cry from something usable on the scale of WDW.

 

[manning]

Although I do think such systems could be the future of short-haul peoplemover-style transportation, I think it is a far cry from something usable on the scale of WDW.

maybe yes, maybe no. One thing for sure. None of us know for sure. I've seen many unexpected things happen in my long life.

 

[manning]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byk8LcPovOQ&feature=fvwrel

This system could be made to work at Disney.

First, the downside of a train/monorail.

1. Both would have to run the entire line from beginning to end before it could return.

2. It would take time to switch the units from one line to the other.

Now for the advantage. Some of the argument for buses is flexibility. There is a way to get flexibility with the London system

Note what it runs on. A flat roadbed like a road. This makes switching easy. You can build dedicated roadbeds from one park to another, hotel to park however you decide to do it.

With the new system using a readable microchip you gain the ability to scan each person entering each station. Visitors without park passes or key cards can get a transportation card at the station. As they enter they punch in their destination. As they enter the car they pass a scanner as to where they are going. The main computer can monitor the usage pattern. It also monitors where each car is at. Also roadbeds can be built to interconnect the routes for switching purposes.

The computer can then reroute the cars where they are needed. With the turn around at each station, the car can be turned around and sent back for a pickup without it having to go to the end of the line before returning.

The cars can easily be switched to other lines based on need. The flexibility of the bus.


Also using computers monitor the position of each car you eliminate the need of an operator, unlike a bus where you need a driver for each

You also able to space the cars closer together than you can with the monorail.

You build turn arounds at each station

 

[lockedoutlogic]

new fancy rail systems yield no profit...and the stock price doesn't tolerate that.

my prediction?
buses in perpetuity...no matter how they paint them as "cutting-edge, fuel efficient technology"...it will involve some sort of carbon burning technology (whether it is on the bus or at a conversion station) and buring tires on asphalt in the florida heat.

and eventually those monorail pylons will be covered in moss...it seems obvious now that they don't want the cost anymore. They are overdue a set of trains right now...and they have spent the past two years splicing together crashed cars and spare parts and air brushing trains with whatever new flop they feel like painted on the outside...which probably sells on average about 8 additional movie tickets.

This needed to be part of the master plan during the "disney decade"...the fact that they didn't feel the need to expand a mass transit rail based system then was a big time failure of the eisner regime.

i saw their tandem bus during testing last month...and it made me ill.
why don't they start fracking discovery island while they're at it?

 

[doconeill]

This needed to be part of the master plan during the "disney decade"...the fact that they didn't feel the need to expand a mass transit rail based system then was a big time failure of the eisner regime.

Expanding an overly-expensive and inflexible system for enormous costs, as much as all the fans would have loved it, would have been the failure when it turns out they couldn't keep it operating.

 

[manning]

Someone said one line would be built. The way around the resistance to it is to call it "test track". No decision on whether to include it in the fast pass network.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Expanding an overly-expensive and inflexible system for enormous costs, as much as all the fans would have loved it, would have been the failure when it turns out they couldn't keep it operating.

I wasn't necessarily advocating an expansion of the monorail...its probably not the most efficient means...

but something other than bus fleet would probably be better for PR/cost in the long run

 

[OldsDr]

I think from a PR standpoint converting to Fuel Cell busses would be the way to go. That way they can advertise the green aspect while not investing in all new infrastructure for a new system of travel, such as laying rails.

I am not saying they should go to fuel cell busses as I know little about them, but that would be great advertising to the masses, and probably a tax credit.

think about it "Come visit WDW this Sept. You can eat our free food and ride our green busses" they could probably get Al Gore to do the advertising.

 

[manning]

I think from a PR standpoint converting to Fuel Cell busses would be the way to go. That way they can advertise the green aspect while not investing in all new infrastructure for a new system of travel, such as laying rails.

I am not saying they should go to fuel cell busses as I know little about them, but that would be great advertising to the masses, and probably a tax credit.

think about it "Come visit WDW this Sept. You can eat our free food and ride our green busses" they could probably get Al Gore to do the advertising.

This is what is being used at Heathrow airport.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3-nC5_enBc&feature=endscreen&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byk8LcPovOQ&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=7PyUQuWmt2M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=m_W5NO6wyg0&feature=endscreen


this a full ride.

The cars are in parking bays waiting for riders. As they are waiting the batteries are receiving a charge. They can switch from route to route on the fly without delay. They are computer controlled eliminating the need for drivers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCnvBS2SME&feature=related

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I like the pods at Heathrow...as they are an update to the "PRT" systems that have been employed in many places.

But i know that disney would have a major problem with any system that has no real provision for dealing with "peaks" in real time...

i.e. not having the ability to move 200,000 people from Magic Kingdom at 12:25 am on January 1st.

that is actually why i like light rail. you have the ability to move larger amounts at a clip and you know the limits of the system on every given day of the calender.

with their desire to do interactive queues and what not...i actually don't see wait times to be that big of an issue going forward.

The early developers in Florida cut rails through the jungles 100 years ago with far limited means and eventually a whole boatload of people ended up there...

just cut rails through the swamps and be done with it. the stations and trains could be largely automated and would only require staff on an as needed basis.


with something like that in place....you don't even need the monorail or boats...they could be taken out of service to offset costs.

just my take.

 

[mcd2745]

I like the pods at Heathrow...as they are an update to the "PRT" systems that have been employed in many places.

But i know that disney would have a major problem with any system that has no real provision for dealing with "peaks" in real time...

i.e. not having the ability to move 200,000 people from Magic Kingdom at 12:25 am on January 1st.

that is actually why i like light rail. you have the ability to move larger amounts at a clip and you know the limits of the system on every given day of the calender.

with their desire to do interactive queues and what not...i actually don't see wait times to be that big of an issue going forward.

The early developers in Florida cut rails through the jungles 100 years ago with far limited means and eventually a whole boatload of people ended up there...

just cut rails through the swamps and be done with it. the stations and trains could be largely automated and would only require staff on an as needed basis.


with something like that in place....you don't even need the monorail or boats...they could be taken out of service to offset costs.

just my take.

There are many on these boards who would probably want to have you stoned or placed in fornt of a firing squad (maybe both) for that thought.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

There are many on these boards who would probably want to have you stoned or placed in fornt of a firing squad (maybe both) for that thought.

yeah...but that's not a rational take.

the monorail is great and all...but let's face it: its basically a 60 year old design and has more than shown its wear in the last few years.

there are probably dozens of systems that can operate on a wider scale, use less energy, more automated, and with more efficient service than the monorail at this point.

if the monorail were to be sacrificed in order to implement a system where 150 buses weren't sitting idling at traffic lights behind rental cars AT ALL TIMES...like they are now...then i'm all for it.

even if they are running on "clean burning natural gas"

the reality is that nothing that burns is good for this little asteroid we're all crowded on. period...fact...truth.

the monorial is really only "iconic", if you're objective, at the contemporary and around spaceship earth anyway. its really not that noticeable anywhere else on the line.