Copied from
http://world.nycsubway.org/us/disney/
They have tons of pics too.
The Disney World Monorail opened in 1971, serving the Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), the location of the parking lot for the Magic Kingdom. In 1982 it was extended from the TTC to serve the EPCOT Center park. There are three routes, the first runs in a counterclockwise direction on the outer track, making no other stops other than the TTC and Magic Kingdom; the second runs clockwise on the inner track stopping at the TTC, Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Magic Kingdom, and Contemporary Resort. The third route runs from the TTC to EPCOT. In addition to one beam for each of the routes, there is a connection between the TTC-EPCOT beam and the TTC-Magic Kingdom beam near the TTC and a siding that runs along the edge of the Magic Kingdom near Tomorrowland, leading to the "shops and yard" for the monorail.
By special request it is possible to ride in the cab with the operator, and to tour the entire system takes about 60-90 minutes, depending on how patient you are for cab rides. If you want to ensure you get a cab ride (highly recommended), tell one of the attendants at each boarding station you want one and they will tell you where to wait. Keep in mind due to the popularity of cab rides (yes, non-railfans like them too), you most likely won't be able to do full loops in the cab, since there is a maximum capacity of four people in the cab (not including the operator).
The beams for each of the routes are easily recognizable. They are concrete and look similar to the concrete used on recent elevated transit construction such as on portions of the Washington MetroRail. From the ground, it looks like there are two rails. But, upon careful inspection, you will realize that one of the rails is the "third rail", providing power for the train. The other is the one actually guiding the train. The top of the beam itself is flat and has nothing on it other than the markers (described later). The train merely rides above the top of the beam.
There are a total of 12 trains for the monorail. The exteriors are painted white with a colored stripe around the whole body below the windows. It is this stripe that identifies the train for communication purposes. The colors of the stripes are blue, red, black, gold, silver, pink, coral, orange, green, lime, purple, and yellow. Each train is 6 cars. The cars are permanently coupled with articulated joints between each. There is a full width cab in the end cars. The interior of all the cars is the same. There are two rows with 5 seats each at each end, as well as two rows of 5 seats in the middle of the car. You cannot pass between the two halves of each car. There are two doors on each side of each car that open outwards, then slide apart, like the front doors of an RTS bus. There are also poles for standees.
The trains, contrary to popular belief, are not automatically driven nor do they have the capability to run automatically, despite there being systems capable of using Zero Person Train Operation as early as the 1960s. There is a single lever controller with five points for accelerating and five points for braking. The first point will bring the train to 15 MPH, the second to 20, and so on until the fifth and final, which will have the train reach its maximum speed of 40 MPH. Each train is equipped with the "MAPO" system, their form of cab signaling. Unlike on the Washington MetroRail, where the operator is given a speed readout, MAPO merely illuminates one of three lights, green, yellow, or red. A green light means the train in front is far enough ahead to operate at the maximum speed for that section of track. A yellow light means that the train is too close to the one in front and needs to stop by the next "marker", a set of four reflectors on the top of the beam. If the train does not stop it is automatically stopped after passing the next marker. The door controls are located on a vertical panel on the exterior of the train on each side next to the door to the cab.
And this from
http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/mono.html
The Mark VI Monorail Trains at the Walt Disney World Resort incorporate more than 30 years of Disney research and development of the monorail technology. The Walt Disney Company has been operating monorail systems for more than 30 years.
In Florida, the Walt Disney World monorail system has been in operation since 1971. In 1982, the system was expanded with a four-mile extension to Epcot, and in 1990 and 1991 new trains were delivered.
The Mark VI trains are a high-capacity design that includes improved air conditioning and door systems, and various improved safety features. The trains began operation in 1990, replacing the earlier design which had been used at the Walt Disney World Resort since 1971. By early 1991, the complete 12-train fleet was in operation.
The six-car trains, 203.5 feet long and able to carry more than 360 passengers, travel over a 13.7-mile system of elevated beamway. The purpose of the monorail system is to carry guests to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot theme parks. The system has seven stations serving the theme parks, resort hotels and parking areas. On a typical day, over 150,000 guests will ride the monorail system.
The monorail trains travel on a 26-inch-wide precast concrete beamway supported by tapered concrete columns. The distance between columns is approximately 50 feet. The beams and columns are constructed in sets of six; the six beam lengths are post-tensioned together to form a single 600-foot length of structure. The height of the beam ranges from 18 feet to over 60 feet at its highest elevation.
The narrow concrete beamway is a very cost-effective elevated structure, since is uses much less concrete and steel than conventional elevated railway tracks. Also, the lightweight structure can have a positive impact on an urban environment and is compatible with many types of architectural styles.
The monorail trains run on rubber tires and are powered by a 600-Volt DC propulsion system. The trains pick up electrical power from a metallic busbar along the side of the beamway. The train propulsion system includes eight DC motors rated at 113 HP each.
The most visible change in the Mark VI trains is the re-designed interiors, which include additional standing room during peak travel periods. Also, the improved sliding-door systems make it more convenient to get on and off the trains.
The Mark VI trains also include on-board monitoring systems and improved communications and control. The bodies of the new trains are made of a high-strength composite honeycomb material for the best combination of high strength and low weight.
The forerunner of the modern monorail systems was tested in Germany in the 1950s, catching the attention of Walt Disney, who was then planning the
Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, Calif. Walt brought the monorail concept to his park, and when the Disneyland monorail system opened in 1959, it was the first new-style monorail to operate daily in the United States. Since then, the monorail design has evolved through six generations of monorail trains, resulting in the Mark VI trains now in use at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
