Omni-Tram - an alternative to the EPCOT Monorail designed in 1973

[doconeill]

Credit for this to Ted Linhart, who is a retro Disney collector and obtains documents like this and makes them available.

https://www.disneydocs.net/omni-tram

Back in 1973, Bob Gurr worked on a design for an alternative to the expensive expansion of the Monorail to EPCOT. This is his design folder. It has a LOT of technical info, like spring loadings, torque calculations, etc. but there are interesting bits.

You can pick up from these that even in 1973 Walt's original EPCOT concept was mostly intact, with the idea for the "wedged" EPCOT center with a transportation line from MK, and continuing through to the south airport, while a WEDWay Peoplemover would still be implemented around EPCOT. Instead of a monorail for the main line, an "Omni-Tram" would be used - think something like a monorail body on a truck chassis, running along a dedicated guideway at ground level. Initially a diesel powertrain, provisions were considered for future electrification.

Eventually the compromises necessary for a ground-level dedicated system (I'm reading between the lines and thinking issues with crossings with regular roadways, etc.) vs the elevated monorail canceled the project.

 

[_19disnA]

Not surprised they were looking at other options beside the monorail. It is common knowledge that monorails are VERY expensive to install/maintain. I would imagine that is also part of the reason that more recently they decided to go with those new cable cars connecting other resorts to Epcot instead of some type of monorail.

Likely with any of these large projects, they commission various engineering feasibility studies before making a final decision on how to proceed. Many companies probably just toss those studies in the trash after choosing a direction and then they aren't available as a historical reference.

 

[seashoreCM]

While monorails are very expensive to install/maintain, conventional rail or even busways or tram (think if you wish: Disney parking lot tram) guideways with the same grade separation from conflicting movements and traffic are not cheap.

 

[doconeill]

While monorails are very expensive to install/maintain, conventional rail or even busways or tram (think if you wish: Disney parking lot tram) guideways with the same grade separation from conflicting movements and traffic are not cheap.

True...the capital cost to build track/guideways are probably similar when you have to have grade separation, and I'm not 100% why the EPCOT run was kept elevated the whole way (some savings from being able to have it at ground level), but savings would be realized by being able to buy stock trainsets and not 100% custom builds.