Quick Monorail Question

[mrtoadslastride]

This is probably a dumb question, but does anyone know if the center leaning rail inside each monorail cabin can be folded down into a seat? I have never seen one folded down, but this below article talks about them considering during development of the Mark VI trains. I wish I would have seen the article a couple of weeks ago since we just got back from WDW!


Fold down seats

 

[KNWVIKING]

I've never seen them fold down and as I recall I don't believe there i enough room for them to be practical even if they did. You'd have people sitting knee-to-knee with no possible way of getting a buick sized stroller from one side of the car to the other.

 

[Another Voice]

I remember that the bottom panels in the center rail were designed to pop out. A wheelchair could rolled into the space and secured to the poles (I remember seeing straps much like a seatbelt in there for that purpose). That was early design anyway, I don't know how it's really being used today.

 

[mrtoadslastride]

Thanks guys! I thought it would be a pretty tight seating area, but the picture in the article made it look like it might work.

AV, now that you mention it I think I remember seeing the paneling off several years ago. I don't think they are removing it for wheel chairs now though. We rode on a monorail twice last month with persons in wheel chairs and they didn't remove the panel for them.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Each train has a couple cars specifically for wheelchairs. I can't recall exactly how they do it, but next time you're waiting for the mono, take a look at the holding pens,you'll notice a couple with the handicapped sign.

 

[Chuck S]

Wheelchairs are loaded/unloaded using a portable ramp. When I travel with a w/c no special restraint system has been used on the monorails, just rolled on and brakes locked.

If the jumper seats are there, I can understand why they aren't used, it would take someone time to open and close them. It would be interesting to know, though, if they do in fact exist.

 

[kozmo]

Never seen the fold down seats??

 

[Dznefreek]

This is probably a dumb question, but does anyone know if the center leaning rail inside each monorail cabin can be folded down into a seat?

No.

 

[mrtoadslastride]

Thanks, since you are so close to WDW did you run over and check?

 

[bigs1923t]

The wheelchair designated cars have the center railing offset a small amount to allow more room on one side. It isnt very noticeable but it is offset.

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by Another Voice
I remember that the bottom panels in the center rail were designed to pop out. A wheelchair could rolled into the space and secured to the poles (I remember seeing straps much like a seatbelt in there for that purpose). That was early design anyway, I don't know how it's really being used today.

They used to strap in the wheelchairs. I don't remember when they stopped, but in the way past (like more than 10 years ago) when we traveled with DD in her wheelchair they did strap the wheelchairs in. They have done that for quite a while though.

 

[Dznefreek]

Thanks, since you are so close to WDW did you run over and check?

I have been going for 22 years and worked there PT for a year and simply asked one time.