Monorail Question

Originally Posted By GalDisney

Was on monorail green today, among others , to Epcot and it kept making a sound sort of like "air brakes" on a bus or big rig. I have never heard this before and this sound was not on any of the other monorails i was on today. Anyone know what it was>>??
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Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

^^The sounds of neglect, likely!

 

Originally Posted By TDLFAN

There seem to be major problems with the monorail service and the monos themselves. They are getting old and they make a lot of loud, creaking noises. This is more apparent on the EPCOT linie since they can hit full speed at times. Truth is... the monorails need to be replaced and the entire system overhauled and automated.
I am just glad someone else has finally noticed what I have been mentioning all along...

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

^^Rest assured that the corporate mindset of late has been to pretty much ignore the monorails.

It's close to the time when they really need a new set of trains, but you can be sure they haven't even discussed that because longterm strategic planning simply doesn't exist.

And I can remember a time when monorail expansion to LBV and, later, the Disney-MGM Studios and Epcot resorts was actually realistic.

Now, it's all about stuffing tourists on busses. That might change when one of their crack drivers flips over with a full load on the way back from Epcot ... but I doubt it.

Forward thinking at Disney ended about the time Frank Wells helicopter went down and I haven't seen much to suggest it's coming back.

 

Originally Posted By pipanale

We didn't notice any odd noises (other than the ones we're used to), butthey're a little smelly. Then again, it was hot and not everyone believes in deodorant like we do.

P-U

But, having this thread in mind, it really did look like they need new "trains". They look old.

 

Originally Posted By ChiMike

The Mark VIs are supposed to have 6-7 more years left on them. Supposedly; because most of the front line troops who were transitioning the VIs for the IVs were pretty certain that they wouldn't have close to the longevity that the IVs had.

I just don't see much happening anytime soon. Getting new trains in Anaheim was like pulling teeth and they aren't even 100% new.

Disney should have played nice to begin with and had joined into the handful of area rail improvments that have been proposed. The monorail system would have followed suit along with that growth. If competing casinos and the local governments that host them can do it in Vegas there is no excuse Disney couldn't have seen the tangibles in cooperating.

Instead they are subsidizing Mears.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

^^Disney doesn't like to share or play nice with others in the sandbox.

You should know that!

 

Originally Posted By ChiMike

I do know that. Just saying that like in a long line of other cases it was pennywise and pound foolish. Disney was given much deference and they still couldn't be a good corporate citizen.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

I was just having some fun with you, Mike. I know that you don't have to be told that TWDC doesn't play well with others.

I just find it amazing that no new track has been added at WDW since 1982. If someone had told me that back then I would have laughed and said they were crazy.

But, hey, buses are beautiful ... modern ... convenient ... inexpensive ... magical ...

 

Originally Posted By ChiMike

>>I was just having some fun with you, Mike. I know that you don't have to be told that TWDC doesn't play well with others.<<

HA. I know.

>>I just find it amazing that no new track has been added at WDW since 1982. If someone had told me that back then I would have laughed and said they were crazy.<<

Me too. To sit there in 1982 after what they accomplished with EPCOT Center and be told that 25 years later there would not only be no new monorail routes but 17 or 18 new resorts with no new monorail routes I would be in complete disbelief.

 

Originally Posted By ChiMike

^ And I read it after I posted my observation from recent trek out West, but I am glad that you can see the MGM ToT in a better light now.

 

Originally Posted By brotherdave

I've always wanted them to extend the monorail lines around the property, but, given the expense to build those lines today, I doubt we will ever see it happen.

Personally, I'm really surprised that they never built a resort hotel along the existing Epcot Monorail line. Is there any long range plans for that large tract of land between Epcot Center Drive and the Wilderness Lodge area? Is this possibly reserved land for some larger development someday? (Another theme park, perhaps, if that ever were to materialize?)

 

Originally Posted By ssWEDguy

I HATE all those diesel buses cruising around property. And I try never to use the word hate. But I do.

Doing a form of advanced transportation system on Disney property is such an obvious thing. If not monorails (I wish they would do monorails) then some form of light rail.

I'd love to see maglev. But any leadership that's used a spreadsheet to decide that buses are more cost-effective isn't going to be so bold.

Siemens is German. Don't they do maglevs?

 

Originally Posted By ssWEDguy

There's a diesel bus circulator line that cruises all day long backstage between the MK CM parking lot and the MK Utilidor entrance.

The same relatively short loop, round and round and round all day long, 24 hours a day.

Why aren't they at least using the Orlando airport (pseudo) monorail system there?

It's simple, reliable, already developed, requires no driver, and is probably not as costly as the single (but much more elegant) Disney beam?

 

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

<<<Forward thinking at Disney ended about the time Frank Wells helicopter went down and I haven't seen much to suggest it's coming back>>>

Ouch, as a staunch defender of Michael Eisner, even I must admit this statement is somewhat true.

 

Originally Posted By disneydad109

After spending the week at AKL I think that a monorail would have not only have saved time but also make it seem more of the whole rather than out in left field somewhere.
It's lovely but it does seemed far from the dinsey world park experance

 

Originally Posted By SuperDry

<<< I'd love to see maglev. But any leadership that's used a spreadsheet to decide that buses are more cost-effective isn't going to be so bold.

Siemens is German. Don't they do maglevs? >>>

Magleg is a completely inappropriate technology for WDW (aside from perhaps some very short demonstration run within Epcot to showcase the technology). If you think that a monorail is expensive to build, it's nothing compared to maglev. The big advantage of maglev is that with no rail friction, it can go much faster than conventional rail. But since even conventional rail built for speed can exceed 150mph, I don't think that WDW will need to get maglev anytime soon.

 

Originally Posted By t1lersm0m

<<We didn't notice any odd noises (other than the ones we're used to), butthey're a little smelly. Then again, it was hot and not everyone believes in deodorant like we do.>>

I noticed the smell also. It smells like a barnyard. Why is that? It's not really similar to body odor....and I even smelled it the one night we were able to sit in the front of the monorail and no other guests were in there with us, just the driver.

 

Originally Posted By ssWEDguy

>> I don't think that WDW will need to get maglev anytime soon. <<

Oh, I understand that. But maybe monorails can at least look like a bargain compared to maglev.

Maglev would be most appropriate to connect the airport to DisneyWorld.

 

Originally Posted By ssWEDguy

>> I noticed the smell also. It smells like a barnyard. <<

Yes, they have an odor. No, it's no where near a barnyard smell.

If you want to know what a pig farm can be like, drive near the WDW waste treatment plant on west property on the wrong wind day.

My understanding is that the cleaning solutions that they use on the monorails have an odor, and that this somewhat odd one is a fragrance chosen on purpose.

On the other hand, who knows?