Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:43 am Post subject: Disney World plans small monorail expansion
Disney World plans small monorail expansion
Featured, Jason Garcia, News — By Jason Garcia on July 27, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Disney said Tuesday it will build a 62-foot maintenance spur off of the system’s Epcot line to serve as a permanent staging area for one of the work tractors used by the resort to tow broken-down trains and inspect and repair track.
The extension will be built next to an existing track switch that is used to transfer trains between the Epcot line and a separate spur leading to one of the system’s two Magic Kingdom loops. Disney currently keeps all of its work tractors in a maintenance bay behind the Magic Kingdom.
The expansion plans were first reported by The Monorail Society, an organization that promotes the use of monorails.
Disney said it wants to have a tractor permanently stationed near the Epcot line in order to allow workers to begin inspections of that track earlier in the evening. Right now, crews typically must wait until the Magic Kingdom closes before they can dispatch a tractor to the Epcot line.
The Magic Kingdom is usually open several hours later than Epcot each night.
“We can begin our routine inspections of the Epcot beam as soon as the Epcot line cycles down for the night, before the Magic Kingdom park closes and with no impact to guests,” Disney World spokesman Bryan Malenius said.
Another advantage: The new spur should allow for faster responses when a tractor is needed to tow a broken-down monorail train to a station.
Last December, several of Disney’s trains were brought to a standstill after a computer hard-drive failure shut off power across the 15-mile-long monorail system. About 300 passengers were left stranded by the power outage, which occurred at about 1 a.m.; the last of them weren’t evacuated until close to 4 a.m.
Malenius said the addition will make it easier to get tractors to monorail trains that are stuck anywhere along the Epcot line or on the outer Magic Kingdom loop near the Transportation and Ticket Center.
Construction crews will begin excavation work soon. Disney expects to complete the project by the end of the year.
I think this is in responce to WDW being found at fault in the monorail accident last year and that the extra track is to facitate that not happening again.
Joined: Nov 09, 2005 Posts: 494 Location: In the middle of the magic!
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:41 am Post subject:
they need to REALLY expand it! not just a maintenance station but expand it to Hollywood and AK! I know it would be expensive but how amazing would it be!
I think Figment speaks for my enthusiasm for this topic! _________________ Attention travelers, please remain seated. Your vechile will be rotating backwards. -Spaceship Earth
Joined: Jan 20, 2006 Posts: 1040 Location: Lexington, TN
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:48 pm Post subject:
fireurgunz wrote:
they need to REALLY expand it! not just a maintenance station but expand it to Hollywood and AK! I know it would be expensive but how amazing would it be!
I think Figment speaks for my enthusiasm for this topic!
not to mention more jobs and better for the enviroment _________________
Ich bin der Piraten zu behaupten, was mir jetzt und für immer
Joined: Mar 25, 2010 Posts: 805 Location: Denver, CO
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 2:37 pm Post subject:
I'd love to see it expanded, as well, but we're talking a possible billion dollar expenditure here. I'd say that at the very least, and this is pie-in-the-sky economics here, it would cost Disney $50-60 million per mile of new monorail construction. In reality, it would probably be closer to $100 million per mile.
That technology ain't cheap. Even though it would be "greener" and save some money on alternate transportation costs, I really doubt Disney is willing to drop that much cash on something that has no hope of ever making money, unless they start charging for the privilege of riding one.
Joined: Jan 20, 2006 Posts: 1040 Location: Lexington, TN
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 3:50 pm Post subject:
pugmalion1 wrote:
I'd love to see it expanded, as well, but we're talking a possible billion dollar expenditure here. I'd say that at the very least, and this is pie-in-the-sky economics here, it would cost Disney $50-60 million per mile of new monorail construction. In reality, it would probably be closer to $100 million per mile.
That technology ain't cheap. Even though it would be "greener" and save some money on alternate transportation costs, I really doubt Disney is willing to drop that much cash on something that has no hope of ever making money, unless they start charging for the privilege of riding one.
i had read a quote where it cost one million a mile only besides how much do the spend in fuel cost every year and then factor in maintenance costs at least they have the infrastructure to handle the maintenance aspect and if you believe cough cough al gore cough cough then you cant put a price on the environment _________________
Ich bin der Piraten zu behaupten, was mir jetzt und für immer
Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:06 pm Post subject:
From what I've read, the monorails are not really the most efficient transportation method for moving people around. A lot of people on-line believe that replacing buses with an expanded monorail might make the situation worse.
I think the best way of fixing the transportation situation is more efficient busing system and maybe an expansion of some of the alternate forms of transportation (or maybe just better advertising for the alternate forms).
Besides, Disney is working on more efficient buses, that could end up being more efficient than an expanded monorail and considerably cheaper. Disney is already testing natural gas buses. And with the recent transition of trains, trams, etc... to fryer oil based at Disneyland, Disney has a lot of options. _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
I remember hearing, from when that guy went all Wayne Brady on that bus driver, that they do have a union. I could just imagine the backlash if Disney decided to reduce bus service for monorail since it probably requires fewer staff since each train holds a lot more.
Joined: Mar 25, 2010 Posts: 805 Location: Denver, CO
Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 6:37 am Post subject:
redbaron314 wrote:
pugmalion1 wrote:
I'd love to see it expanded, as well, but we're talking a possible billion dollar expenditure here. I'd say that at the very least, and this is pie-in-the-sky economics here, it would cost Disney $50-60 million per mile of new monorail construction. In reality, it would probably be closer to $100 million per mile.
That technology ain't cheap. Even though it would be "greener" and save some money on alternate transportation costs, I really doubt Disney is willing to drop that much cash on something that has no hope of ever making money, unless they start charging for the privilege of riding one.
i had read a quote where it cost one million a mile only besides how much do the spend in fuel cost every year and then factor in maintenance costs at least they have the infrastructure to handle the maintenance aspect and if you believe cough cough al gore cough cough then you cant put a price on the environment
The "million dollars a mile" thing is a bit of a Disney urban legend, much like the black squares in the Swan and Dolphin hotels being there because of past or future monorail expansion plans. In reality, it would cost much, much more.
If Disney could build twenty miles of new monorail track for only $20 million, don't you think they would have jumped at the opportunity already? I mean, $20 million sounds like a lot to you or me, but that is petty cash to the Disney Corporation. They could probably change mustard brands and justify the cost, if it were only $20 million.
I think, taking into account the construction costs of similar types of mass transit systems that have been built around the world in recent years, my estimate of close to $100 million per mile is probably closer to the actual cost.
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