Monorail Expansion

[vfxpro]

I'm amazed they actually think you'll be in and out in 45 seconds, I've worked on rail transit and we shoot for 20-30s station dwell times for our drivers and that is with fast moving commuter crowds. With gate throwing, strollers, etc. I wouldn't expect any less than a good minute at the mainline stations [the resorts could be less if the crowd is ready to move]. I can see how they are pushing the limits there! And with the kind of work those trains have put in they are due up for gradual replacement, what is the year-built for the fleet? I still can't believe they are putting in computer consoles, how do you like it? Crews here like the old school controls - you can feel what you are doing...

The trains drive much better with the old school controls. We have different speed limits around the beams. Technically we can only go 1mph over the speed limit. There are ways around that. With the computerized console the trains drive completely different. And yes windows 2000 is a total pain in the butt. We all have digital keys that we swipe to log in to the console and there are times it wont let us log in. The ONLY good thing about the computer is that the spiels are automated. Otherwise we have to press the speil button whenever we are near a specific area.

My favorite thing to do (other than speed) is to go through the contemporary and yell at Chip and Dale. Every time they are down at Chef Mickey's I open up my window and yell "Squirrels!" They respond by waiving their fists at me. I have been doing this for months. Some of the other things we do is pull to trains up to one another and the pilots shake hands. Other times we will turn our headlight off on the Epcot beam and then flash a pilot coming around the corner. Good times.

[QuickGold]

That's cool that you're a monorail pilot vfx

[vfxpro]

That's cool that you're a monorail pilot vfx

Yeah I always wanted to do it, so while I'm waiting for a better production gig or Imagineering gig with disney I figured why not drive a train for a while? There are some aspects of it that make the job bad, for the most part driving is very cool.

[vfxpro]

One by one they are replacing our old console with a touch screen that runs on windows 2000.

And this is supposed to make your guests feel more comfortable?

Attention guests, the Gold Monorail has just crashed...err, I mean the computer "in" the Gold monorail. Sorry for the confusion.

Thats more true than you know. Except we say we have to reset the computer or we are waiting for further traffic clearance. We pull into a station, unload and load, close the doors and turn off the train for 45 seconds. It's called a key off / key on or a power off / power on. Happens all the time. As a matter of fact whenever there is a problem Central tells us to turn of the train sometimes multiple times to solve a situation.

[Vonderbach]

Thats more true than you know. Except we say we have to reset the computer or we are waiting for further traffic clearance. We pull into a station, unload and load, close the doors and turn off the train for 45 seconds. It's called a key off / key on or a power off / power on. Happens all the time. As a matter of fact whenever there is a problem Central tells us to turn of the train sometimes multiple times to solve a situation.

My goodness, so you have to reboot the monorail? That's so funny it's almost sad. Bill Gates would be proud.

I can see it now, "monorails derailed due to browser hijacking!"

[vfxpro]

Thats more true than you know. Except we say we have to reset the computer or we are waiting for further traffic clearance. We pull into a station, unload and load, close the doors and turn off the train for 45 seconds. It's called a key off / key on or a power off / power on. Happens all the time. As a matter of fact whenever there is a problem Central tells us to turn of the train sometimes multiple times to solve a situation.

My goodness, so you have to reboot the monorail? That's so funny it's almost sad. Bill Gates would be proud.

I can see it now, "monorails derailed due to browser hijacking!"

When the software first came out we had to reply to an error every 2 - 4 seconds while driving, it played the wrong spiels at the wrong place and it refused to let us park and open the doors in many of the stations.. We would back up, pull up, back up pull up and finally we would be given access to open the doors.. It's a bad bad thing.. The new version of the software is better, but its just as reliable as any other microsoft product. That plus its running on a computer with the bare minimum processor and ram requirements. Fun times.

[bigboodah71]

I like the idea of a wedway system...slow but it would be nice.

...or how about installing wide sidewalks everywhere and throwing all of the guest on a Segway...

[wdw1090]

ive heard they were going to do it like 5 years ago never done it, just a rumor they say to keep you interested

cool you are really a pilot, yell at chip and dale more often for me!!!

[kgmadorin]

I agree 100% with vfxpro's conclusion about the monorail system: there won't be an expansion anytime soon. It's VERY cost prohibitive. We always heard that expansion would cost about $1 million per mile, just for the track. These days, vfxpro's estimate of $1.5 million is probably more accurate.

Also, and maybe you can verify this, vfx, I heard that there were structural problems with the concrete pylons for the monorail. Word had it that injections of fresh concrete need to be made every so often below the water table to prevent the pylons from sinking into the ground. Fact or urban legend?

I'd love to see a WEDway system, but with the pursestrings being held so tightly lately, who knows when the transportation system will get an upgrade? It's too bad, because I don't think anyone will be sorry to see the buses go the way of Discovery Island and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

[rcpratt3]

I heard this rumor before, but then I also heard Disney said no. It is too expensive to do. It is much cheaper to buy more buses!

[rdeacon]

That plus its running on a computer with the bare minimum processor and ram requirements. Fun times.

Hehehe.. monorails are running celerons with 128MEG of RAM?????

vfxpro i will bring my laptop with me and we can kick that mother up!

haha

Rich

ps i will take you up on that front seat monorail ride!

[jkm8113]

Hey folks

Just got back from the parks and went on the Behind the Steam Train tour [very good for anyone into railroads]. Anyway, the tour guide said that monorails to AK and MGM are in the works as the current Disney Transport bus routes will go over capacity in just about 2 years at the current pace. No exact dates specified but it sounds like a go for the project from the way he talked about it... About time too since they can haul a lot more than the buses, have lower operating costs, etc. plus are just plain more fun!

Tell me more about the Behind the STeam Train tour, please. That is one I have not done, but would love to.

[jkm8113]

I agree 100% with vfxpro's conclusion about the monorail system: there won't be an expansion anytime soon. It's VERY cost prohibitive. We always heard that expansion would cost about $1 million per mile, just for the track. These days, vfxpro's estimate of $1.5 million is probably more accurate.

Also, and maybe you can verify this, vfx, I heard that there were structural problems with the concrete pylons for the monorail. Word had it that injections of fresh concrete need to be made every so often below the water table to prevent the pylons from sinking into the ground. Fact or urban legend?

I'd love to see a WEDway system, but with the pursestrings being held so tightly lately, who knows when the transportation system will get an upgrade? It's too bad, because I don't think anyone will be sorry to see the buses go the way of Discovery Island and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

I dunno about getting rid of the busses. One of our favorite things to do as a family is to list all the forms of transportation we have taken during a Disney trip, train, boat, monorail, etc. And one thing for sure, even when we rent a car, no trip is complete without a ride on a Disney bus. Some of our favorite pictures were when our son was little and fell asleep on the bus ride back to our Resort. I would miss the Disney busses and their friendly drivers.

[G2-4T]

Tell me more about the Behind the STeam Train tour, please. That is one I have not done, but would love to.

The Behind the Steam Trains tour is a three hour tour where you get to see the steam train shops, ride the train before the park opens up, and learn more about Walt and his love of all things trains. It is very good and well worth it!

[rdeacon]

Tell me more about the Behind the STeam Train tour, please. That is one I have not done, but would love to.

The Behind the Steam Trains tour is a three hour tour where you get to see the steam train shops, ride the train before the park opens up, and learn more about Walt and his love of all things trains. It is very good and well worth it!

I couldn't agree more with G2-4T... that tour rocks.

Its a must do!

Rich