Video: Teal Monorail sporting fresh paint
News, Video — By Matthew Simantov on October 29, 2009 at 10:26 amJust spotted video on The Disney Blog of the Teal Monorail sporting it’s bright teal stripe. Check it out below:
Walt Disney World built the new monorail train using the undamaged remains of two trains that collided in a deadly accident over the summer. The new train is expected to go into service later this fall.
The teal stripe distinguishes it from the resort’s other trains, each of which have a unique color. Disney said the colors pink and purple — the colors of the two trains involved in the collision — will be retired out of respect for employees following the first fatal accident in the Disney World monorail’s 38-year history.
That July 5th accident killed 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg, a part-time monorail driver and college student from Kissimmee. It also sparked investigations by both the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which remain ongoing.
The video’s shakiness makes me wonder if Big Foot might be piloting that thing.
There’s also a video of the monorail being tested befor the paint job:
YouTube sources: DisneyHD, ttarider
Tags: Disney World, monorail, transportation
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14 Comments
Why can’t we have a mass transit system based on theses trains running all over Central Florida. Size them up for capacity. Quiet, electric and elevated so they don’t interfere with car traffic. It’s the perfect solution.
Because the cost is very high. Disney hasn’t expanded their system because of the high cost, and they already own all the right of way.
I heard at one time that monorail construction costs $1 Million per mile. That’s pretty pricey.
I have been asking the same thing for years. I am amazed that no one has ever investigated this. It seems like a total no brainer.
Part of the problem (that I’ve heard) is the bus driver union won’t let Disney expand. I’ve also heard the the cost to expand is high. However, if Disney can spend money to have 2 new cruise ships built, why not?
Use common products, something already invented? Hardly. We have to pay the engineering firms, the architechs, and the consultants. How are they supposed to make their living if you use a Disney designed monorail? Forget that one mishap has occurred in 35 years.
If only it would cost a million dollars a mile, they’d probably do it. From an online website:
“The Las Vegas Monorail, which opened in 2004, cost $654 million for just 4.4 miles. It uses the same Bombardier technology as the Walt Disney World Monorail. Bombardier acquired the technology from Disney. There were some issues in Las Vegas—such as having to deal with many various property owners, structures in the right-of-way, and municipal politics—that Disney would not face. So maybe Disney could hold the costs under $100 million per mile.
A Monorail expansion would a be huge capital expense that would not generate direct revenue. Sure, Monorails could reduce bus fleet expenses. And, for guests, the Monorails add to the “magic” of a Disney vacation. But it’s still hard to justify the business expense, even if Disney could hold the costs to “only” $50 million per mile.”
Can you provide more information on this? cheers