The latest 'Quote of the Day' seems to have inspired discussion which led to a heated debate about Disneyland's monorail system. We couldn't publish the most heated segments of the debate due to it becoming quite aggressive with some slanderous statements against a much-loved mouse. (For the beginning of this, see the Quote of the Day thread).
As this is related to sustainable transport and a reader has sent us this information in, we are printing the message as received:
"I would like to clarify that the Monorail at Disneyland is run on electric power. The Monorail system is powered by DC electric motors located on each car of the train, not just the front car. This was envisioned as being the future of public transport by pioneer Walt Disney. I have a document about this monorail published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1986. Here is an excerpt from it:
Each train is powered by four 100-horsepower, 600-volt direct current motors.
Each train is powered by four 100-horsepower, 600-volt direct current motors.
GENERAL MONORAIL BACKGROUND:
The principle of mass transportation via elevated vehicles suspended from or carried on a single beam is not new. Discussions concerning the practicability of a monorail took place before the invention of the automobile or the airplane. In fact, as early as 1878, a steam-powered monorail system operated successfully between Bradford and Gilmore. In 1892 an electric car, running along a single rail, operated on Long Island. The world’s longest-operating monorail, Germany’s
Schwebebahn at Wupperthal, has been in operation since 1901. The predecessor of the Disneyland Monorail, designed by Alweg Corporation, opened in Cologne, Germany in 1952.
Unlike the Schwebebahn system, the trains of which are suspended from an overhead rail, the Cologne and Disneyland monorails straddle a beam and are supported and stabilized
by vertical and horizontal wheels.
The monorail trains are electrically powered, operating on 600-volt direct current transmitted along a pair of copper and steel buss bars mounted on the right side of the beam. Each train is powered by four 100-horsepower traction motors and can reach speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour. For use at Disneyland, the monorail system has been designed and developed for a top running speed of 35 miles per hour."
I hope this ends the false accusations against Disney's monorail.
- Sarah Buckley."
End quote.
6 comments:
Thanks for the clarification!
I'm surprised that electric transport is so old. Wow, I had no idea. Seems electric has been thr future for a good long while. here's hoping it actually hits mainstream now.
Thanks for this, although still can't believe where the discussion went to from where. Start with walking end up at disneyworld and statements against mickey mouse!
You and me both. I can't believe people started naming themselves after mickey's pals on the comments!
It is really interesting that disney has gone electric, or dare i say, started electric. It's so good to see that.
I've just come across this and cannot believe it!!! Who says the blogsphere was boring?
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