Applications of Monorail Technology:
From Disneyland to the Floating Train of the Future
by Brent Zaterman
Introduction
In 1825, the Stockton and Darlington Railroad Company initiated construction on
the first passenger and freight railroad line [1]. Over the next 125 years, humans would
discover technologies that allowed for the construction of rudimentary monorail systems.
Most of the monorail systems developed during this time failed to perform and were
overshadowed by more conventional railway systems [2]. Since the 1950’s, technological
improvements have allowed for the development of more advanced systems and has made
monorail technology relevant once again.
History of the Rail
In 1959, the Alweg Monorail was opened to the public at the Walt Disney’s theme
park, Disneyland. The Disneyland Monorail was the first monorail built in the United States
and has been in use for over 50 years. The monorail runs through the entire amusement
park and allows guests to traverse the entire park in about 13 minutes [3]. The Disneyland
Monorail was met with strong public approval. The futuristic design wowed park guests
and became a staple of the amusement park. The construction of the Disneyland Monorail
marks a turning point in monorail technology. It became a benchmark for future monorail
projects and it demonstrated that monorail technology could be effectively implemented in
a transportation system. Figure 1, as can be seen below is a picture of the Disneyland
Monorail during regular operations.
Figure 1: Disneyland Monorail as it travels through the park
Source:yesterland.com
Since 1959 effective monorail systems have been implemented all over the world in
various applications. Large-scale mass transit systems have been implemented in Asia,
Europe and the United States. For example the Tokyo Monorail, which opened in 1998,
served about 100,000 passengers per day [4, p6]. On the other hand, smaller scale transit
systems have been implemented in airports, shopping malls, and amusement parks. Like
the Disneyland Monorail these run at low speeds over small distances but carry a high
volume of passengers. Recently, monorail technology has been used in industrial
applications like mining, port facilities, and assembly lines [5, p63]. The variability in
monorail design and scale has allowed it to be used in many different situations and not
just for public transportation.
The Science Behind Modern Monorails
Encyclopedia Britannica defines a monorail as an ‘Electric railway that runs on a
single rail either above or under the railway cars‘ [6]. This definition is vague because a
wide variety of transportation systems meet these criteria. As a result, monorail systems
are broken down into 4 main categories.
The first category of monorails is Suspended Monorails. In these transportation
systems the vehicle hangs from an elevated guide way. The guide way is typically made of
concrete or steal and the vehicle runs on rubber tires [7, p4]. Straddle Monorails are the
most commonly used category of monorails. Straddle Monorails run on top of and straddle
concrete or steel guide ways. The weight bearing tires run on top of the rail while the
guidance tired run horizontal to the guide way. Cantilevered Monorails are very similar to
Straddle Monorails except they run on the side of the guide way instead of on top of it
(monorails.org 5). Cantilevered Monorails Systems have not been implemented to date but
many still support the technology because trains going in opposite directions may share a
single guide way. The last category of monorails is Maglev Monorails. Maglev Monorails are
a variation of straddle monorails except they utilize magnetic levitation to traverse the rail.
Instead of using electricity of oil, these monorails utilizes magnetic forces to raise the
vehicle above the guide way and move the vehicle forward [7, p6]. Maglev Monorails are
the most technologically advanced monorails and researchers are still working on ways to
implement this design [8].
In order to decide which monorail technology is the best transportation option, a
cost benefit analysis should be performed. To determine if implementing such a system
would actually improve the current transportation environment, monorail technology must
be compared to the other available transportation options. Thus, it makes sense to
implement monorail systems in places where the current transportation system is
inadequate or dated. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of different monorail
technologies must be compared so that the optimal transportation system can be
implemented.
Advantages of Monorails
In general, monorail systems are regarded as safer than conventional transit
systems. Due to the nature of the technology it is almost impossible for the train to be
derailed. This is a major fear in conventional rail systems but is completely avoided in a
monorail system. In addition monorails do not interact with surface traffic. This limits the
liability of the monorail owner and also promotes a safer public [2]. Monorails are also
regarded as environmentally friendly. Most monorail systems and are electric powered and
do not release carbon emissions. So unlike busses and conventional rail systems, monorails
are relatively green. Lastly, monorails typically have lower operating costs than other
forms of transportation [2]. These low operating costs make monorails cost effective.
These specific advantages over conventional rails make monorails a viable
transportation system in certain situations. An example is in locations where there is no
space to construct a traditional rail system. In a fully developed city like New York there is
no space available to build a monorail system on the ground so an elevated transportation
system is required. Elevated monorails have a lower environmental impact than traditional
rails and the “ability to integrate the line into buildings” means implementing these
systems in an already developed city is a viable option [2]. Monorails can meet the needs of
a medium capacity transit system when other transit systems cannot. In places where
population density is too low for conventional rail systems but too high for light rail or bus
systems, monorails can be implemented [2]. While monorails may never fully replace
conventional transportation systems they can be used to fill a void when other
transportation systems are inadequate.
Problems with Monorails
While monorails have been successfully implemented in many situations they are
still far less popular than tradition railway systems. A major reason monorail technology
has not been widely implemented is the publics uncertainty in their effectiveness.
Monorails are still percieved as a new and unproven technology even though they have
been around for over a hundred years. This lack of confidence causes policy makers to
favor more traditional forms of transit. In addition, the initial costs and repair costs
associated with constructing monorails is typically higher than that of conventional rail
systems. When a monorail breaks down, the entire line must be shut down during repairs
which is more expensive than repairing traditional rail systems [9]. While these
disadvantages do exist, monorails still fulfill a niche in the transportation world and can be
implemented effectively.
Monorails in Mining Applications
A major challenge in large-scale mining operations is finding an effective method for
transporting materials out of the mine. The industry standard utilizes a “decline system” to
deal with the large amounts of underground haulage associated with daily mining
activities. A report by the Australasian Institute for Mining and Metallurgy suggests that the
decline system can be very costly, especially in skinnier veins of the mine. The report
suggests that switching from conventional rails to monorail technology could reduce the
costs associated with the decline method [10]. Monorails take up less space than
conventional rails so the width of underground mineshafts could be reduced. In addition,
monorails have a larger turning radius so mineshaft width could also be reduced at turning
points in the mine. The report suggests that switching to monorails would reduce capitol
expenditures as well as reduce the amount of haulage necessary for the decline system
[10]. While this is just one example of an industrial application of monorail technology, it
shows how the technology can be applied to improve a transportation system.
The future of high-speed transit: MAGLEV Trains
As we move towards a more global and connected international community the
demand for high-speed travel will only increase. In order to meet this growing demand,
several countries have developed high-speed “bullet” trains that travel over 150 miles per
hour. A main disadvantage of these trains is the high maintenance costs associated with
repairing their wheels and rails [8]. Maglev Monorails provide a unique opportunity to
reduce these costs. As discussed above, MAGLEV Monorails utilize magnetic forces to
navigate their guide way. The trains utilize magnets to elevate the train above the rail and
allow the train to move horizontally without resistance. The major advantage of these
trains is they eliminate the friction between the vehicle and the rail. This reduces the
energy required to move the train, as it no longer has to overcome the friction between the
tires and the rail. In addition, MAGLEV trains require less maintenance than other rail
systems because there is less wear on tires and guide rail. Figure 2 is an image of MAGLEV
monorail and can be seen below.
MAGLEV Monorails are not a new concept but they are still extremely complicated
to design. Even today there are very few public applications of MAGLEV Monorails, as more
research into magnetic suspension must be conducted. Once technology is able to catch up
and the cost of these trains can be reduced, MAGLEV trains could become the future highspeed travel.
Figure 2: MARGLEV Monorail(left), Cross-section of train(Right). Colored Squares represent magnets and the
light grey represents the track. Source: [7]
Conclusion
Since its invention, monorail technology has continued to evolve and its niche in the
transportation industry has changed over time. Originating as just a method for material
handling, monorails are now implemented in many different situations including mass
transit and industrial settings. As the technology continues to progress monorails will only
see this niche grow. For example, as more research is done in the field of magnetic
levitation, the role of MAGLEV trains will only grow as their potential benefits become
realized. Monorails are a fledging technology and should not be considered obsolete.
Moving forward it will be important for monorail proponents to break the stereotypes that
depict monorails as a gimmicky technology so they can be considered in a wider range of
transportation systems. If this can be done the unique advantages associated with
monorail technology will continue to be applied in situations when more conventional
transportation systems fail and new types of monorails will continue to be developed.
References
[1]
Mary Bellis. “Outline of Railroad History” [Online]. Available:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrailroad.htm
[2]
The Monorail Society. “The Monorail Society” [Online]. Available:
http://www.monorails.org/index.html
[3]
Disney. “Disneyland Monorail” [Online]. Available:
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/disneyland-monorail/
[4]
L. W. Demery Junior, “Monorails In Japan: An Overview,” Publictransit.us, Vallejo,
CA, Special Rep. No. 9, June 22, 2005.
[5]
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Sanitary Eng., MIT, Cambridge, MA, September 1995.
[6]
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[7]
R. R. Kennedy, “Considering Monorail Rapid Transit for North American Cities,”
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[8]
Los Alamos National Laboratory. “Magnetic Levitation Trains” [Online]. Available:
http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/mpa/stc/train.shtml
[9]
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http://www.ehow.com/info_8718026_advantages-disadvantages-monorails.html
[10]
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Decline Development,” in Narrow Vein Mining Conf., Ballarat, Australia, Oct., 2008,
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[11]
W. E. Rice, “The potential application of monorail technology as a tool for economic
redevelopment-a case study Fresno, California,” in 7th International Conf. on Urban
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[12]
J. Cheng et al., “Straddle-Type Monorail’s Characters and its Application in China,” in
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Nanchang, PRC, Oct., 2008, pp. 128-131.
[13]
S. Grava, Urban Transportation Systems: Choices for Communities, 1st ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 2003.