Monorails are often thought of as futuristic "space age" transports, yet instead of seriously proposing their introduction into the modern "real world"
cityscape transport planners seem to have condemned them to just 'fun' locations - such as the 1990 Gateshead Garden Festival, England, (right).
There could be several reasons for this, including.....
- They are perceived to be a 'low-capacity' transport,
- They are not thought as being capable of providing a viable urban public transport,
- The public like the views of the passing cityscape but in their ignorance consider things they like as just being for when they are on holiday,
- Visual intrusion (as seen from street level).
Monorail at Gateshead Garden Festival, summer 1990.
Vehicle looks somewhat like a caterpillar!
The view inside one of Sydney's low capacity vehicles (below left) should explain why some people think of monorails as being for 'low capacity' routes only, however the contrasting view inside the high-capacity Seattle vehicle (below right) shows that with the right vehicle designs monorails can provide a viable alternative to other transport technologies.
Seattle's "Alweg" trains are 122' (37.2 m) long, 10'3" (3.1 m) wide, and 14' (4.27m) high. Each train can seat 124 passengers and can carry 326 standing passengers for a total of 450 passengers.
Seattle's monorail opened in 1962 and has been very successful - both financially and in the popularity stakes. Despite their age the "Alweg" trains it uses still look futuristic. They are in fact not tied to any proprietary manufacturer and therefore whilst currently none are being built anywhere there would be no copyright issues if a transit manufacturer (or any other enterprising company) wanted to build more. OK, so the electrics and some other technical specifications would be of a more modern design, but the basic vehicle design could be copied and still remain forward looking.
Unfortunately this is more than can be said about some of the vehicle designs offered by present-day manufactures, which, with the walk-through interior replaced with smaller, compartmentalised, segmented interiors actually represent a retrograde step in monorail train internal design.
Visual intrusion is a subjective issue - certainly for new developments where the transport can be incorporated as an integral part of the buildings (below - left) there should be no problem, although their installation in older, historic, areas could meet with some perhaps justified resistance.
There is more about visual intrusion (including a comparison with a British example) in the section which looks at hanging monorails below.
One country which really has taken to monorails is Japan. As I haven't been there myself the Japanese examples shown here all come from various monorail train manufacturer's promotional brochures.
Incidentally, unlike most urban rail systems most of these Japanese monorails are profitable in operation - which means that they need neither subsidy nor fares revenue support!
The above are all 'straddle' type monorails. They are called this because the vehicles sit upon (ie: straddle) the track.
Another type of monorail is the 'hanging' monorail. As the name suggests they are called this because the vehicles 'hang' below the rail.
A selection of Japanese hanging monorails.
A hanging monorail was chosen for this location because the area occasionally suffers wintry weather - so with the running surfaces and train bogies inside the beams this type of monorail enjoys greater protection from the elements.
Again these Japanese images come from transport manufacturers' brochures.
This line features much single-track operation (with passing loops at stations), sharp grades (up to 10%) and even several tunnels.
'T' type column
'gate' type column 'racket' type column.
Europe's most successful hanging monorail is the German Wüppertal Schwebebahn.
Wüppertal's monorail first opened in 1901, and for most of its 11km route is located above the river Wüpper, however at the western end it runs above a main road where by not requiring any roadspace it very effectively avoids traffic congestion. Admittedly the system is not the prettiest to look at and is a little noisy but the superstructure is from a different era when people just marvelled at the technology.
The view on the left (as seen from a station platform) might look to be visually intrusive but it is essentially no different to the situation here in Britain with our duo-rail system where it is not at all unusual for railway passengers to overlook the back gardens of the private residences they pass.
The view on the right was taken from inside a train calling at a British railway station "somewhere in London". To increase privacy some householders have erected fencing which completely blocks the view to passengers waiting on the platform or on passing trains - but not all of them.
A more modern German hanging monorail is the H-Bahn. Located at Dortmund University this demonstration line provides low capacity but very frequent transport between several campuses, the science park. the local S-Bahn railway station and the suburb of Eichlinghofen.
The first section of the H-Bahn opened on 2nd May 1984 since when it has been extended several times so that nowadays the total length of the system is about 3km with the most recent extension being a 1.2km route from the S-Bahn station to the science park.
Despite being single track there are two independent interleaved services on the H-Bahn with frequencies of every 5 minutes between Campus North and Campus South stations plus a 10 minute interval service between the science park to Eichlinghofen via the S-Bahn station.
The H-Bahn is fully integrated into the public transport networks of the city of Dortmund and the regional fares tariff system, so that passengers in possession of a ticket valid for the local trains / trams / buses can travel on the H-Bahn at no extra cost.
Unlike the Wüppertal installation this system is whisper quiet and features fully automatic driverless operation. For safety (especially at the elevated stations) the H-Bahn stations feature platform doors which when a vehicle arrives will open slightly in advance of the trains' doors.
The vehicles have a maximum speed of 31mph (50 km/h), a maximum elevation of 16 metres above ground and seat 22 passengers with space for a further 20 standing. Average daily ridership exceeds 5,000.
Nos. 1 and 2 are steps / escalators down to the east and westbound platforms.
Nos. 3 and 4 are steps and lifts which link the S-Bahn platforms, street level and the H-Bahn.
Small vehicles such as these are often called Cabin transports. Their function is to provide low capacity transports at locations where passengers need frequent services (typically every 2 - 10 minutes). They usually feature fully-automated 'driverless' operation which also makes them what are known as automated guided transits and / or people movers.
Varying the service frequency is just one way of tailoring overall capacity to demand. Another option is to adjust the train lengths - usually cabin transports will feature trains of between one and three 'cabins' at a time. Whilst longer trains are technically possible it would often be more economic to use fewer but longer vehicles
The most typical locations for cabin transports are airports where they ferry passengers and staff between the various termini and indeed the first full commercial H-Bahn installation is located at the nearby Düsseldorf airport, where it is known as the Sky-train.
The Düsseldorf airport "Sky-Train".
The Düsseldorf airport "Sky-Train" is about 2.5km in length and features four stations which link the nearby mainline railway station (which is served by local and InterCity trains) & the off-site car park with the main airport terminal building. Travelling between airport and main railway station takes about 5 minutes. Passengers coming from Düsseldorf and Solingen can also take a local train which uses the airports' suburban railway station, this being located next to the airport hotel and just a few minutes walk from the terminal building.
It then goes around the edge of the semi-circular shaped terminal following a route which sees it travelling within the overall superstructure of the building and calling at two stations.
The introduction of the Sky-Train has resulted in a significant drop in road traffic levels around the airport. Furthermore by linking the airport to an existing mainline railway (without having to divert the trains along a new alignment) the airport's catchment area has significantly increased. This also helps reduce air congestion (in the skies) as passengers on shorter journeys can take the high speed 175mph ICE (InterCity Express) train instead of short-haul connecting flights. It is a shame that a similar philosophy could not be followed for other airports, such as London's Heathrow and Luton airports which are both very close to mainline railways too.
Wüppertal, Dortmund &
Düsseldorf are cities in the Ruhr area of Germany.
Visitors holding a zone C day ticket can easily visit all three locations in one day.
Perhaps the most extensive Cabin transport system currently in use is to be found at Dallas / Fort Worth airport in the USA. Whereas most airport people movers usually just shuttle to and fro between two stations this one is different as it is over 13 route miles long and has 37 stations. So it is more like a transit system for a small town(!) providing a variety of services over many routes serving different stations and featuring one, two and three car formations.
The Dallas / Fort Worth airport people-mover.
Note the track immediately to my right, this is for non-stopping trains.
Several British airports also use automated people-movers, including Stansted and Gatwick, which has two of these systems. One links the two passenger terminals and usually uses 3-car trains although sometimes shorter trains are also operated. The other line links one of the terminals with a 'satellite' terminal - it uses single cars.
Both Gatwick and Stansted use the Adtranz (Westinghouse) system, which features rubber-tyred vehicles which are guided by means of a central rail. This system has been the most successful globally; primarily being installed at airports but in Singapore there is also a 7.8km 'line haul' installation which acts as a feeder to the Mass Transit Railway. (Urban / Suburban rail system). One unusual feature of this line is that where it passes close to a residential area the window glass automatically becomes opaque. This is achieved using similar technology to LCD display systems and is done to preserve the privacy of local residents.
View inside one of the Gatwick people-movers.
In October 2005 it was announced that the British "ULTRA" cabin transport system would be installed between a car park and Terminal One of London's Heathrow Airport.
The ULTRA system uses very small cabins which are designed to carry just four passengers. In this respect they are could also be known as "Personal Rapid Transports (or "Transits" in the American dialect), which is often just referred to as PRT.
Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) Trains.
Opening in 1984 Birmingham (UK) airport's 620 metres long Maglev people-mover was a global innovation by being the first public transport system to use magnetic levitation. Linking Birmingham International Railway Station with Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre it used two 'cabin' sized cubicles which featured electromagnets at each corner (to provide the lift) and linear induction motors (for propulsion). The journey lasted for just 90 seconds.
Maglev technology uses powerful electro-magnets so that the transports literally float along the track on a cushion of air. This reduces friction and gives a very smooth quality of ride and makes such vehicles relatively quiet. Magnetics are also used for propulsion and braking.
The advantage of this technology over conventional steel wheel technologies is that there are massive savings in maintenance and there is the possibility of full 24-hour service - conventional railway tracks must have every stretch inspected every 72 hours (or even more frequently) and as this involves railway staff walking along the tracks it requires the lines to be closed to moving trains. This is usually done at night - and partly explains why conventional railways cannot offer 24 hours / all-night services. Maglev doesn't have that issue, the system should only need periodic maintenance shutdowns - although most travellers and safety officials would probably feel happier if this was done on a weekly basis.
Despite working very well this maglev closed in June 1995 - unfortunately it had become a victim of its own success because it had been so dependable, for so long, that when this unique installation finally needed spare parts there was no replacement parts industry. Furthermore its electronics were by then several generations behind the times (isn't it just amazing that something so technologically advanced as a maglev can become 'old fashioned' so soon!)
Instead there is now a people mover (named "SkyRail") which uses the Austrian Doppelmayr/Siemens CABLE Liner Shuttle system. This rubber-tyred system features automated cable traction, and apart from here is also used in Las Vegas, USA.
These trains feature what are effectively two identical cabin vehicles "back-to-back".
Formally opened 7th March 2003 it cost £11 million to install. Services run at speeds of up to 22mph (35 km/h) and a journey along the two new 585 metre trackways takes about 90 seconds. The system is somewhat like a flat funicular (or horizontal lift / elevator) with trains being hauled by a cable which is powered via a winding house, although in this installation the two vehicles are able to operate independently of each other. Services operate every few minutes so although each cabin has a stated capacity of just 27 passengers (which equates to 54 passengers per train) the system can transport up to 1600 passengers per hour.
Often thought of as a 'magnetic levitation' transport was the (West) Berlin, Germany, M-Bahn. This system used a linear synchronous motor in the guideway which reacted with permanent magnets on the vehicles to provide 85% of the support as well as propel the trains. The vehicles were also fitted with small lateral and vertical rollers which provided 15% of the support as well as helping keep the vehicle within preset lateral limits.
left at Gleisdreieck, where it used part of a U-Bahn platform which had been closed following the division of the city,
right Berburger Str. which was the intermediate station. On the ground to the right can be seen a flea market / car boot sale.
Very much experimental in nature there were just three stations along a 1.6 km route which took the train very close to the former division between the Eastern and Western sectors of the city.
This installation ceased operating in the early 1990's - it was partially built over a closed section of the former U-Bahn and with Berlins' re-unification the route was needed to allow the U-Bahn to be reopened.
Inside an M-Bahn train.
In March 2005 the 9.2km Tobu-Kyuryo Japanese "Linimo" urban maglev monorail carried its first passengers. This is the first application of maglev technology on a monorail. Most of the line is elevated - although there is a tunnel section of about 1km in length.
This train is based on the well-tested HSST-100 maglev design that has a top speed of about 130km/hr - although this version's theoretical top speed will be 200km/h. Why theoretical? Because with 9 stations en route the station spacing is too close to allow such speeds to be reached in practise. Internally the Linimo trains feature the usual (for Asia) full walk-through facility whilst the fronts are of a novel see-through "gem cut" design which in an emergency will allow evacuation through either end.
In 2007 another commercial urban maglev line is scheduled to open in Taejon, Korea.
Meanwhile, in December 2003 Shanghai, China, become the home of a global innovation with the first commercial high-speed maglev line.
Pictures sourced from manufacturer's promotional material. For more information visit their websites @ http://www.transrapid.de or http://www.transrapid-usa.com.
For information on a proposed application of this technology on the British mainland visit http://www.500kmh.com (all links open in new windows).
Street Compatible Cabin Transports
None of the above transports are "street compatible", which means that they would require extensive (and possibly costly) infrastructure to be built before they could be brought into service. This in itself is not a problem because for many locations such transports will be appropriate and by being away from the street scene they will be able to provide timetabled, reliable services which will offer travellers a viable and environmentally sound alternative choice to driving and the all-too-familiar problems caused by traffic congestion / air pollution, etc...
However there will also be some locations where there is a need for very frequent lower capacity transports which are capable of operating both on their own private right of way and in the "street" domain - whether shared with pedestrians, other road traffic, or both.
Traditionally this would have meant using minibuses (although they would only really be suitable for use on paved roads) these being the cheapest and simplest form of public transport. However, experience with bus deregulation here in Britain has shown that whilst buses are easy to bring into service their lack of fixed infrastructure also equates to a possible lack of commitment to providing a long term service - or, in other words buses which are "here today" can just as easily be "gone tomorrow"! And then there is the question of air pollution... although it is true that battery electric buses do exist this is an option few transport operators seem to want to explore. Electric minibuses are looked at on the Electric Buses page.
An example of ultra light rail - a Parry People Mover 50 (PPM50) in low floor format suitable for street operation. Image sourced from manufacturer's promotional material - http://www.parrypeoplemovers.com
By far the most popular street compatible form of public transport is the tram (or streetcar) and these exist in "Cabin" size too. However as ultra light rail is a duo-rail technology it is looked at on the Passenger Train Variations - Trams, Streetcars & Light Rail Vehicles and the Light Rail Fits In pages.
