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A monorail is a metro or railroad with a track consisting of a single rail, as opposed to the traditional track with two parallel rails.
Technical Aspects
There are two main types of monorail systems: In the suspended monorail the train is located under the track, suspended from above; in the straddle-beam monorail the train
straddles the 'rail', which is called straddle-beam (i.e. it covers it also on the sides).
Power Source
Modern monorails are powered by via electrical motors.
Wheels
Modern monorails generally have tires, instead of metal wheels like you find on subway and light rail trains. These wheels
roll along the top and sides of the rail to propel and stabilize to the train.
Switches
Most of modern monorail systems have switches. Some early monorail
systems, notably the suspended monorail of Wuppertal (Germany), dating from 1901 and still in operation, have a design that
makes it difficult to switch from one line to another. This limitation still figures in discussions of monorail. However, both
for the suspended and for the straddle-beam type monorail the problem has been surmounted.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- The primary advantage of monorails over conventional rail systems is that they require minimal space, both horizontally and
vertically. The width required is determined by the monorail vehicle, not the track, and monorail systems are commonly elevated,
requiring only a minimal footprint for support pillars.
- Due to a smaller footprint they are more attractive then conventional elevated rail lines and visually block only a minimal
amount of sky.
- They are quieter, as modern monorails use rubber wheels on a concrete track
- Monorails are capable of climbing, descending and turning faster than most conventional rail systems.
- Monorails are safer, since the monorail wraps around its track and thus cannot derail and unlike light rail system, there is
not risk of collision with traffic or pedestrians.
- They cost less to construct and maintain, especially when compared to underground metro systems.
Disadvantages:
- Monorails require their own guideway
- They cannot interchange with other forms of transport.
- While a monorail's footprint is less than an elevated conventional rail system, it is larger than an underground
system's.
- There are also some lingering concerns over the speed and capacity of monorails.
Monorails Around the World
Monorails are currently in use North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and new systems are currently under
construction.
Monorails in the North America
Monorails in Asia
Monorail systems have been built in many countries around the world, many of them on elevated tracks through crowded areas
that would otherwise require the construction of expensive underground lines or have the disadvantages of surface lines.
Japan has employed monorails for rapid transit in six cities, including:
Other countries Asian countries with monorail systems include China, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia..
Monorails in Europe
Monorails in South America and Australia
Monorail Ridership
The installation at Walt Disney World, arguably the world's best known monorail, is often claimed to be the busiest monorail
in the world with 5 million passengers yearly. However, in reality this title belongs to the Tokyo Monorail, which carries around 100 million passengers yearly, for a total of well over
one billion passengers to date.
Monorails under Construction
The short monorail built in Seattle for the Century 21 Exposition in 1962 is will be expended to serve public transit (construction begins in 2004).
The [[Las Vegas monorail connecting casino’s and other destinations on Las Vegas Strip has officially opened as of July 15th,
2004. A monorail system is under construction in Moscow, Russia and several system are
being built in Asian countries including Putrajaya, Malaysia, Sentosa, Singapore, Chongqing, China, and Jakarta, Indonesia.
See also: Public transport
External links
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