Transportation Engineering

The Monorail System

Introduction

The monorail system has been in use for the most part of the 20th century though mostly relegated to theme parks , recreation centers and exposition centers to ferry tourists and guests . Examples of these include the Walt Disney World Monorail System that conveys 150 ,000 visitors in any given day . Another is the Seattle Center Monorail that serves as the main mode of transportation for the World 's Fair in 1962 serving more than 8 million passengers for the first six months of the fair and has

been in use continuously up to the present day (Brief Monorail History , 2004

Sadly , the monorail system never competed in popularity with the light rail transit and the subway because many felt that it could only be utilized for very light applications . In major cities for example , the subway beats all other mass transport systems , particularly those that move millions of commuter 's daily . The monorail system simply never got into the heads of transportation experts although it is more applicable in terms of cost , safety and as the primary solution to traffic congestion

In Europe , the monorail system is popular not just with recreation centers but also for mass transport . Although in the United States this had never taken root because of the development and popularity of the automobile as the main transport system for commuters . In pursuit of the American Dream , a family that can afford an impressive house plus two cars in the garage becomes a status symbol that everybody pines for where all that matters is the fulfillment of this elusive dream , the symbol of success and manhood

But as progress evolved , environmental concerns are also on the rise since the mass use of automobiles contributes to as much as 20 of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere (one of the major factor in the accumulation of greenhouse gasses that contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer and the global warming phenomena . This is complemented by the rising prices of fossil based fuels . Thus , cities in the United States are turning to the monorail system as the likely alternative to address these rising environmental issues (Greenhouse Gases , 2004

Why the monorail system ? Simply because a monorail transit system runs on electricity and operates silently , therefore addressing the problems associated with carbon dioxide emission and sound pollution . Besides , a monorail transit is cheaper when compared to a conventional railway system and since it is installed above existing roadway networks , the same will not contribute to traffic congestion . The light rail transit is devised to run parallel to the roadway system which makes it prone to accidents as it comes in contact with other transport vehicles (About Light Rail , 2007

There are two types of monorail systems now in use around the world - the straddled type or beam riding and the other one is the suspended system . During the early part of the 20th century , the suspended system was in use though only with very limited...