News Brief Archives
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India's monorail era beginning (01/18/10)
New Delhi, India. As the Mumbai Monorail project moves into its most active construction phase, the potential for monorail in many other cities in India looms large. In fact, India transport planners are currently seriously exploring monorail for more cities than any other country in the world. Scomi Engineering Bhd is in the forefront of the big push for monorail throughout the country. Scomi sees India as the "promised land" for public transport projects. Scomi's competitors, Hitachi and Bombardier, are also pursuing business in India. Scomi currently holds the upper hand however, having won the Mumbai Monorail Project bid war. Mumbai, while building its first monorail line, is already looking at adding more lines in the area. Other Indian monorail projects in discussion include Bangalore, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Patna and Pune.
Scomi bets big on India to buoy its monorail business. Deccan Herald, 01/15/10.
Monorail in Mumbai by 2011. 20 minute TV interview - Scomi's Global Marketing Head, Kanesan Veluppillai. NDTV.
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Las Vegas Monorail files for Chapter 11 (01/13/10)
Las Vegas, Nevada. The Las Vegas Sun is reporting that the Las Vegas Monorail filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Revenues from advertising and ticket sales have been enough to cover operating expenses, but not enough to pay off the $650-million in construction and startup loans. Board Member Bruce Woodbury said in December that an extension to McCarran International Airport is still being planned. The extension is expected to give ticket sales a huge boost. However, that probably won't happen until the current debt is restructured. Then financing stands a better chance of being attracted for the line.
Las Vegas Monorail files for bankruptcy protection. Las Vegas Sun, 01/13/10.
Monorail files for bankruptcy as a step toward airport extension. Las Vegas Review-Journal, 01/13/10.
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Mumbai: first car, first test (01/12/10)
Mumbai, India. Scomi has delivered the first monorail car to the Mumbai Monorail project. The car departed Malaysia on January 2nd. It was manufactured in Scomi's new state of the art manufacturing facility in North Kuala Lumpur, which can handle several projects at the same time. Scomi will deliver a total of 60 cars for the first phase of the Mumbai Monorail. The first vehicle tests on a portion of track in Mumbai are slated to take place on India's Republic Day, January 26th. The vehicle will initially run a short distance of 500 meters between Wadala Depot to the Regional Transportation Office (RTO) office. Officials state that the monorail project is on schedule. Pylons are in place and installation of the beams "has been put on the fast track," according to a Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) official. Work on the first 18-station, 20-kilometer segment from Chembur to Wadala depot is scheduled to be completed by November. The second segment, from Wadala to Jacob Circle, is scheduled for completion in April of 2011.
Scomi Brings India's First Monorail Car. PR Newswire, 01/05/10.
Republic Day trial for monorail: half-km's zip through Wadala. Indian Express, 01/13/10.
Monorail test run on R-Day will be for only 500 metre. Times of India, 01/13/10.
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New minirail in Brazil (01/04/10)
Gramado, Brazil. In December, a small monorail opened at Aldeia do Papai Noel, a Christmas-themed park in the hills of Gramado, Brazil. The I-beam suspended monorail features standard industrial monorail parts. Eurethane wheels carry the train and passenger load and it is powered by chain-drive electric motors. While most passenger minirails of this type exist at amusement parks, similar minirails might make sense in many other small transit venues because of easy access to industrial monorail parts.
Monorail Aldeia do Papai Noel photo essay. Photographs by TMS member Leonardo Torres da Silva, including detail close-up views.
Aldeia do Papai Noel website
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Red tape delays Milford Sound Monorail (12/30/09)
Queenstown, New Zealand. Promoters of a 43-kilometer monorail line to carry tourists to the Milford Sound area from Queenstown quicker is on hold until they obtain a green light from government officials. A revised concession application has been filed with New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC). The DOC will review the proposal, yet a decision isn't expected until late 2010. Riverside Holdings, the company behind the proposal, wants to build the $150 million single-lane monorail. The track would feature several passing lanes along the way to allow four trains to operate simultaneously in both directions. The monorail would be part of a three-mode journey including a catamaran, an all-terrain vehicle and the monorail. The company has already spent several million dollars on the project and they remain confident that the application will be approved. A competing proposal to shorten the trip to Milford Sound from Queenstown is for a 10.2 km vehicle tunnel.
Lengthy wait still for decision on monorail. stuff.co.nz, 12/28/09.
FiordLandLink website (features numerous detailed pdf documents on the proposal)
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Jaipur Monorail proposal progresses (12/26/09)
Jaipur, India. The Jaipur Monorail proposal we reported on two years ago has progressed closer to reality. The state of Rajasthan has issued a letter of intent to Malaysian company MRails International Sdn Bhd. MRails will set up the Jaipur Monorail under a build, own, operate and transfer basis (BOOT). The government will provide alignments for the monorail, yet the company will not seek any financial help to develop the system. MRails will earn revenues from ticket sales, advertisements, food courts at stations and corridor development. The monorail trains will be hybrid with LNG engines and electric motors powered by batteries. Solar power will be used as well for train AC and lighting. MRails President Jeya Kumar stated, “The cost per kilometer is between Rs 50 crore to Rs 80 crore ($10.7 to $17.2 million) and we can build 50 km in 2 years.” MRail is developing a test track at their manufacturing plant in Penang, Malaysia. In January 2010 a Rajasthan government delegation will visit the MRail facility to see the system firsthand. If developed, the Jaipur Monorail may be the first fully hybrid monorail in revenue service.
Jaipur to get India's first monorail. TopNews.com, 12/20/09. (The title of story incorrect, the reporter is ignoring the huge Mumbai Monorail project under construction)
MRails International website
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Tokyo diverts and adds station (12/23/09)
Tokyo, Japan. Construction is proceeding at a fast pace to add a diversion of the famous Tokyo Monorail track to a new terminal at Tokyo-Haneda International Airport. In 1978 most international airline traffic was diverted to the then-new Narita International Airport. Haneda was then limited to mostly domestic air travel. In recent years a loosening of regulations has allowed Haneda to increase international traffic once again. In October of 2010 a new International Terminal, will open. A diversion of the Tokyo Monorail track is being constructed, along with the addition of a new station at the terminal. Yuzi Kanazawa has graciously donated some of his outstanding photographs of the site, which are available for viewing in The Monorail Society Construction Gallery.
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WDW ignored Bombardier back-up warning (12/22/09)
Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Bombardier, the manufacturer of Walt Disney World's Mark VI monorail trains, had warned the resort of the hazards of reverse direction operations, according to an article in the Orlando Sentinel. An operating manual provided by Bombardier to WDW states that operating trains in reverse is a "potentially hazardous operation even under the best conditions” and “strongly recommended” that an observer be stationed at the opposite end of a train whenever one is backing up. On July 5th the WDW Monorail System suffered its first fatality when 21-year-old driver Austin Wuennenberg was killed as another train collided with the train he was operating. The other train was backing up on to the wrong track with no designated observers watching. WDW now adheres to Bombardier's recommendation for spotters while trains back up. Reportedly, resort guests are no longer allowed to ride in the Mark VI cabs either. Those changes are part of an effort by the resort to improve monorail safety. Despite the tragic accident in July, the monorail system has operated at the resort with an impressive safety record since 1971.
Monorail guide warned of hazard when trains backed up without a spotter. Orlando Sentinel, 12/21/09.
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Las Vegas Monorail considers Chapter 11 (12/18/09)
Las Vegas, Nevada. In an attempt to restructure its bond debt, the Las Vegas Monorail Company is considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. While on the surface that might seem like bad news, officials believe it may allow the system to finally be expanded to the airport and other destinations along the resort corridor. While revenues have been good enough to cover daily operating expenses, the company has not earned enough money to pay off the $650 million in construction and startup costs. Bruce Woodbury, monorail board member and longtime supporter of monorail, stated that they are negotiating a restructuring agreement with bondholders and its insurance company. Woodbury says that the monorail has been a success as far as relieving congestion in the resort corridor. If the monorail company does file Chapter 11, operations and services would not be interrupted. A slumping economy has not helped ridership, with less conventions in Las Vegas and less visitors to the area this year. The company plans to expand the monorail to McCarran International Airport and additional Strip resorts, but Woodbury says "until the current debt is restructured in a way that we don't have continuing unpaid principal amounts on that bond, we probably won't be able to attract financing for expansion. It's an economic necessity if we're ever going to go to the airport and other resorts, which I think we need to do."
Las Vegas Monorail Company considering restructuring debt. Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12/18/09.
Las Vegas Monorail dealing with debt. (video story) KVBC TV, 12/18/09.
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