What is Monorail ?
MO*NO*RAIL n. 1. A single rail serving as a
track for passenger or freight vehicles. In most cases rail is
elevated, but monorails can also run at grade, below grade or in subway
tunnels. Vehicles are either suspended from or straddle a narrow
guideway. Monorail vehicles are WIDER than the guideway that supports them.
- A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway.
- The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track.
- The term originates from joining mono (one) and rail (rail), from as early as 1897, possibly from German engineer Eugen Langen who called an elevated railway system with wagons suspended the Eugen Langen One-railed Suspension Tramway (Einschieniges Hängebahnsystem Eugen Langen).
- The transportation system is often referred to as a railway.
- Colloquially (बोलचाल के ढंग से), the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, the term refers to the style of track, not its elevation.
Differentiation from other transport systems
Monorail systems have found shared applications in the transportation market in airport transfer and some medium capacity metro systems. To differentiate monorail systems from other transport modes, the Monorail Society further clarifies the definition of a monorail such that the beam in a monorail system is narrower than the vehicle.
Similarities
Monorails are often but not exclusively elevated, sometimes leading to confusion with other elevated systems such as the Docklands Light Railway, Vancouver SkyTrain and the JFK AirTrain; none of these three are monorails by definition since they run on conventional steel dual rails (see: What is a Monorail?).
Monorail vehicles are often at first glance similar to other light rail vehicles, and can be both manned and unmanned. Monorail vehicles can also be found in singular rigid format, articulated single units, or as multiple units coupled into 'trains'. In common with other advanced rapid transit systems, some monorails are driven by linear induction motor. In common with many dual rail systems, the vehicle bodies are connected to the beam via bogies, allowing curves to be negotiated.
Differences
Unlike some trams and light rail systems, modern monorails are always partitioned from other traffic and pedestrians. Monorails are both guided and supported via interaction with the same single beam, in contrast to other guided systems such as Rubber-tyred metros, such as the Sapporo Municipal Subway; or guided buses or trams, such as Translohr. Monorails also do not use pantographs.
From the passengers' perspective, monorails have many advantages over trains, buses, and automobiles. 10 feet or more above the city streets, monorails avoid red lights, intersection turns, and traffic jams. Surface level trains, buses, automobiles, and pedestrians can collide each one with the other, while monorails can collide only with other monorails. Thus monorail trains have much fewer opportunities for collision. Unlike subways (and surface level trains with underground tracks near city centers), monorail passengers enjoy sunlight and views. By watching for familiar landmarks, they can know better when to get off to reach their destinations. Expensive and noisy ventilation systems are not necessary if the cars have traditional windows that can be opened by passengers. (This also eliminates the weight and bulk of ventilation systems). Monorails are much quieter than diesel buses and trains. They obtain electricity from the track structure, eliminating costly and unsightly overhead power lines and poles. Compared to the elevated train systems of New York, Chicago, and elsewhere, the monotrack casts a narrow shadow. See Chicago 'L'
Maglev
Under the Monorail Society beam width criterion, some but not all maglev systems are considered monorails, such as the Transrapid and Linimo. Maglevs differ from all other monorail systems in that they do not (normally) physically contact the beam.
Reference:
[1] Wikipedia.org
[2] Monorail.org
Monorail vehicles are often at first glance similar to other light rail vehicles, and can be both manned and unmanned. Monorail vehicles can also be found in singular rigid format, articulated single units, or as multiple units coupled into 'trains'. In common with other advanced rapid transit systems, some monorails are driven by linear induction motor. In common with many dual rail systems, the vehicle bodies are connected to the beam via bogies, allowing curves to be negotiated.
Differences
Unlike some trams and light rail systems, modern monorails are always partitioned from other traffic and pedestrians. Monorails are both guided and supported via interaction with the same single beam, in contrast to other guided systems such as Rubber-tyred metros, such as the Sapporo Municipal Subway; or guided buses or trams, such as Translohr. Monorails also do not use pantographs.
From the passengers' perspective, monorails have many advantages over trains, buses, and automobiles. 10 feet or more above the city streets, monorails avoid red lights, intersection turns, and traffic jams. Surface level trains, buses, automobiles, and pedestrians can collide each one with the other, while monorails can collide only with other monorails. Thus monorail trains have much fewer opportunities for collision. Unlike subways (and surface level trains with underground tracks near city centers), monorail passengers enjoy sunlight and views. By watching for familiar landmarks, they can know better when to get off to reach their destinations. Expensive and noisy ventilation systems are not necessary if the cars have traditional windows that can be opened by passengers. (This also eliminates the weight and bulk of ventilation systems). Monorails are much quieter than diesel buses and trains. They obtain electricity from the track structure, eliminating costly and unsightly overhead power lines and poles. Compared to the elevated train systems of New York, Chicago, and elsewhere, the monotrack casts a narrow shadow. See Chicago 'L'
Maglev
Under the Monorail Society beam width criterion, some but not all maglev systems are considered monorails, such as the Transrapid and Linimo. Maglevs differ from all other monorail systems in that they do not (normally) physically contact the beam.
Reference:
[1] Wikipedia.org
[2] Monorail.org
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