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3D printed chassis replaces the original gearbox
What's with all the wires!!?? The burgundy Mk VII has a 3.3 V converter for white headlights and an auxiliary motor controller to handle the extra power for the WhisperJet motor.
The orange Mk VII has "soft start" which adds a microcontroller to gently ramp up/down the speed. What good is a monorail without a computer onboard? ;)
Radio Control under construction - L to R RC receiver; 3.3 V converter; electronic switch
July 2020 - our latest Disney radio control monorail
July 2020 - our latest N scale radio control monorailJuly 2020 - replace the green headlights with proper white ones (WDW models)
August 2017 - Headlights and beacon for the rear cab - and while we're in there, audio!
July 2017 - soft start / stop for the Disneyland Mark VII - let's take the motor upgrade a bit further
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRuYtxK9PGo&feature=youtu.be
May 2017 - upgrade the motor controller in Disneyland Mark VII to enable a more powerful motor
January 2017
Autonomous - who needs a pilot ? The monorail can pilot itself.
It started out as a loop system, with automatic stops at stations along the way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO5uZmr6Fys&t=6s
Then it became an answer to an out and back layout, with WhisperJet and enhanced audio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKU73ERuVAE&t=20s
It works with the original drive and sound systems too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZtVdflpcck
Prototypes
Not a modern invention.
Although commonly thought of as a modern invention monorails have been with us since 1825 and self-propelled since 1876. The oldest surviving monorail was built in 1901 and is still in operation.
By 1914 monorails had developed into a form that is similar to today's straddle-beam systems.This 1914 Genoa Monorail is easily recognizable as a precursor to modern monorail systems.
Many monorails were built to showcase technology for a world's fair or expositions, such as the ones in Philadelphia (1876), Genoa Italy (1914), Turin Italy (1961), Seattle (1962), and New York (1964).
Of course the best known monorails are those at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, not surprising since the latter is the #1 tourist destination in the world. These monorails have been in daily operation since 1959 and 1971 respectively, transporting millions of guests. Most monorails built since that time are based on similar technology developed by Alweg and continued by Hitachi and Bombardier. The Las Vegas, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Moscow monorails follow this design as does the one being built at the ultra-exclusive resort, Palm Jumeirah.
Models
Disney has it.
Disney's models are readily available and reasonably priced, and form the basis of most monorail modeling. The only other recent well known model is by Rokenbok but their model does not represent any prototype and is of little interest to most modelers. Monorail modeling mostly appears to take one of two forms, Disney collectors who have a small layout with only a monorail (and maybe some theme park items), and model railroaders who have a monorail in the background to add interest.
For the first group the monorail is the star, the reason for the layout. The second group considers the monorail as more like moving scenery, the railroad is of primary interest. Still, for either group smooth operation of the monorail completes the scene while poor operation ruins the illusion.
As with the prototypes, model monorails are not new either. Here are some links to model monorails of the past, one as old as 1930's:
Leland Detroit Monorail 1930’s
http://www.mth-railking.com/detail.asp?item=10-1234-1
(Detroit Monorail Set, n. d.)
Schuco - Disneland 1961-1968
http://schucodisneylandmonorail.com/
Paleo-Future 1962
http://www.paleofuture.com/2007/12/x-20-monorail-toy-1962.html
(Matt, 2007)
AMF 1964/65 World's Fair
http://www.geocities.com/AMFMonorail/
(Amf Monorail, 2004)
From Toy to Scale Model
Operation makes the difference
The difference is primarily in the operation. Toys can run around in a circle, roughly and noisily. Scale models must run smoothly to give the appearance (and the illusion) of the real thing. True scale modelers will spend many hours and many dollars to improve the operation of their models, then continue with scenery to enhance the realism. The end result is to re-create a scene from the prototype where the modeler can immerse themselves if only briefly, in a miniature world. This is where we come in, to help turn Disney's toy into a finely operating scale model!
The Monorail Society. (2008). Retrieved May 29, 2008, from The Monorail Society Web site: http://monorails.org