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Seattle Center Monorail

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Seattle Center Monorail
File:Seattle Center Monorail logo.jpg
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerCity of Seattle
LocaleDowntown Seattle, Washington
Termini
Stations2
Service
TypeMonorail
Operator(s)Seattle Monorail Services
History
OpenedMarch 24, 1962
Technical
Line length1.2 mi (1.9 km)
CharacterElevated
Operating speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Route map
Template:Infobox rdt
South terminus of the monorail in 1963
Aerial view of monorail in downtown Seattle
The monorail tracks with the Space Needle visible in the distance

The Seattle Center Monorail is an elevated monorail line in Seattle, Washington, that runs a little over one mile along Fifth Avenue from Westlake Center in Downtown to Seattle Center in Lower Queen Anne. It claims to be the "only fully self-sufficient public transit system" in the United States, and with a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h), to also be the fastest full-sized monorail in the country, although the Las Vegas Monorail has a similar speed. Owned by the City of Seattle, the line has been operated by a private contractor, Seattle Monorail Services, since 1994.[1] The monorail trains and their tracks were given historical landmark status by the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board April 16, 2003.[2]


Creation and route

The south end of the monorail line, near Westlake Center

The monorail, which cost $3.5 million to build, opened on March 24, 1962 for the Century 21 Exposition, a World's Fair being held at the current site of Seattle Center. Eight million people rode the monorail during the half year the fair was open; today, annual ridership is around 2.5 million. The line and its trains were built by Alweg Rapid Transit Systems, a German company.

Originally, the south end of the line was a large station in Westlake Park that formed a lid over the park. In 1988, the station was moved north a block with the construction of the Westlake Center shopping mall. In order to fit the design of the mall the tracks were moved closer together, such that there is only room for one train to occupy the Westlake Center station at a time. This design decision introduced a collision risk at the station that led to an actual collision in 2005.

The Westlake station of the monorail has an elevator down to the Westlake Station of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, a stop for the Central Link light rail line, and major Metro bus lines. Westlake Center is also near the southern terminus of the South Lake Union Streetcar and numerous surface bus routes.

At the northern end of the line, the Experience Music Project building was designed so that the monorail passes through it on its way to the terminal.

Operations

The Seattle Center Monorail is operated by a private contractor, Seattle Monorail Services (SMS), which took over operation from the City in June 1994.[1] Operating profits, which can be as much as $750,000 per year in a good year, are split between the City and SMS.[1]

Service operates daily. Trains depart every 10 minutes from the station at Seattle Center en route to Westlake Center Mall, at Fifth and Pine Street. Each trip takes two minutes to cover the approximately one-mile route. Each train can carry up to 450 passengers per trip. The monorail provides two-train service during special events and activities, with departures every five minutes or less.

Round-trip fares are $4.00 for adults, $1.50 for youth ages 5–12, $2.00 for senior 65+, disabled (with valid Regional Reduced Fare Permit), and persons with Medicare cards. One-way fares are half of the round-trip price. Children four and under ride free.

Accidents

Aftermath of the 2005 collision, the train on the right was approaching the station, and should have yielded

On July 25, 1971, a brake failure on the red train resulted in it striking the girder at the end of the track in the Seattle Center station, causing injuries to 26 passengers.[3]

On May 31, 2004, a fire broke out on the monorail with 150 people aboard. Five passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.[4]

On November 26, 2005, the two trains clipped one another on a curve, shearing a door off one train. Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries. Poor design and driver error were blamed for the crash;[5][6][7] in 1988, the space between the monorail tracks had been reduced at the southern end of the line to make room for the new Westlake Center, effectively making gauntlet/interlaced track.

Technical details

The monorail passes through the EMP building

The fleet consists of two trains, one on each of the two parallel tracks. They are the original Alweg trains, which have served the line ever since its opening in 1962, and were built in 1961.

Each train is powered by four 750 Hp DC Motors running at 700V. They typically draw up to 700 amps. The motors are controlled by a mechanical motor controller that adjusts the position of the motors and number of resistors in the circuit. The motors run into a standard truck differential, with one side blocked off and the other running to the driving wheel, which runs a standard truck tire.

The electric current is drawn from a two-tiered electric rail that is aligned with the side of the track. The top rail is earth, with the live rail suspended beneath it.

The monorail uses dynamic braking for higher speed braking (over 10 mph), and has drum brakes for lower speeds.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Yardley, William (September 25, 2006). "In Seattle, a Dream From the Past Has a Hazy Future". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-13. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ McRoberts, Patrick. "Space Needle officially becomes a City of Seattle historic landmark on April 19, 1999". HistoryLink. Retrieved 2006-01-09.
  3. ^ "Monorail crashes into steel girder at Seattle Center injuring 26, on July 25, 1971". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  4. ^ "Fire hits monorail at Seattle Center". The Seattle Times. June 1, 2004. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  5. ^ "Monorail trains collide". The Seattle Times. November 27, 2005. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  6. ^ Lindblom, Mike (November 28, 2005). "Monorail collision result of hazard created during 1988 track redesign". Seattle Times.
  7. ^ Lange, Larry (January 5, 2006). "Monorail damage more than just dents". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Media related to Seattle monorail at Wikimedia Commons

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