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47-490: The monorail system used four fully air-conditioned four-car trains which travelled around the park in approximately 11 minutes. It ceased operations in 2012 and was replaced by a trackless tram service. A monorail system was first mooted in 1988 when the Jurong Bird Park still utilised diesel trams to ferry visitors around the park. On 21 June 1990, a sign promoting a monorail development with two stations and four trains

94-588: A sign or billboard as well as providing shade, breaking strong winds , and protecting from rain or snow. In areas with wintry weather, most awnings do not have to be taken down at the end of the summer – they can remain retracted against the building all winter long, or be designed and built for those conditions. Awnings were first used by the ancient Egyptian and Syrian civilizations. They are described as "woven mats" that shaded market stalls and homes. A Roman poet Lucretius , in 50 BC, said "Linen-awning, stretched, over mighty theatres, gives forth at times,

141-561: A tractor unit pulling a number of articulated trailers or carriages in the manner of a locomotive -hauled railway train . The tractor unit can be powered by an internal combustion engine or an electric motor . Carriages may seat between 6 and 40 persons, and can be roofed or not, featuring open or closed sides and various levels of interior comfort such as padded seats. If open, depending on climate they may feature plastic or fiberglass corrugated panels overhead, to divert rain and provide some measure of shade. Alternative designs may use

188-401: A truss , space frame or planar frame . Awnings are also often constructed of aluminium understructure with aluminium sheeting . These aluminium awnings are often used when a fabric awning is not a practical application where snow load as well as wind loads may be a factor. The location of an awning on a building may be above a window , a door , or above the area along a sidewalk . With

235-406: A cloth awning overhead for similar purposes. Carriages usually contain latchable doors or chains to act as safety measures to prevent exit while in motion. Carriages and tractor false bodies are constructed in either fiberglass or aluminum, and may feature levelling suspension . As in a regular road vehicle, the tractor unit is steered through the front wheels by a steering wheel operated by

282-416: A cost-effective temporary solution to people who want to enjoy shade. The portable designs offer versatility to take the unit to social events. The frame usually incorporates an accordion-style truss which folds up compactly. Shade screens utilize acrylic canvas or a mesh fabric , which allows some view-through while blocking the sun's rays. The roller at the top may be hand-cranked or motorized. The fabric

329-463: A cracking roar, when much 'tis beaten about, betwixt the poles and cross-beams". Among the most significant awnings in the ancient world was the velarium , the massive complex of retractable shade structures that could be deployed above the seating areas of the Roman Colosseum . Made of linen shadecloths, timber framing, iron sockets and rope, the system could effectively shade about one-third of

376-478: A human driver, and powered by its rear single or double axle . The following carriages are then steered through the drawbar couplings between the carriages. Simple trains with few carriages or short in overall length may feature single- or double-axle carriages with just front-axle steering only. Larger or longer trains feature four-wheel steering by way of mechanical linkages . Four-wheel steering ensures that longer trains need less side clearance while turning, as

423-452: A large outdoor space. Normally a single folding arm awning can only span 7 m (23 ft) in a single system due to difficulties transporting, storing and powder coating extrusion greater than this size. The most common fabric choice for folding arm awning is solution dyed acrylic fabric that comes in a variety of styles, colours, patterns as well as performance grades for water repellence and fire retardancy. Solution dyed acrylic fabric

470-423: A portmanteau of "panoramic" and "rail". It was launched by President Wee Kim Wee on 11 April 1992, the 21st anniversary of the park. Part of the panorail's route entered an aviary , which was promoted as "the only one of its kind in the world". Four trains, with a four-car setup, ran at 3-5 minute frequencies between stations. The trains were fully air-conditioned and ran in a 1.7 km (1.1 mi) loop around

517-488: A sheltered place for children and pets to play, shielded from direct sun. Some of today's awnings also offer accessories that can greatly increase the versatility and usefulness owners get from their decks or patios . A screen room add-on can easily turn an awning into a virtually bug-free outdoor room, side screening cuts down on wind and mist coming under the sides of awnings, and patio lights let people enjoy their decks evenings and nights. It also can be used to cover

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564-576: A wall-mounted switch. Modern awnings may be constructed with covers of various types of fabrics, aluminium, corrugated fibreglass, corrugated polycarbonate or other materials. High winds can cause damage to an extended awning, and newer designs incorporate a wind sensor for automatic retraction in certain conditions. Modern awnings are rated for wind tolerance based on width, length, number of supporting arms, and material. Modern awning design incorporates urethane compression joints, steel support structures, and wind sensors. Such designs are currently in use at

611-585: Is a common name in the US, reflecting its use in parking lot transport. The lack of a widely accepted generic name for trackless trains often leads to them being called trams , people movers or road trains . Due to cultural terminology differences, trackless train , tram and parking lot tram usages occur in North America , while land train and road train are used in Europe . A trackless train usually consists of

658-434: Is gravity-fed, with a weighted bottom rail pulling the fabric down between guide rails or guy wires . Exterior shades are much more effective at blocking heat than interior shades , since they block the heat before it enters the glass. This style of framed screen is typically done by professional installers, because of the specialized frames and tools required. A recent advancement is frame-less shade screens, which allows

705-425: Is that they can be enclosed on the front and sides using solar shade screens. This allows for an "outdoor room" that can be heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer . These are a modern version of the old storefront crank-up awnings of the last century. The two, three or four tension arms (width dependent) and a top tube are supported by a torsion bar . With a Traditional 'Open Style' folding arm awning

752-572: Is the rubber-tyred tram used as a public transport alternative to conventional light rail , tram and bus . In some countries in Europe a Volkswagen minibus usually carries 3 carriages , these trackless trains can often carry only 38 passengers. Trackless trains are also often operated for the exclusive use of customers of resorts or amusement parks , both as internal transport systems entirely within their premises either from parking areas and between attractions, or as rides in themselves. A particularly heavy user of trackless trains has been

799-447: Is the most suitable fabric for use in these awnings due to dimensional properties, ease of manufacturing, weight (versus woven mesh) & high levels of filtering of and resistance against UV. Commonly used to shade a window, with a roller tube at the top, spring-loaded side arms, and a motor, crank or tape-pull operator. Awnings with sides are commonly known as traditional style awnings as they have been used for many years dating back to

846-411: Is typically composed of canvas woven of acrylic , cotton or polyester yarn, or vinyl laminated to polyester fabric that is stretched tightly over a light structure of aluminium , iron or steel , possibly wood or transparent material (used to cover solar thermal panels in the summer, but that must allow as much light as possible in the winter). The configuration of this structure is something of

893-825: The Walt Disney Parks and Resorts where they are used to move guests between the outlying parking lots and the park entrances. 16 trams reside at Disneyland Resort , and 28 trams reside at Walt Disney World Resort . Universal , and other movie studio theme parks also use trackless trains on their studio backlot tours . Purdue University has the Boilermaker Special as its mascot. While some trackless trains are functional or modern in appearance, many are often constructed with false bodywork and are painted to look like nineteenth century steam locomotives . Others may feature decorative or fun paint schemes to appeal to children . Certain models of trackless train may look

940-408: The sidewalk edge and linked by a front cross bar. To lend support to larger installations, angled rafters linked the front cross bar to the building facade . The upper end of the canvas was connected to the facade with nails , with grommets and hooks , or by lacing the canvas to a head rod bolted to the facade. The other (projecting) end of the canvas was draped over or laced to a front bar with

987-509: The White House, Grand Central Station, and the Kremlin. Aluminium awnings have long been popular in residential applications throughout the world. They are available in many colors and are usually painted with a baked-on enamel paint. Among the many benefits of these awnings are cooler temperatures inside the home, shade for your patio, extending the life of furniture and window treatments. Possibly

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1034-401: The addition of columns an awning becomes a canopy , which is able to extend further from a building, as in the case of an entrance to a hotel . Restaurants often use awnings broad enough to cover substantial outdoor area for outdoor dining, parties, or reception. In commercial buildings, an awning is often painted with information as to the name , business , and address , thus acting as

1081-412: The amount of awning coverage depending upon the weather conditions). When the sun came out from behind clouds, the awning could be deployed with ease. In case of sudden storms, owners could quickly retract the awning against the building wall where it was protected from wind gusts. Despite their advantages, early operable awnings had drawbacks; when retracted, their cloth coverings often bunched up against

1128-428: The arena and seating; another third could be shaded by the high surrounding walls, providing a majority of seats some shade on a blinding afternoon. It is believed that sailors, with their background in sailmaking and rigging were employed to build, maintain and operate the velarium. Awnings became common during the first half of the 19th century. At that time they consisted of timber or cast iron posts set along

1175-399: The awning's versatility by making the attachment of certain accessories available. Motorized awnings have no vertical supports. Instead, they have retracting lateral arms, creating an unobstructed shaded area. These awnings are operated by an electric motor , generally hidden inside the roller bar of the awning. The arms open and close the awning at the touch of a wireless remote control or

1222-409: The baggage carts, to be used for other purposes. Individual baggage carts are also quickly detachable for parking in loading−unloading areas. Airport baggage trains are often also much longer than the passenger type. [REDACTED] Media related to Trackless trains at Wikimedia Commons Awning An awning or overhang is a secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building. It

1269-503: The bare framework, suggesting that the covering was extended only when necessary. Canvas duck was the predominant awning fabric, a strong, closely woven cotton cloth used for centuries to make tents and sails. Awnings became a common feature in the years after the American Civil War. Iron plumbing pipe, which was quickly adapted for awning frames, became widely available and affordable as a result of mid-century industrialization. It

1316-467: The building facade. This left part of the fabric exposed to inclement weather, and deterioration was often accelerated by moisture pooling in the folds of fabric. If poorly designed or badly placed, the retracted fabric could obscure part of the window or door opening, and even if out of the way an imperfectly folded awning presented an unkempt appearance. Modern materials and designs have eliminated all of these issues. Retractable awnings let owners control

1363-525: The carriages are able to maintain the same path, describing a constant radius of arc . This adds to the impression of the vehicle being on rails. The drawbar connections of more complex trains may feature a shock absorber to mitigate the effect of acceleration or braking . Trackless trains are often used for the transport of tourists instead of other public transport modes. These may be seasonal services, linking attractions such as museums and zoos or other tourist destinations with central areas. Often,

1410-464: The covering was to roll it up the rafters by hand. Operable systems for both storefront and window awnings had extension arms that were hinged where they joined the facade. The arms were lowered to project the awning or raised to retract the awning using simple rope and pulley arrangements. Because the canvas remained attached to the framework, retractable awnings allowed a more flexible approach to shading (shopkeepers and owners could incrementally adjust

1457-564: The early 19th century using cotton canvas fabric. Canvas was replaced in the 1960s by more acrylic materials and polyester in more recent times driven by a focus on the environment. Traditional style awnings are appropriate for historical buildings and are still popular today using a more weather resistant fabric and a rope and pulley system for retracting the awnings. Awnings without sides do not provide as much sun protection as those with sides. Awnings without sides come in many different styles. Drop Arm Awnings without sides come with roller tubes at

Jurong Bird Park Panorail - Misplaced Pages Continue

1504-428: The edge often hanging down to form a valance . On ornate examples, metal posts were adorned with filigree and the tops decorated with spear ends, balls or other embellishments. On overcast days or when rain did not threaten, the covering was often rolled up against the building facade; during the winter months proper maintenance called for the removal and storage of awnings. Photographs from the mid-19th century often show

1551-476: The following types: Retractable patio cover systems are the latest "entry" in to the retractable market. Most of these systems are water-proof as compared to water-resistant (lateral arm awnings) and therefore allow no water penetration through the fabric "roof" section. These systems meet Beaufort scale wind loads up to Beaufort 10 (89–101 km/h or 48–55 kn or 55–63 mph) depending on model and size. Another advantage of retractable patio cover systems

1598-483: The last few decades. The motor is inside the roller tube that the fabric rolls around and therefore is not visible. Many motors now have a built-in receiver and are operated by remote control, smartphone, tablet or home automation . Lateral arm awnings are also known as folding arm, deck or patio awnings, as they can extend / project as far as 5 m (16 ft) and when several awnings are coupled together, can be as wide as 16 m (52 ft) or more – thus covering

1645-463: The manner of a road-going railway train . Similar vehicles may be used for transport of freight or baggage for short distances, such as at a factory or airport. Often depending on use, land train may or may not be skeuomorphically styled to look like traditional, often steam trains . Trackless train or land train are descriptive terms for the rubber tired road -going vehicles to distinguish them from rail mounted trains . Parking lot tram

1692-676: The most beneficial feature of the awnings are the fact that they have a usable life of well over 40 years. Some aluminum awnings are designed to be folded down and fastened to protect windows in case of storms such as hurricanes. Retractable awnings are now becoming very popular with homeowners in the United States . They have been popular in Europe for many years, due to higher energy costs and lack of air conditioning. Some retractable awnings can include photovoltaic cells or rollable solar panels to generate electricity. Retractable awnings can include

1739-457: The official website as of 14 April 2012, but was replaced by a trackless tram service listing by 3 May 2012. The panorail had three stations: Trackless train A trackless train — or tram ( U.S. English ), road train , land train , or parking lot train is a road -going articulated vehicle used for the transport of passengers , comprising a driving vehicle pulling one or more carriages connected by drawbar couplings , in

1786-399: The park, with each loop taking approximately 11 minutes. A recorded commentary was played during the journey detailing places of interest. Its tinted windows extended from the knees to the roof. Stations were equipped with a single lift for handicapped visitors and train seats could be lifted for wheelchairs to back into. The panorail ceased operations in 2012. The panorail was still listed on

1833-401: The same as narrow-gauge rail guided amusement park trains, due to the common manufacture of both vehicles. Some fifth wheel coupled trailer buses may also be similarly decorated. Mechanized baggage trains−trams , used at airport terminals , have steering mechanisms similar to those on longer trackless trains, although the tractor units are commonly designed to be frequently detached from

1880-513: The thermal solar panels in the summer. Today's awnings come in two basic types: manually operated models which are opened by hand and motorized models which operate by electricity. Each offers its own advantages. Benefits include low-cost affordability, easy adaptability to almost any deck or patio, and support arms that can be angled back against the house or set vertically on the deck or patio floor. These arms provide extra support and stability which some owners prefer in windy areas, and increase

1927-590: The top and are available with motors and wind sensors for automatic retraction. Spear Awnings are made without sides and are made with Wrought Iron Frames and they can be retracted with a rope and pulley system but are not available with motors. Awnings with sides provide the best sun protection for east and west facing windows. North and South facing windows can be protected from the sun with awnings without sides. Awnings provide shade keeping your house cooler, awnings are also great shade creators around porches, decks and patios. A portable pop-up canopy or tent provides

Jurong Bird Park Panorail - Misplaced Pages Continue

1974-552: The torsion bar (also known as square bar) fits into wall or soffit or fascia or roof mounted brackets that spread the load to the wall or roof truss. The newer 'Full Cassette' style of folding arm awning does away with the torsion bar and uses an aluminium extrusion that interlocks with brackets that in-turn spreads the cantilevered force imposed by the awning into the structure it is fitted to. Hand-cranked awnings are still available, but motorized awnings are now most common due to advances in technology, manufacturing & reliability over

2021-715: The train ride itself is a tourist attraction , offering sightseeing along scenic routes as well as a transport service. In the Swiss town of Gruyères , a trackless train is the only vehicle allowed in the pedestrianized streets. A similar train is also used to move students between the train station and the faculties in the Outer Alcalá de Henares University Campus. Trackless trains are also used in shopping malls to entertain children while their parents are shopping. Trackless trains used for this purpose are commonly smaller and have less power. A larger and faster form of trackless tram

2068-560: The weather on their own terms. When passing showers threaten, or when the sun gets hot, they or the home automation system unroll the awning for near-instant protection and shade. Lab test measurements show that it can be as much as 10 °C (20 °F) cooler under an awning's canopy. Because awnings prevent the sun from shining through windows and sliding glass doors, they can keep temperatures inside cooler as well, which saves on air-conditioning costs. They can help prevent carpets and furniture from fading in sunlight. Awnings also provide

2115-510: Was a natural material for awning frames, easily bent and threaded together to make a range of different shapes and sizes. At the same time the advent of the steamship forced canvas mills and sail makers to search for new markets. An awning industry developed offering an array of frame and fabric options adaptable to both storefronts and windows. In the second half of the 19th century, manufactured operable awnings grew in popularity. Previously, most awnings had fixed frames-the primary way to retract

2162-508: Was planned by Swiss engineering company Vonroll Transport Systems and construction began in November 1990. Its viaducts were painted in green to blend in with the natural environment. It was budgeted at S$ 18 million ( US$ 9.93 million) with a stipulated opening date in September 1991. An unveiling ceremony for the trains was held on 16 September 1991. The system was also announced as a "panorail",

2209-474: Was sighted at the park. The proposed monorail would be Singapore's second monorail after the Sentosa Monorail which commenced operations in 1982. In September 1990, the executive director of the park, S.Thiruchelvam, said that a monorail would run silently and not emit pollution as it would be powered by electricity. It was also intended to facilitate closer contact between visitors and the birds. The system

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