98-707: The Light Blue Line (Din Daeng – Sathon) is a planned monorail line to be built in Bangkok , Thailand . Its path runs along a north–south axis. This line would link the Din Daeng housing community areas, Bangkok City Hall 2 , Makkasan Station (for the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link ), and the business area along Sathon Road . The total distance of the route is approximately 9.5 km (5.9 mi) with 9 stations and an estimated 320,000 passengers per day. The line
196-695: A monorail line. The line was originally proposed as the Gold Line by the Pheu Thai party for the Bangkok Governors election held in March 2013. This was in response to objections by Kasetsart University to long proposed Expressway extensions in the area. The line would essentially have replaced the need to build an elevated Expressway. However, the Pheu Thai candidate did not win the Bangkok Governor election and
294-423: A railroad double-crossover . Vehicle specifications are generally not open to the public, as is standard for rolling stock built for public services. An alternative to using a wye or other form of switch, is to use a turntable , where a car sits upon a section of track that can be reoriented to several different tracks. For example, this can be used to switch a car from being in a storage location, to being on
392-407: A 2.8 km spur monorail route to link to Impact, Muang Thong Thani from Si Rat station which is under construction government. (km) The planned southern extension from Tao Pun - Rat Burana will run south through Bangkok's old quarter from Tao Pun Junction on a viaduct . It then will go into an underground structure along Sam Sen Road, passing the new Thai parliament site, and transfers to
490-585: A bid in MRTA's concession contract for the blue line. As MRTA's concessionaire, BEM provides M&E equipment, including electrical trains, signalling systems, SCADA, communication, PSD, etc. for the subway project and fully operates the system. To maintain the system, BEM has subcontracted in 10 years to Siemens which was the M&;E system supplier since system opening and 7 years maintenance contract to two local maintenance services for north and south line. The construction of
588-678: A carrying capacity of 40,000 people in each direction per hour. Similar to the Skytrain , the Metro uses trains supplied by Siemens which travel up to 80 km/h (50 mph). Passengers can connect to the Skytrain at Si Lom , Sukhumvit and Chatuchak Park stations. The Blue Line has a large depot located on the large MRTA Headquarters in Huai Khwang district and accessed via a spur line located between Phra Ram 9 and Thailand Cultural Centre stations. The 48-kilometer-long MRT Blue line will serve as
686-544: A central trailer car. In an effort to utilize renewable energy, the Bangkok Expressway and Metro company has entered into a 25-year power purchase agreement with CK Power. This agreement aims to supply the mass transit system with 452 million kWh of electricity, primarily sourced from solar energy. The ticketing system for the Blue and Purple Lines uses RFID contactless technology with round tokens issued for single trips and
784-585: A circle line for Bangkok's metro rail system, providing connections to all other major lines, including the SRT Red Lines and the Airport Rail Link . However the complete track does not form a circle, but rather a figure 6. So to ride the complete circle one has either to start at Tha Phra or change trains there. The MRT Purple line is divided into two sections, the first 23 kilometer stage from Khlong Bang Phai - Tao Poon which opened on 6 August 2016, and
882-822: A combined route length of 71 kilometers (44 mi). Construction began in mid-2011 to extend the MRT Blue Line , after completion in April 2020, the Blue Line has become a quasi loop line (providing interchange with itself at Tha Phra) around the centre of Bangkok. The MRT Yellow Line monorail, officially the Nakkhara Phiphat Line , opened for trial operation in June 2023 and was fully opened on 3 July 2023. The MRT Pink Line monorail opened for public trial operation in November 2023, and
980-420: A concession framework. For the first MRT line, officially known as Chaloem Ratchamongkhon or informally as the "Blue Line", civil infrastructure was provided by the government sector, Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand ( MRTA ), and handed over to their concessionaire under a 25-year concession agreement. Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM) was the only private sector company that won
1078-793: A contactless stored value card, the MRT Plus card, for frequent travellers. It is planned that a joint ticketing system will be set up so that passengers can use a single ticket on the MRT as well as on the Skytrain . Multi-storey park & ride facilities are provided at Lat Phrao and Thailand Cultural Centre . Motorists who park their cars within station parking facilities are issued with additional contactless smartcards and they need to have them electronically stamped at their destination station. Smart cards are available in two types: Children under 15 or whose height does not exceed 90 cm may ride for free. Reduced fares for older children and half price fares for
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#17330861880241176-556: A faulty monorail from a confidence trickster at a wildly inflated price. The Monorail Society, an organization with 14,000 members worldwide, has blamed the episode for sullying the reputation of monorails, to which Simpsons creator Matt Groening responded "That's a by-product of our viciousness...Monorails are great, so it makes me sad, but at the same time if something's going to happen in The Simpsons , it's going to go wrong, right?" The 2005 feature film Batman Begins features
1274-630: A load-bearing single rail and an external wheel for balance. A highspeed monorail using the Lartigue system was proposed in 1901 between Liverpool and Manchester. In 1910, the Brennan gyroscopic monorail was considered for use to a coal mine in Alaska. In June 1920, the French Patent Office published FR 503782, by Henri Coanda, on a 'Transporteur Aérien' -Air Carrier. One of the first monorails planned in
1372-544: A manually operated monorail of limited but sufficient capacity for the transport of small timber and firewood in the Northern Surabaya forest district. In later years, this idea was further developed by L. A. van de Ven, who was a forester in the Grobogan forest district around 1908–1910. Monorails were built by plantation operators and wood processing companies throughout the mountains of Central Java. In 1919/1920, however,
1470-801: A monorail, constructed by Bruce Wayne's father through Gotham City, that is part of the climax of the film. The monorail is also included in the spin-off video game . Blaine the Mono is a train featured in Stephen King 's The Dark Tower series of books and first appears in The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands . Monorails have also appeared in a number of other video games including Transport Tycoon (since 1999), Japanese Rail Sim 3D: Monorail Trip to Okinawa by Sonic Powered , SimCity 4: Rush Hour , Cities in Motion 2 , Cities: Skylines in
1568-614: A planned 19.8 kilometer southern extension from Tao Poon - Phra Pradaeng . The Purple line currently serves travel demand between the northwestern suburbs of Bangkok in Nonthaburi Province to the mid north areas of Bangkok where it links with the Blue line . Eventually, the line will link with the southern area of Thonburi in Phra Pradaeng District , Samut Prakan Province with a southern extension. This extension will serve
1666-703: A planned 2027 opening date. The Orange Line will start from Yaek Rom Klao station in Min Buri district as an elevated structure on Ramkhamhaeng Road (former Suka Phiban III Road), interchanging with the Pink Line at Min Buri station from eastern suburb in and goes underground near Lam Sali intersection in Bang Kapi District , also transfers to MRT Yellow Line . It continues southwest along Ramkhamhaeng Road, passing Hua Mak Stadium and Ramkhamhaeng University . Then it turns to
1764-579: A short distance to the nearby Phra Pradaeng suburban town in Samut Prakan Province . The total length will be about 23.6 km, including ten underground and seven elevated stations. The Thai Cabinet was expected to approve the Purple Line Southern extension in mid 2017 with a tender due by the 2nd half of 2017. On 25 July 2017, the Cabinet approved the 101 billion baht budget and tender for
1862-460: A significant delay. The subsequent political turmoil of 2014 caused further delay. Thereafter, the coup of May 2014 resulted in a new military administration and the tender being deferred for 2014. The MRTA tender was subsequently not released until mid-2016. In early December 2016, BSR Joint Venture (comprising BTS Group Holdings which owns 75%, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction - STEC, and Ratchaburi Electricity Generation Holding - RATCH), won
1960-457: A wooden platform (in the full-scale project the trestle would have been concrete). A model train, built to 1/5 scale to test the vehicle concept, was capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h. The full-scale project was expected to reach speeds of up to 300 km/h. In the latter half of the 20th century, monorails had settled on using larger beam- or girder-based track, with vehicles supported by one set of wheels and guided by another. In
2058-576: Is a monorail line. It runs in the northern part of the city from east Bangkok in Minburi District (also transfers to MRT Orange Line ) along Ram Inthra Road to west Bangkok ( Pak Kret district , Nonthaburi Province ) Chaeng Watthana Road and Tiwanon Road ending at Nonthaburi Civic Center with interchange to the MRT Purple Line . The line also transfers with the SRT Dark Red Line ,
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#17330861880242156-438: Is because Chongqing is criss-crossed by numerous hills, mountains and rivers, therefore tunneling is not feasible except in some cases (for example, lines 1 and 6 ) due to the extreme depth involved. Today it is the largest and busiest monorail system in the world. In July 2009, two Walt Disney World monorails collided , killing one of the drivers and injuring seven passengers. The National Transportation Safety Board found
2254-552: Is expected to be tendered in 2024. This line should not be confused with the original 2004 13 km MRT Brown Line proposal from Bang Kapi to Min Buri . This was subsequently merged in 2009 into an extended MRT Orange Line . On 17 January 2005, just after 09:15, an empty train returning to the depot collided with a peak-hour train filled with passengers at the Thailand Cultural Centre MRT station . 140 people were hurt, most of whom sustained only minor injuries and
2352-731: Is officially known in Thai as rotfaifa mahanakhon (รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร) or "metropolitan electric train", but it is more commonly called rotfai taidin (รถไฟใต้ดิน), literally, "underground train" as it was distinguished from the BTS Skytrain by being completely underground when its first section between Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue opened. The second MRT line MRT Purple Line , officially the Chalong Ratchadham Line , opened on 6 August 2016 and connected Tao Poon with Khlong Bang Phai in Nonthaburi in
2450-472: Is speeding towards a stricken bridge. The James Bond film franchise features monorails in three movies, all belonging to the villain. In You Only Live Twice (1967) there is a working ground level monorail inside the SPECTRE volcano base. During Live and Let Die (1973), a prop monorail is shown in the villain's lair on the fictional Caribbean island of San Monique. In the 1977 The Spy Who Loved Me there
2548-477: Is the straddle-beam, in which the train straddles a steel or reinforced concrete beam 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m) wide. A rubber - tired carriage contacts the beam on the top and both sides for traction and to stabilize the vehicle. The style was popularized by the German company ALWEG . There is also a historical type of suspension monorail developed by German inventors Nicolaus Otto and Eugen Langen in
2646-465: Is to place a moving apparatus on top of a sturdy platform capable of bearing the weight of vehicles, beams and its own mechanism. Multiple-segmented beams move into place on rollers to smoothly align one beam with another to send the train in its desired direction, with the design originally developed by ALWEG capable of completing a switch in 12 seconds. Some of these beam turnouts are quite elaborate, capable of switching between several beams or simulating
2744-559: Is under construction in Wuhu and several "Cloudrail" systems developed by BYD under construction a number of cities such as Guang'an , Liuzhou , Bengbu and Guilin . Monorails have seen continuing use in niche shuttle markets and amusement parks. Modern mass transit monorail systems use developments of the ALWEG beam and tyre approach, with only two suspended types in large use. Monorail configurations have also been adopted by maglev trains . Since
2842-682: Is using the BYD SkyRail design. Other significant monorail systems are under construction such as two lines for the Cairo Monorail , two lines for the MRT (Bangkok) and the SkyRail Bahia in Brazil . Modern monorails depend on a large solid beam as the vehicles' running surface. There are a number of competing designs divided into two broad classes, straddle-beam and suspended monorails. The most common type
2940-543: Is working monorail on the villain's supertanker (submarine dock). In 1987, Lego released a monorail among the Futuron Space line. Despite being the most expensive Lego set of its time (due to being massive and including electrical elements), it was very popular, with Lego releasing a Town themed monorail in 1990 and another Space monorail in 1994 among the Unitron line, as well as additional track. The monorail system
3038-579: The 1964–1965 World's Fair . This high-cost perception was challenged most notably in 1963 when the ALWEG consortium proposed to finance the construction of a major system in Los Angeles County, California , in return for the right of operation. This was turned down by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors under pressure from Standard Oil of California and General Motors (which were strong advocates for automobile dependency ), and
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3136-557: The BTS Sukhumvit Line extension to Lam Lukka, and the BMA Proposed MRT Grey Line in the future. The Pink line was due to be tendered in the 3rd quarter of 2013 with construction due to commence in early 2014. However, delays in preparation of the tender in relation to the selection of monorail rolling stock and subsequent political protests resulting in a snap national election in early February 2014, further delayed
3234-682: The Bangkok Metropolitan Region in Thailand . The MRT system comprises two fully operational rapid transit lines (Blue and Purple) and two fully operational monorail line (Yellow and Pink), with another rapid transit line (Orange) under construction. The MRT Blue Line , officially the Chaloem Ratchamongkhon Line , between Hua Lamphong and Bang Sue was the first to open in July 2004 as Bangkok's second metro system. The MRT Blue line
3332-449: The Bradford and Foster Brook Railway was built in 1877 and ran for one year from January 1878 until January 1879. Around 1879 a "one-rail" system was proposed independently by Haddon and by Stringfellow, which used an inverted "V" rail (and thus shaped like "Λ" in cross-section). It was intended for military use, but was also seen to have civilian use as a "cheap railway." Similarly, one of
3430-522: The Centennial Monorail demonstrated in 1876, in 1877 the Bradford and Foster Brook Railway began construction of a 5 mi (8.0 km) line connecting Bradford and Foster Township, McKean County in Pennsylvania . The line operated from 1878 until 1879 delivering machinery and oil supplies. The first twin-boiler locomotive wore out quickly. It was replaced by a single boiler locomotive which
3528-508: The Changsha Maglev Express ). However, it is argued that the larger width of the guideway for the maglevs makes it not legitimate to be called monorails. Some early monorails (notably the suspended monorail at Wuppertal , Germany) have a design that makes it difficult to switch from one line to another. Some other monorails avoid switching as much as possible by operating in a continuous loop or between two fixed stations, as in
3626-509: The Chao Phraya River near Phra Pinklao Bridge , passes Siriraj Hospital and goes along Bangkok Noi Rail line and terminates at Bang Khun Non Station , interchanges with MRT Blue Line again. The total length is 35.9 km. This Line is divided into 2 sections The phase 1 Eastern section began construction in June 2017 with a planned 2024 opening. The Phase 2 Western section extension from Thailand Cultural Centre to Bang Khun Non
3724-698: The Docklands Light Railway , Vancouver SkyTrain , the AirTrain JFK and cable propelled systems like the Cable Liner people mover which run on two rails. Monorail vehicles often appear similar to light rail vehicles, and can be staffed or unstaffed. They can be individual rigid vehicles, articulated single units, or multiple units coupled into trains. Like other advanced rapid transit systems, monorails can be driven by linear induction motors ; like conventional railways, vehicle bodies can be connected to
3822-536: The Interstate Highway System . Monorails in particular may have suffered from the reluctance of public transit authorities to invest in the perceived high cost of un-proven technology when faced with cheaper mature alternatives. There were also many competing monorail technologies, splitting their case further. One notable example of a public monorail is the AMF Monorail that was used as transportation around
3920-589: The Lartigue Monorail , used steam locomotives. Magnetic levitation train (maglev) systems such as the German Transrapid were built as straddle-type monorails. The Shanghai Maglev Train runs in commercial operation at 430 km/h (270 mph), and there are also slower maglev monorails intended for urban transport in Japan ( Linimo ), Korea ( Incheon Airport Maglev ) and China ( Beijing Subway Line S1 and
4018-788: The Lausanne Metro has grades of up to 12% and the Montreal Metro up to 6.5%, while VAL systems can handle 7% grades. Manufacturers of monorail rolling stock with operating systems include Hitachi Monorail , BYD , Bombardier Transportation (now Alstom ), Scomi , PBTS (a joint venture of CRRC Nanjing Puzhen & Bombardier), Intamin and EMTC. Other developers include CRRC Qingdao Sifang , China Railway Science and Industry Group , Zhongtang Air Rail Technology, Woojin and SkyWay Group . François Truffaut 's 1966 film adaptation of Ray Bradbury 's 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451 contains suspended monorail exterior scenes filmed at
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4116-532: The Mass transit expansion pack of 2017, Planet Zoo and a rideable elevated monorail system in the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077 . From 1950 to 1980, the monorail concept may have suffered, as with all public transport systems, from competition with the automobile . At the time, the post–World War II optimism in America was riding high and people were buying automobiles in large numbers due to suburbanization and
4214-498: The Purple Line opened on 6 August 2016. The 1.2 km missing link of the Blue Line between Bang Sue and Tao Poon, connecting the two lines opened on 11 August 2017. The first section of the Blue Line extension from Hua Lamphong via Tha Phra to Lak Song opened for full operation on 29 September 2019. The Pink and Yellow Lines opened in 2023. (km) (August 2024) The MRT Blue Line presently runs from Tha Phra to Lak Song and has
4312-474: The Seattle Center Monorail . Current monorails are capable of more efficient switching than in the past. With suspended monorails, switching may be accomplished by moving flanges inside the beamway to shift trains to one line or another. Straddle-beam monorails require that the beam moves for switching, which was an almost prohibitively ponderous procedure. Now the most common way of achieving this
4410-670: The Transrapid and Linimo . Maglevs differ from other monorails in that they do not physically contact the beam while moving. The first monorail prototype was made in Russia in 1820 by Ivan Elmanov . Attempts at creating monorail alternatives to conventional railways have been made since the early part of the 19th century. The Centennial Monorail was featured at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. Based on its design
4508-553: The elevated train systems of New York, Chicago, and elsewhere, a monorail beamway casts a narrow shadow. Conversely, monorails can be more expensive than light-rail systems that do not include tunnels. In addition, monorails must either remain above ground or use larger tunnels than conventional rail systems, and they require complex track-switching equipment. Under the Monorail Society's beam-width criterion, some, but not all, maglev systems are considered monorails, such as
4606-514: The 1880s. It was built in the twin cities of Barmen and Elberfeld in Wuppertal, Germany, opened in 1901, and is still in operation. The Chiba Urban Monorail is the world's largest suspended network. Almost all modern monorails are powered by electric motors fed by dual third rails , contact wires or electrified channels attached to or enclosed in their guidance beams, but diesel-powered monorail systems also exist. Historically some systems, such as
4704-566: The 1950s, a 40% scale prototype of a system designed for speed of 200 mph (320 km/h) on straight stretches and 90 mph (140 km/h) on curves was built in Germany. There were designs with vehicles supported, suspended or cantilevered from the beams. In the 1950s the ALWEG straddle design emerged, followed by an updated suspended type, the SAFEGE system. Versions of ALWEG's technology are used by
4802-485: The 1980s, most monorail mass transit systems are in Japan , with a few exceptions. Tokyo Monorail , is one of the world's busiest, averages 127,000 passengers per day and has served over 1.5 billion passengers since 1964. China recently started development of monorails in the late 2000s, already home to the world's largest and busiest monorail system and has a number of mass transit monorails under construction in several of cities. A Bombardier Innovia Monorail -based system
4900-464: The 2000s, with the rise of traffic congestion and urbanization, there has been a resurgence of interest in the technology for public transport with a number of cities, such as Malta and Istanbul , today investigating monorails as a possible mass transit solution. In 2004, Chongqing Rail Transit in China adopted a unique ALWEG-based design with rolling stock that is much wider than most monorails, with capacity comparable to heavy rail . This
4998-412: The BMA or the Mass Rapid Transit Authority for many years. As of 2022, there are no plans to implement the Light Blue line by the BMA. The route has a total of 9 planned stations. Monorail A monorail is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover . More accurately,
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#17330861880245096-406: The French SAFEGE test track in Châteauneuf-sur-Loire near Orléans , France (since dismantled). The Thunderbirds February 1966 episode " Brink of Disaster " is about the financing and building of a high speed driverless cross-country monorail project. Two of the Thunderbirds-crew find themselves trapped on board the a monorail train, and with no possibility of escape, when it is discovered it
5194-470: The Gold Line was dropped with the Deputy Minister of Transport stating that land appropriation costs were too high. Subsequently, OTP has reworked the Gold Line proposal into a new Brown Line following much the same route. As of June 2013, the route was under preliminary study by OTP. Public hearings on the Brown line were held in 2017. The MOT announced that a 14-month feasibility study into the line would be completed in 2018. By August 2018, OTP had completed
5292-419: The MRTA contracted consultants to undertake detailed designs of the Yellow Line. In February 2013, OTP stated that the tender for the Yellow line should be ready by late 2013 for tender in early 2014. However, similar to the Pink Line, delays in finalising the technical requirements of the tender in relation to the selection of monorail rolling stock which determines the type of track to be constructed resulted in
5390-452: The Monorail Society defines a monorail as 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 either are suspended from or straddle a narrow guide way. Monorail vehicles are wider than the guideway that supports them." Monorails are often elevated, sometimes leading to confusion with other elevated systems such as
5488-422: The Pink Line tender. A subsequent coup in May 2014 resulted in a new military administration and the tender being deferred for 2014. The MRTA tender was subsequently not released until mid-2016. In early December 2016, BSR Joint Venture (comprising BTS Group Holdings which owns 75%, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction - STEC, and Ratchaburi Electricity Generation Holding - RATCH), won the bid. The BSR also won
5586-493: The United States was in New York City in the early 1930s, scrubbed for an elevated train system. The first half of the 20th century saw many further proposed designs that either never left the drawing board or remained short-lived prototypes. One of the most interesting projects created on the layout was the ball-bearing train by Nikolai Grigorievich Yarmolchuk. This train moved on spherical wheels with electric motors embedded in them, which were located in semi-circular chutes under
5684-539: The accident might be a much higher figure than BMCL quoted, and it was expected to be at least 400 million baht, which was totally insured by a local insurance company. The Metro resumed full operation on 1 February 2005, and passenger numbers soon rose back to pre-crash levels, partly due to a temporary promotional fare scheme which allowed passengers to travel any distance on the MRT for only ten baht (~US$ 0.33). The first few years of operations saw less than forecast ridership, but pax numbers grew gradually over time. After
5782-445: The beam via bogies , allowing curves to be negotiated. Monorails are sometimes used in urban areas alongside conventional parallel railed metro systems. Mumbai Monorail serves alongside Mumbai Metro , while monorail lines are integrated with conventional rail rapid transit lines in Bangkok's MRT network. Unlike some trams and light rail systems, modern monorails are always separated from other traffic and pedestrians due to
5880-399: The bid for the Yellow Line project. On 16 June 2017, the Pink Line project contracts were signed with the BSR consortium by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand with a scheduled operational date of 2022. Construction of the MRT Pink Line began in late 2017. The line opened for trial operation in November 2023 and is due to be fully operational by December 2023. The BSR has proposed
5978-582: The bid for the project. The BSR also won the bid the Pink Line project. On 16 June 2017, a contract was signed for the Lat Phrao-Samrong section with the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand by a consortium including BTS Group Holdings , Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction, and Ratchaburi Electricity Generation Holding. Construction of the MRT Yellow Line began in March 2018, and free trial operations began from Hua Mak station to Samrong BTS Station in June 2023. Full operations began on July 3, 2023. The 35.5 km long MRT Pink line has 30 stations and
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#17330861880246076-489: The cause of the accident to be human error by both the driver and controller, contributed to by a lack of standard operating procedures. São Paulo , Brazil, is building two high-capacity monorail lines as part of its public transportation network. Line 15 was partially opened in 2014, will be 27 km (17 mi) long when completed in 2022 and has a capacity of 40,000 pphpd using Bombardier Innovia Monorail trains. Line 17 will be 17.7 km (11.0 mi) long and
6174-683: The city is built. The Blue Line was opened for a limited public trial period of several weeks starting on 13 April 2004. On 3 July 2004 the line was officially opened at 19:19 local time by HM King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit , who were accompanied by other members of the royal family. Within 30 minutes of its opening, sightseers filled the system to its maximum capacity, but after the initial rush ridership has settled down to around 180,000 riders daily — considerably lower than projections of over 400,000, despite fares being slashed in half from 12 to 38 baht to 10-15 baht per trip. From 2006 until 2008, fares ranged between 14 and 36 baht per trip. The fare
6272-615: The elderly also apply when buying a token at the booth. From January 2022, MRT started accepting a new payment fare type for Blue Line and Purple Line via EMV Contactless (Europay Mastercard and Visa). The Yellow and Pink lines accept cash, EMV Contactless, and the Rabbit Card . The first line, the Blue Line , opened on 3 July 2004. It runs eastward from Tao Poon Station in Bang Sue District along Kamphaeng Phet, Phahon Yothin and Lat Phrao Roads, then turns south following Ratchadaphisek Road , then west following Rama IV Road to Hua Lamphong Station in Pathum Wan District . The second line,
6370-406: The entire Metro network was shut down for two weeks. After initial investigations, it was found that the empty train had run into problems shortly before the accident, grinding to a halt on a curve leading to the depot. The driver applied the train brake and was waiting to be towed to the maintenance centre close to the Thailand Cultural Centre station . A rescue train was attempting to connect to
6468-422: The extension but the tender was delayed until 2018 due to land acquisition issues. There was a further delay to an early 2019 date as the tender was changed to a PPP tender. However, a subsequent delay in finalising the PPP process resulted in a new tender date of April 2020 but this has been further delayed with an expected tender by the end of 2020. Construction contracts were finally signed in March 2022 for
6566-468: The extension of the Blue Line at Wang Burapha near Yaowarat Road in Chinatown and the Phahurat textile market. The line crosses the Chao Phraya River near the Memorial Bridge towards the Wongwian Yai roundabout in Thonburi on the west bank, with possible transfers to the Dark Red Line commuter and to Wongwian Yai . It continues south to Chom Thong , then on an elevated structure for 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) and ends in Rat Burana District ,
6664-423: The feasibility study and conducted public hearings. Although, there was much public support for building the MRT Brown line, public opposition to the N2 expressway remained high. OTP intends to submit the project for Cabinet approval by the end of October 2018. In early June 2019, the MRTA Board approved the investment plan for the Brown Line and integrated design with the N2 Expressway conducted by EXAT. The project
6762-430: The first Bangkok Metro line, officially known as Chaloem Ratchamongkhon (Thai สายเฉลิมรัชมงคล) – "Celebration of Royal Auspice" – or informally as the "Blue Line", began on 19 November 1996. The project suffered multiple delays not only because of the 1997 economic crisis , but also due to challenging civil engineering works of constructing massive underground structures deep in the water-logged soil upon which
6860-529: The first monorail locomotive was a 0-3-0 steam locomotive on this line. A high-speed monorail using the Lartigue system was proposed in 1901 between Liverpool and Manchester. The Boynton Bicycle Railroad was a steam-powered monorail in Brooklyn on Long Island , New York . It ran on a single load-bearing rail at ground level, but with a wooden overhead stabilising rail engaged by a pair of horizontally opposed wheels. The railway operated for only two years beginning in 1890. The Hotchkiss Bicycle Railroad
6958-428: The first systems put into practical use was that of French engineer Charles Lartigue, who built a line between Ballybunion and Listowel in Ireland, opened in 1888 and lasting 36 years, being closed in 1924 (due to damage from Ireland's Civil War). It used a load-bearing single rail and two lower, external rails for balance, the three carried on triangular supports. It was cheap to construct but tricky to operate. Possibly
7056-564: The geometry of the rail. They are both guided and supported via interaction with the same single beam, in contrast to other guided systems like rubber-tyred metros , such as the Sapporo Municipal Subway ; or guided buses or trams, such as Translohr . Monorails can also use pantographs . As with other grade-separated transit systems, monorails avoid red lights, intersection turns, and traffic jams. Surface-level trains, buses, automobiles, and pedestrians can collide each one with
7154-461: The hand-operated monorails gradually disappeared and were replaced by narrow-gauge railways with steam locomotives as forest utilization changed. In the 1920s the Port of Hamburg used a petrol powered, suspended monorail to transport luggage and freight from ocean-going vessels to a passenger depot. MRT (Bangkok) The Metropolitan Rapid Transit or MRT is a mass rapid transit system serving
7252-534: The later proposed subway system faced criticism by famed author Ray Bradbury as it had yet to reach the scale of the proposed monorail. Several monorails initially conceived as transport systems survive on revenues generated from tourism , benefiting from the unique views offered from the largely elevated installations. Monorails have been used for number of applications other than passenger transportation. Small suspended monorail are also widely used in factories either as part of moveable assembly lines. Inspired by
7350-491: The legacy systems in use today. However, monorails gained little foothold compared to conventional transport systems. In March 1972, Alejandro Goicoechea-Omar had patent DE1755198 published, on a 'Vertebrate Train', build as experimental track in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Niche private enterprise uses for monorails emerged, with the emergence of air travel and shopping malls , with shuttle-type systems being built. From
7448-505: The lines would not be feasible within their 4-year, 10-lines priority plan. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) was invited to consider both projects but they would have to fund them. Given delays in 2013 and 2014 with tendering other priority mass transit lines related to the political crisis in Thailand , it is highly unlikely that the Light Blue line will be considered by either
7546-409: The main line. The now-closed Sydney Monorail had a traverser at the depot, which allowed a train on the main line to be exchanged with another from the depot. There were about six lines in the depot, including one for maintenance. Rubber-tired monorails are typically designed to cope with a 6% grade . Rubber-tired light rail or metro lines can cope with similar or greater grades – for example,
7644-574: The monorail car. A surviving suspended version is the oldest still in service system: the Wuppertal monorail in Germany. Also in the early 1900s, Gyro monorails with cars gyroscopically balanced on top of a single rail were tested, but never developed beyond the prototype stage. The Ewing System , used in the Patiala State Monorail Trainways in Punjab, India , relies on a hybrid model with
7742-688: The new Thai parliament construction site at Kiak Kai intersection and will run along Samsen Road , then passing through the historic old quarter of Bangkok Rattanakosin Island and many historical places in Dusit and Phra Nakhon District like the national library , Thewet market, Bang Lamphu, the Democracy Monument , the Golden Mount , Phahurat near Chinatown. It then runs near the Memorial Bridge over
7840-778: The northwest of Greater Bangkok. It was the first mass transit line to extend outside Bangkok. Both the Blue Line and Purple Line are operated by the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM) under a concession granted by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) which is the owner of the MRT lines. Along with the BTS Skytrain and the Airport Rail Link , the MRT is part of Bangkok's rail transportation infrastructure . The BEM-operated MRT lines have 470,000 passengers each day (Blue Line 400,000 and Purple Line 70,000) with 54 operational stations and
7938-504: The opening of the Tao Poon interchange station between Blue Line and Purple Line in mid-August 2017, ridership immediately increased especially on the Purple Line. In September 2017, BEM stated that average daily ridership of the Blue Line had increased from 340,000 to 360,000 after the opening. The Purple line ridership significantly increased from 33,000 to nearly 50,000. In August 2018,
8036-488: The other, while vehicles on dedicated, grade-separated rights-of-way such as monorails can collide only with other vehicles on the same system, with much fewer opportunities for collision. As with other elevated transit systems, monorail passengers receive sunlight and views. Monorails can be quieter than diesel buses and trains. They obtain electricity from the track structure, whereas other modes of transit may use either third rail or overhead power lines and poles. Compared to
8134-532: The proposed Red inner-city shortcut commuter at Sanghi intersection. It passes the national library in Dusit District before it reaches Phra Nakhon District at Thewet Market. The line turns east at Bang Lamphu and goes along the city moat to the south, with transfers possible to the MRT Orange Line at Ratchadamnoen Road near the Democracy Monument . It passes Golden Mount before possible transfers to
8232-668: The river to Wongwian Yai roundabout before continuing south to Chom Thong and ends in Rat Burana District . The 30.4 km long Yellow line has 23 stations. It was originally proposed to be an underground and elevated rapid transit line, but that plan has changed to be built as an elevated monorail line. In December 2011, the MRTA was instructed by the MOT to divide the Yellow Line into two Phases for tender and construction purposes and to control land appropriation costs. In June 2012,
8330-464: The stalled train when the driver was told to release the brake even though coupling had not been successful. It was then that the empty train began to roll backwards at a speed of ten metres per second and into the other train, which was carrying passengers. Therefore, it was believed that the incident was caused by negligence due to insufficient training of operation staff. This accident caused damage to both trainsets, with heavily damaged areas limited to
8428-488: The stations, maps are displayed to guide passengers, showing local area details and exit locations. As a safety measure, platform screen doors have been installed at stations. Uniformed security personnel and security cameras are stationed at all platforms to ensure passenger safety. The metro system operates 19 three-car metro trains, specifically of the Siemens Modular Metro type, consisting of two motor cars and
8526-405: The system. All stations are accessible, featuring elevators and ramps to accommodate all passengers. Additionally, stations typically have multiple exits, usually four, with some offering interchanges to other transit systems like the BTS Skytrain , Airport Rail Link , and commuter rail services. The passageways connecting these exits are spacious, with some even evolving into shopping areas. Within
8624-594: The term refers to the style of track . Monorail systems are most frequently implemented in large cities, airports, and theme parks. The term possibly originated in 1897 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). Monorails have found applications in airport transfers and medium capacity metros. To differentiate monorails from other transport modes,
8722-452: The two cars that collided. From the extent of the damage, investigators estimated the collision speed to be around 60 km/h. However, one train, which was rebuilt from the repair of the minor-damaged cars, was already fitted for operation at the end of 2006 and the remaining one was still under heavy repair until mid of 2007; it was released into service in October 2007. The cost resulting from
8820-828: The two largest monorail manufacturers, Hitachi Monorail and Bombardier . In 1956, the first monorail to operate in the US began test operations in Houston, Texas. Disneyland in Anaheim, California , opened the United States' first daily operating monorail system in 1959. Later during this period, additional monorails were installed at Walt Disney World in Florida , Seattle , and in Japan . Monorails were promoted as futuristic technology with exhibition installations and amusement park purchases, as seen by
8918-618: The west and crosses Pradit Manutham Road to the current MRT depot. Then it goes to Thailand Cultural Centre Station , the alignment crosses over and transfers to the current MRT Blue Line . It continues via Din Daeng housing estates and Bangkok City Hall 2 to Vibhavadi Rangsit Road , Sam Liam Din Daeng Junction. Then turn left into Ratchaprarop Road towards Pratunam and turn right into Phetchaburi Road then interchange with BTS Sukhumvit Line at Ratchathewi Station . It continues along Larn Luang Road and Ratchadamnoen Road. Then it crosses
9016-477: Was a monorail on which a matching pedal bicycle could be ridden. The first example was built between Smithville and Mount Holly , New Jersey, in 1892. It closed in 1897. Other examples were built in Norfolk from 1895 to 1909, Great Yarmouth , and Blackpool , UK from 1896. Early designs used a double- flanged single metal rail alternative to the double rail of conventional railways, both guiding and supporting
9114-534: Was also prominent in the unreleased Seatron Space line and prototype Wild West sets. Its popularity has still endured over thirty years later, where Lego has paid homage in promotional sets and fans have manufactured compatible components. The fourth season of the American animated television show The Simpsons features the episode " Marge vs. the Monorail ", in which the town of Springfield impulsively purchases
9212-418: Was fully opened on 1 February 2024. The Yellow and Pink Lines are operated by subsidiaries of BTSC , who also operate the BTS Skytrain rather than BEM. Other MRT lines are planned for the future MRT system with the MRT Orange Line and the southern extension of the MRT Purple Line from Tao Poon to Rat Burana are under construction. The MRT Brown Line is also planned. The MRT was constructed under
9310-572: Was raised to 16-41 Baht on 1 January 2009. Daily ridership in 2014 was 253,000. In August 2016, the Purple Line opened for service. In August 2017, the MRT Blue Line was extended to Tao Poon station allowing interchange with the Purple Lines. Bangkok, a city situated on a low-lying plain, is susceptible to flooding. Consequently, the entrances to MRT stations in the city are constructed approximately one meter above ground level and are equipped with integrated floodgates to prevent water from entering
9408-459: Was released for tender on 3 July 2020 as a Public-Private Partnership project. When fully completed, the line will be 35.9-km long, mostly underground, with 29 stations (7 elevated stations for 8.9 km and other 22 underground stations for 27 km). The 22.1 km long Brown line is under study by the OTP. It is proposed to run from Khae Rai, Nonthaburi to Bueng Kum with 20 stations and be
9506-610: Was tentatively planned to be completed by 2029, but was deferred in 2011 by the government. In 2013, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration took over responsibility for the Light Blue line project. As of 2022, there is no plan to build this line. The Yingluck Shinawatra -led Pheu Thai government, elected in July 2011, decided not to pursue plans to continue the Grey Line and the Light Blue Line, citing that
9604-457: Was too heavy and crashed through the track on its third trip. The third locomotive again had twin boilers. On a trial run one of the boilers ran dry and exploded, killing six people. The railway was closed soon after. Monorails in Central Java were used to transport timber from the forests of Central Java located in the mountains to the rivers. In 1908 and 1909, the forester H. J. L. Beck built
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