Stupid Guest Tricks

Big Wallaby wrote:
Actually, I am not sure what the orange things are, but they are not part of the MAPO System. Actually, next time you're here I'll show you what the hold points look like from the ground.

Unless you're riding with me, as I do everything I can to keep that monorail as close as possible to 40 mph at all times. Going down hills in a 30 mph zone, I can get pretty close to 40.

The orange thingies are part of the automated spiel system that went into place when Yellow got the first LMCU2 upgrade several years ago, and are there to cue the audio. I'm not quite sure why they're necessary, since the trains already know where they are on the beam to within just a very few inches anyway. In my opinion, there are *lots* of things on the LMCU2 system that are, um, "suboptimal". :-) Like, would it have killed them to put the beam contact buttons on the *top* of the screen, so you could clear the contact indications while you had MAPO override pressed without having to let go of the MCU?

Reaching 40 coming out of the Contemporary on exterior actually isn't that difficult - just throw it in P5 right before you get to the air doors, and you have to really develop the nerve to hold it there long enough before you pull the MCU back into B1. :-) Something else that's kind of fun is when you're driving lagoon - around 54-55, put the train into neutral, then when you get the 15 mph indication, put it back into P5 again. You'll hit the air doors at pretty much exactly 15 mph, no braking needed.

Okay, looking at the screens last night, it's about 137 volts at 300-400 amps when cruising straight and level. Not down to 18 hair dryers, but still pretty efficient.

Big Wallaby wrote:Aw, I was hoping you would get a shot of Blue being struck.

From what I was told it wasn't Blue that got the hit, it was the actual spur track and they couldn't close switch beams 8 & 9.

Big Wallaby wrote:Blue seems like the unlucky train when it comes to getting struck by ligntning.

Thought that was Black? :twisted:

Big Wallaby wrote:God hates Monorail Blue, and so should we.

Poor Monorail Blew. :kaboom:

Big Wallaby wrote:Actually, next time you're here I'll show you what the hold points look like from the ground.

I think I know what you're talking about...I've seem them only up close at the Contemporary, walking from the parking lot towards the bus stop. There was a conduit running down pylons 45 to panels with a clear door with some electronic components.

PapaMouse wrote:In this picture, what is the white "A/C" looking thing going around the opening?

Thoes are air doors like what you would find going in or out of a store to keep the A/C inside, also makes an air curtain to keep bugs out.

Monorail_Red wrote:Thoes are air doors like what you would find going in or out of a store to keep the A/C inside, also makes an air curtain to keep bugs out.

Ah. I had seen those in use for keeping bugs out, but didn't know they could help keep heat and a/s in or out.

PapaMouse wrote:Ah. I had seen those in use for keeping bugs out, but didn't know they could help keep heat and a/s in or out.

They probabally can't but it does help.

Big Wallaby wrote:EDIT: Actually, looking at it, it looks like Black was stopped, it looks like it might be HDR, and by where Black is stopped for the holdpoint, it might be me driving. Few pilots stop that close... I pull way out so that if the pilot behind me gets a red, it's NOT my fault. Next time I drive Express, I'll have to look at that, and where the train is in that picture compared to my reality of how I drive. What day was that taken, and what time? There's actually a fairly decent chance it was me.

In theory if your train has cleared 34, shouldn't you be fine?

PapaMouse wrote:That was me thank you very much. and I will be back on Wikipedia soon. and will fix the article you messed up. the information you posted there is incorrect as has been proven several times in this thread alone.

I am not a monorail driver and have never written on Wikipedia (until now, I didn't even know they had discussion threads). I HAVE been going to the Disney parks for over 30 years now (several times a week now) - since the MK's 5th birthday, and I've sat up front many times and would never claim to know more than someone who has driven the trains hundreds of times. Not even close.

If you had to come back here to ask questions, then you don't know what you are talking about. The one thing I did learn from this is that Wikipedia entries can be filled out by anyone - who may or may not know what they are talking about, and to take it all with a grain of salt. The other two who answered on Wikipedia have a total of 14 or so years of monorail driving experience, and the official manuals from Disney.

Thanks everyone for the welcome (again, after over a year!) I do lurk occasionally and appreciated seeing all the nice comments about Randy last year too (I know him from RADP).

Denise

Wiki is a great place to start a research project but I remember when them african american basketball players were insulted by a radio host and one of the ladies had her whole wiki article redone in vulgar and nasty ways that implied she was not a nice girl. Anyone can edit wiki and they try to keep up but it is hard to keep up with such a large project.

As for the articles I want the facts and first hand knowledge. How do you know what you are talking about? I agree that I would rather hear from someone who has the manuals and has driven monorails for many years.

mechurchlady wrote:As for the articles I want the facts and first hand knowledge. How do you know what you are talking about? I agree that I would rather hear from someone who has the manuals and has driven monorails for many years.

Your hijacking our thread that is probably the record for the longest on topic!
So... I took that picture of monorail black while it was moving Friday at 4:03 PM (Yay timestamps!)