Overview
 Suspended monorails are suggested for this route as they are easier to install over roads without reducing road space. |
This is a proposal for a suspended monorail link from Oakleigh Station on the Dandenong Line to Holmsglen Station on the Glen Waverley Line via Chadstone Shopping Centre.
Two suppliers are being considered: CRRC Monorail (China) and Morton (Russia).
CRRC Suspended Monorail
 A prototype of suspended monorail train rolled out in CRRC Sifang recently. The max. Speed of the train is 70 km/h, the fastest of its kind in China. Driven by a permanent magnet motor, the experimental train runs along an overhead monorail. |
The train can be composed of three or five train cars, with a passenger transport capacity of 300 and 510 people, respectively.
The train has a strong climbing ability with a maximum inclining in an altitude up to 100 meters over a length of 1,000 meters.The monorail system is suitable for passenger transport in scenery areas, mountainous regions and urban areas where road traffic is heavy.
CRRC Sifang based in Qingdao city, Shandong province, East China, is undertaking China's first suspended monorail project in Hancheng city, Northwest Shaanxi province. The construction of the line designed to stretch 55 km began in November last year. The line running in south-north direction through the city links with the city's airport, and threads through a number of scenic and historical sites along the city.
Morton "Arrow" ("Стрела") Monorail Trains
 Morton 'Arrow' Monorail Trains as envisioned for the project in Moscow. |
Property developer Morton has started construction of a suspended SAFEGE Monorails monorail for a new housing estate in the Krasnogorsk district of Moscow. This is a new monorail system based on the Siemens H-Bahn system that has been in use for 30 years at Dortmund and Düsseldorf in Germany.
Monorails Australia provided some support regarding this project via the Russian Technical Society and recommended a SAFEGE system due to typical winter snowfall in Moscow.
Morton "Arrow" Monorail Characteristics
- 4-car trains.
- Operational speed of 50km/h.
- Low cost of monorail trains compared to any other mass transit system.
- Low cost of construction compared to other monorail systems.
- Limited walk-through capacity for emergencies.
- Passengers per hour per direction: ~10,000 per 4-car train @ 5 persons per m2
- Low noise - 65dBA at 15 meters
- Fully automated
- All weather
- Minimum track radius 30 meters
- Carrying capacity 10,000 passengers/hour/ destination
- Energy consumption - 100 W*hour/t*km
- Input voltage - 10 kW, 50 Hz
- Voltage on the trolleys - 0,4 kW, 50 Hz
- Traction power supply voltage - 750 V
- Control system - automated
- Operation cycle - non-stop
- Height of car above the ground - 5-15 m
- Standard span - 25 to 30 m
- Maximum slope - 6%
- Cross section of the track beam - 1,250 х 820 mm
- Life circle - 100-150 years
- Car dimensions - 8,232 mm * 2,623 mm * 2,244 mm
- Car height – 4,500 mm
- Single car capacity – 65 persons
- Car weight - 8,027 kg
- Station length for 4-car trains approx 58 meters
 Morton 'Arrow' Monorail four-car set. |
Guideway design
Monorails Australia proposes to cover the guideway with a cosmetic fascia so that the guideway has the appearance shown in these images on this page. The manufacturer has indicated that this should not be an issue and is used for some parts of the existing Shonan Monorail as shown below.
An adjusted image of the Shonan Monorail. In this image the guide-way has been covered at the base to improve the appearance (original image <-> adjusted image. Original image from www.panoramio.com). |
See also the below design for a suspended monorail track using a cable-stayed design to extend the spans between pylons which could be considered for either Mitsubishi or Morton suspended monorails.
Design concept for the "UbiCiT" cable-stayed suspended monorail track in Montreal. (UbiCiT) |
Stations
The prototype CRRC Suspended Monorail at a one-platform station. |
All stations should make substantial use of solar panels on the roof. Stations are about 60 meters long and could be island stations as shown or have two platforms on the outside instead depending on the location and preference of the major contributor at that site.
Platform Screen Doors
Platform doors on the Dussledorf Siemens system. |
Morton uses the same design for platform doors as well. This provides a high level of safety and automation as well as helping maintain the temperature in the trains and in the stations.
Trees and Poles
As part of this project all existing electricity and road lighting poles would be removed with power and telco lines routed underground.
Monorail support pylons would also carry road lighting such that their would be less poles along the roads than there are now.
At this stage we anticipate that NO existing trees will be lost as a result of this project and many more will be planted to create a 'tree-way' under the guideway.
Graffiti
A pillar at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens with a Ficus pumila covering. |
Prior to fabrication of the pylons nurseries will be contracted to grow climbing fig Ficus pumila over mesh frames. The creepers and the mesh will then be installed as soon as the pylon is installed.
Power Supply and Back-up
Power supply will be 'gold-plated' with multiple systems ensuring trains cannot be stranded by a lack of power:
- Mains grid power fed from as many points as practical.
- Large solar arrays on the roofs of all the stations.
- Diesel generators at each station.
- Batteries on the trains themselves in the case of the CRRC Suspended Monorail.
These systems will ensure that trains can at least reach the next safe evacuation point.
In regular daytime operation the Chadstone Monorail should be able to be operated using 100% renewable energy made up of solar power generated by the build-in solar arrays and other renewable energy purchased from the grid.
Safety
In addition to the multiply redundant power supply outlined above evacuation from one train to another via front and rear doors is also possible. All carriages will have non-flammable fittings and be equipped with fire extinguishers.
A truck with a scissor-lift platform, a high-capacity cherry picker or similar would be on stand-by for maintenance and emergency purposes.
See also the general Safety section.
Minimal Advertising
While naming rights and colour schemes may be sold for the trains no advertising would be permitted on the guideway or pylons.
The written name and brand images on the trains would be limited to two 4 meter square areas on each side of the first and last carriages. This is to preserve the asthetic quality or the system and increase public acceptance of the project.
'Wrap' advertising covering the whole trains would definitely not be permitted.
