View Full Version : KL Area Monorail:Expansion?
The long awaited KL Monorail system will start it's revenue service on the National Day (31st August) of Malaysia. The system that comprises of 11 stations marks the completion of the current intergrated rail network planned for Kuala Lumpur. The system which is fully Made in Malaysia initially utilises 2-car trains which can be upgraded to 8-car trains when the ridership increases in the future. A system identical as KL Monorail is also currently being constucted in the Administrative Capital - Putrajaya but with more futuristic designs of stations and tracks. The system will be extensively underground with 2 lines covering the core island and the mainland. It is scheduled for completion in 2005.
KL Monorail Website (http://www.monorail.com.my)
Regarding the extension of KL Sentral to the KL Monorail's KL Sentral Station, the Transport Ministry had yesterday confirmed that they had allocated a sum of money to make the extension possible for it and 3 other interchange... but don't worry as there will be a free shuttle service from the monorail station to KL Sentral until the extension had been completed. :p
As for the Putrajaya Monorail... PM Mahathir already confirmed that the system will be ready by 2005 as major underground works actually had finished except the at-grade, the overhead tracks and the suspension bridge is under construction and the project had never been stalled. :cool:
An excerp from New Straits Times (11/8/2003):
Frontline: Monorail system in Putrajaya by next year
by Chong Jin Hun
THE Federal administrative capital of Putrajaya will have another mode of public transport with the completion of a monorail system by the end of next year. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the monorail tracks were being built around Putrajaya and linked several important landmarks like the Putrajaya Convention Centre, Putrajaya Mosque and the Government Administrative Complex in Parcel E.
The RM1.8 billion project has tracks stretching across 18km. It comprises two phases with the first involving the construction of monorail tracks over a 12km stretch.
"Apart from offering convenience to the residents and civil servants here, the monorail system provides an alternative to the Nadi Putra bus and Express Rail Link (ERL) services," he said after flagging off the Jalur Gemilang convoy at Taman Putra Perdana yesterday.
Tengku Adnan said the monorail service was to encourage commuters to use public transport to avoid traffic congestion in Putrajaya.
The convoy, with more than 600 participants, passed through Putrajaya and its surrounding areas like Bangi, Jenderam, Dengkil, Kg Sungai Merab and Cyberjaya.
It was the prelude to the National Day parade to be held in the federal administrative capital on Aug 31.
Also present was Putrajaya Umno Youth division head Khairun Aseh.
Tengku Adnan said about 50,000 people were expected to gather here for the National Day celebration.
A monorail leaving from KL Sentral Station.
Pictures by Cheong Sze Hoong
The Star 1/9/2003
Dr M: Monorail proof of country’s progress
KUALA LUMPUR: The KL Monorail mass rapid transit system was commissioned yesterday, completing the city’s transportation network.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the monorail showed the country had made progress in engineering.
“We will be able to export this engineering expertise and this is something Malaysians should be proud of,” he said when launching the KL Monorail at the Bukit Bintang station.
KL Monorail interfaces with Star-LRT at the Titiwangsa and Hang Tuah stations and with Putra-LRT at the Bukit Nanas and KL Sentral stations to complete the city’s transportation network.
Dr Mahathir said although Malaysia had no experience in constructing such a system, this achievement showed Malaysians' capability.
“Malaysia has joined the elite few who can design and manufacture such a mass rapid transit system. We are a country of great achievers. We must not stop here, maybe in future, build our own high-speed train,” he said.
Dr Mahathir, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali, Transport Minister Datuk Chan Kong Choy, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Mohmad Shaid Mohd Taufek, said Malaysia could achieve whatever it aimed for provided the people were willing to work hard.
“We believe Malaysians can build everything which others can. We can probably do better, given a little bit of time,” he added.
Dr Mahathir said the monorail project, which cost RM1.18bil, took seven years to become a reality but “we can be proud of it as it is our own.”
He said a few countries like China and Indonesia have shown interest in having a similar project and signed memorandums of understanding with KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd.
“KL Monorail has been certified as technology that is perfect for use as a premier transport system as it is five times cheaper than an underground system and has less environmental impact,” he said.
Chan said the KL Monorail was expected to carry about 80,000 passengers a day, providing access and mobility to shopping complexes, hotels, offices and tourism sites.
He said that during the promotional period, which spans this month, five trains would operate between 10am and 3pm daily.
He said the ministry's rail division had undertaken stringent safety checks before KL Monorail was given the licence to operate.
“Our officials were very thorough in their checks. Every aspect of the system was checked. This is something we are not going to compromise on,” he said.
jpatokal
14-09-03, 12:14 AM
Malaysia boleh! ...if a little slowly in this particular case, especially since that little bit connecting to KL Sentral still isn't up... but what happened to the southern half of the line, which was supposed to go from KL Sentral to Kampong Pasir? Here's an old map (warning: up is south)
http://www.kiat.net/malaysia/images/klprt-route.gif
Has any track for this been constructed and are there any plans to ever get this operational?
jpatokal
22-10-03, 08:49 PM
Syed Mokhtar strikes again, this time in Penang:
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/031021/3/16btn.html
Note that the planned technology is not Monorail Malaysia (used in the KL Monorail), but that of new Mokhtar-linked company "MMC Metrail" (http://www.metrail.com/metrailindex.html).
The govenment also likely to award the company the rights to construct and manage the Johor Bahru monorail system soon...
jpatokal
14-12-03, 10:30 AM
Finally got a chance to ride on the KL monorail last week. I have to say my opinions are a little mixed...
On the good side:
It seems to be quite popular, the trains were packed enough that they'll probably need to increase train size/frequency quite soon
The monorail is surprisingly fast (sure beats the traffic jams below...)
The system basically works and even operation hours (7 AM-10 PM)are long enough now
The trains look pretty! :D
On the down side:
There are no ticket machines, you have to buy them in person -- you can imagine the queues in the evening at Bukit Bintang!
Can't use Touch'n'Go either...
The trains are rather small and cramped; I though even the STAR/PUTRA trains a bit small, but these are less than half size
Ride stability is not the best in the world, you need to hang on tight!
The "door closing" buzzer is really, really obnoxiously loud
Current train configurations are all two-car, evidently it's possible to couple two of these together to make four and the platforms are built for this -- but there are only enough automated sliding doors for half the platform?! Adding them in probably won't be too big a task, but obviously they aren't planning on 4-car operation any time soon. At the moment there is still slack in the timetable though, trains seems to run about once every 5 min or less.
We wonder how this achievement will influence Thai decision makers. PM Thaksin pays attention to what Malaysia is doing and something like this will not be missed.
Ideas of 'using local technology' have been talked about in Thailand for years, but what always results is a mega contract to a Western supplier (sometimes in combination with a local conglomerate).
With the planned massive increase in mass transit routes planned in coming years, it might be the right time to really use local technology from beginning to end.
jpatokal
14-12-03, 04:55 PM
Well, it's a little debatable how Malaysian the KL Monorail really is... the original project was a joint venture with Hitachi (read: Malaysia pays and Hitachi builds), but the funding fell apart after the 1997 crisis, so the Monorail Malaysia project pretty much just copied Hitachi's design on site in Malaysia -- and it still took 7 years to get a measly 8.6 km track working.
Perhaps some sort of technology transfer deal, viz. the Delhi Metro where the first stages are built by foreign experts and the rest done locally based on that experience, might be an option in Thailand as well?
Here are some contact info I gathered from the net:
Monorail Malaysia Technology Sdn Bhd
KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd
2nd Floor, KL Monorail Project Office
Jalan Berhala, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone: 603 2272 3801
Fax: 603 2272 3809
E-mail: info@monorail.com.my
Monorail Type: Straddle-beam, rubber tire on concrete/steel beam.
Monorail Class: Medium and High Capacity.
Systems in operation: Kuala Lumpur
A joint venture company comprising Malaysia Mining Corporation and Frazer Nash
Metrail
C/O Frazer-Nash Research Limited
Mytchett Place
Mytchett, Surrey, GU16 6DQ, England
Phone: 44 (0) 1252 520000
Fax: 44 (0) 1252 515401
E-mail: details@frazer-nash.com
Website: www.metrail.com
Monorail Type: Straddle beam, rubber tire on steel beam, internally powered.
Monorail Class: Peoplemover, Medium and High-Capacity.
Systems in operation: Full-scale test track in Malaysia.
Wisarut
15-12-03, 09:20 AM
Yep, Techynology Transfers throug the jointed venture is the path we should go .... with the sheer number of population, it would be a good idea to have our own assembly line to handle the Subway rolling stocks as well as electrified locomotives ...
Originally posted by jpatokal
Well, it's a little debatable how Malaysian the KL Monorail really is... the original project was a joint venture with Hitachi (read: Malaysia pays and Hitachi builds), but the funding fell apart after the 1997 crisis, so the Monorail Malaysia project pretty much just copied Hitachi's design on site in Malaysia -- and it still took 7 years to get a measly 8.6 km track working.
Khun JPatokal,
Indeed Monorail Malaysia copied the Hitachi monorail design (look at Protons' in Malaysian roads: a copy of Mitsubishi's vehicles except Waja which uses Lotus' technology - Lotus is a subsidiary of Proton) that's how we gather techologies and innovations! As far as I know Monorail Malaysia company just need less than 3 months to come out with the first prototype monorail train! But why they took 7 years to complete the system? It is because they took too long to lay down those simple 8.6 km tracks as they had insufficient funds! But those worst time is over for the company as they are now running the KL monorail without any major glitches since it's opening and they are currently constructing monorail systems in Putrajaya and Jakarta. Dubai also had expressed intensions to Monorail Malaysia to construct and manage monorail systems in Dubai City Centre and The Palms (the biggest man made islands in the world that can be seen from outer space).
Originally posted by jpatokal
Finally got a chance to ride on the KL monorail last week. I have to say my opinions are a little mixed...
On the good side:
It seems to be quite popular, the trains were packed enough that they'll probably need to increase train size/frequency quite soon
The monorail is surprisingly fast (sure beats the traffic jams below...)
The system basically works and even operation hours (7 AM-10 PM)are long enough now
The trains look pretty! :D
On the down side:
There are no ticket machines, you have to buy them in person -- you can imagine the queues in the evening at Bukit Bintang!
Can't use Touch'n'Go either...
The trains are rather small and cramped; I though even the STAR/PUTRA trains a bit small, but these are less than half size
Ride stability is not the best in the world, you need to hang on tight!
The "door closing" buzzer is really, really obnoxiously loud
Current train configurations are all two-car, evidently it's possible to couple two of these together to make four and the platforms are built for this -- but there are only enough automated sliding doors for half the platform?! Adding them in probably won't be too big a task, but obviously they aren't planning on 4-car operation any time soon. At the moment there is still slack in the timetable though, trains seems to run about once every 5 min or less.
Yuppz I agree with JPatokal on his comments about the KL Monorail...
*They are popular but the current 2-car configuration just can't cope with the peak hour load or they need to increase the frequency...
*They don't have the TVMs... after many complaints from the customers about the long queues and frustations to buy tickets... at last they pledge will install those TVMs soonest by next year...
*Currently commuters can't use Touch 'n Go but by middle of next year they will be able to use it... part of the federal capital's transportation intergration process which requires ALL mass transportation companies in the capital city to be able to accept Touch 'n Go...
*The trains are 3m wide which makes it wider than Star and Putra but their length is obviously shorter than both of them... so they need to add the middle coach...
*Indeed at some parts of the ride... it's a little bumpy... but with further research and enhancement they can overcome that later!
*Yuppz the door closing buzz is ear drum piercing... and they doesn't have prerecorded announcement... already forwarded the comments to them and we'll just see what they can do or maybe they'll just keep quiet!? :P
jpatokal
05-03-04, 06:13 PM
Don't dismiss monorails so quickly: remember, Hitachi are the guys who built the Tokyo Monorail, which handles 300,000 passengers every single day! OK, in Jakarta that would still leave 9,700,000 stuck in traffic, but it's still a lot -- and equivalent to traffic on the first line of the Singapore MRT when it opened. Compare this with the KL Monorail, which hits 30,000 pax/day on weekends and already feels crowded...
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Monorail
Khun Jpatokal,
Well I've ride on both the Tokyo Monorail and Tama Monorail!... to compare their sizes with KL's... I don't see that much of a difference! Its just that Tokyo has 6-car trainsets and Tama has 4-car trainsets! and their headway between trains are short since they have a lot of trains compared to KL's 12 2-car trainsets (they only use 6 trains at one time)! I can bet that the system that will be built in Jakarta by Hitachi will not have that many trains to support even 250k of Jakarta commuters! With the 600 million budget I don't think Hitachi will be supplying more than 30 trains! Remember that SMRT when first opened they only operated with 40 trainsets with more stations than Tokyo... just can't compare with Tokyo's already cramp system... while KL's can still add their cabs from 2-car to 3 or 4-cars and can even imporve their headway between trains by adding more trains...
Just like what I've said it's just my humble opinion that Jakarta should implement Heavy Railway with even better headway between trains and longer trains! I never turn my back on Monorails! I just love them! :D
jpatokal
06-03-04, 09:50 AM
Hmm... I tried to dig up some numbers, but at least this site (http://freewaymonorail.org/capacity.htm) claims the KL Monorail and the Tokyo Monorail have exactly identical capacity at 632 pax per 4-car configuration; I wonder if the number is from the original Hitachi design, not the current Monorail Malaysia system? This news item (http://property.nst.com.my/Weekly/PropertyTimes/News/Focus/20030905190821/Article/), by contrast, says two cars can carry 214 pax for a theoretical maximum of 632 pax in six cars, not four. (Incidentally, note the wildly optimistic traffic estimate of 85,000/day by the end of 2003, as opposed to the real 25,000/day...)
And yes, I agree that in an ideal world heavy rail subway would be better, but one of monorail's selling points is that it's much cheaper to build... and Jakarta is, alas, not the richest city in the world.
Actually I don't really trust their estimation for the capacity of each car of the trains myself! There are normally two types of passenger capacity... one is normal/casual load and another is crush/jam-packed load. The most important thing is the actual passenger load. Most of KL transit systems are under utilised (except for weekends maybe). In the case of KL... sad to say that we don't take public transportation that seriously. Just look at the car sales statistics... our vehicles sales are the largest in Asean for years! We are one of the countries in the world with the most cars per person... and the figures are rising and getting worst day by day! Like my house alone we have 6 vehicles with one more coming... some of my neighbours has more than 10 cars! To combat that I think the authorities must limit the vehicles coming into the city centre with the ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) or other methods/restrictions so that we will use more public transportations.
In the case of Jakarta, it's not which country is the richest and which is not... it just that the govenment needs to be more creative to gather the funds and investors for the infrastucture projects. I can see that the authorities there don't take the traffic problems that seriously... other than trying to implement the bus transit system! But I really pity them and would like to see them having a better solution! I just can't say more... it's just my humble opinion anyway! :D
mrtfreak
16-07-04, 03:12 PM
yep, i noted that. the majority of the system is above ground. there will be 2 lines. stress on WILL BE. if they ever finish. target is 2005 if i'm not wrong.
Utusan Malaysia: 14th Sept. 2004
KUALA LUMPUR Sept 13 - MTrans Holdings Sdn Bhd, through its two subsidiaries Monorail Malaysia Technology Sdn Bhd (MMT) and KL Infrastructure Group Bhd (KLINFRA), signed an agreement on Sept 8, 2004 with Gangnam District, Seoul, to establish a joint-venture company to develop a 6.7 kilometer monorail system in the Korean district on a privatised basis.
Mtrans said in a statement Monday that Gangnam had conducted extensive studies for five years before choosing MTrans Monorail as the suitable technology.
The monorail system, costing US$175 million (RM665 million), would be based on MTrans Monorail which was implemented for the KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur.
KL Monorail has operated successfully since Aug 31 2003 and has carried more than 10 million passengers in its maiden year.
The proposed system will provide better mobility in Gangnam and will complement the extensive subway system currently serving Gangnam and Seoul, a city of more than 10 million people, said MTrans.
Major Korean conglomerates have their headquarters in Gangnam which is the commercial and financial district of Seoul with a population of 550,000 people.
MMT would be the designated turnkey electronic and machinery supplier and KLINFRA would be the manager and system integrator for the project.
MTrans said the civil works would be awarded through open tender.
The Gangnam District has committed to subsidising 40 percent of the project cost and would subscribe for an equity interest of up to 25 percent in the proposed joint venture company, it said.
Samsung Life Insurance has also indicated its interest to subscribe to part of this equity, MTrans said.
MMT/KLINFRA will seek to raise the balance of project cost through a combination of equity and external borrowings.
However, MTrans said the project was subject to approvals of the relevant Korean and Malaysian authorities. The final terms and conditions of the joint venture would be formalised between the joint venture partners upon the finalisation of the concessior agreement.
Wisarut
14-09-04, 11:45 PM
Tuan Ijud,
After riding KL Monorail, I fould that there are lots of issues KL Monorail has to tackle before exporting their monorails to Korea - esp the VIBRATION issue. I don't feel VERY impress on KL Monorail. Putra LRT has A LOT better riding quality though ...
Therefore, MTrans Holding Berhad (Borisat Rotfai Rangdiaw Malay Jamkad in Thai language) has to IMPROVE the shock absorbers first and other issues realting to ridign quality before exporting your Monorails to Korea.
Khun Wisarut,
That is true Wisarut!! Riding KL Monorail is bumpy and a bit frustrating! From what I heard, their R&D team had done a new set of suspension system and also a new model of monorail cars! Mebbe they will use that for the Koreans and Putrajaya's! But I dunno why the Koreans which are more technologically advanced compared to Malaysia interested to use the MTrans Monorail??! A little shocking isn't it??
mrtfreak
18-09-04, 01:38 PM
i think, for me, kl monorail's ride standard is okay. only that it gets extremely crowded and the train is too small. being in the CBD, you'd expect them to have larger trains to cater to the working crowd. and i thought that the original plan was to have 4 cars per train. also, the frequency is a bit long, which contributes to congestion in the trains. hope that korea will have learned from kl and not have the same mistakes. at least they are trying to get some economic development for malaysia.
mrtfreak
17-01-05, 08:29 PM
there has been a rumour that the monorail will be extended from KL Sentral to the midvalley megamall. is this true? don't they already have the KTM Komuter serving the mall?
jpatokal
17-01-05, 10:59 PM
It's true that there is a rumour, but nobody knows if the rumour is true. :D
I'd be happy enough if they just extended the monorail the last bloody 300 meters into KL Sentral. :mad:
Originally posted by jpatokal
I'd be happy enough if they just extended the monorail the last bloody 300 meters into KL Sentral. :mad:
Indeed!! I wish that would happen too... but for the extension to Mid Valley... MTrans are really interested to extend it but the government haven't approve it yet...
BTW... here's the news clipping...
Source: The Edge Daily
28th. October 2004
By Yap Lih Huey
Loss-making KL Infrastructure Group Bhd (KLIG) is counting on property development as well as overseas and local monorail projects to turn the company around after its failure to participate in the integration of the Klang Valley public transport system.
“We are trying our best now to see how we can increase our revenue from a few angles,” its managing director Patrick Wong told reporters after the company’s AGM in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 28.
The monorail operator posted a net loss of RM46.24 million on the back of RM15.08 million revenue for its financial year ended April 30, 2004. In its prospectus, KLIG has projected a revenue of RM70 million for 2005.
On next year's monorail ridership, he expected it to rise to between 60,000 and 80,000 daily from the current 35,000 to 40,000 riders.
Wong said its RM50 million Jalan-Jalan Xintiandi commercial project in Brickfields was expected to provide rental income and increase ridership of its monorail services after its completion in the second quarter of 2005.
He said KLIG had also submitted a proposal to the relevant authorities about four months ago to build a 2km shuttle line from the Tun Sambanthan station to Mid Valley as part of its efforts to boost ridership.
The proposed project is expected to cost RM30 million and would take a year to be completed. KLIG will fund the project from internal cash and bank borrowings.
KLIG is currently finalising all studies on its proposed joint venture with Seoul’s Gangnam district for a 6.7km monorail system on a privatisation basis for submission to the authorities there by year-end.
“We expect to conclude all the submissions by early 2005 and construction work is expected to start soon after,” he said.
MTrans Holdings Sdn Bhd, the holding company for KLIG, recently said it was involved in negotiating for monorail systems worth US$5 billion (RM19 billion) in 12 countries.
mrtfreak
20-01-05, 08:05 PM
ah, that's different from what the monorail society is claiming. they say it is confirmed that the monorail to megamall will be built. but could they make an interchange at bangsar or abdullah hukum station? i stay with my grandma at taman jaya. so if i want to go to megamall, i have to go all the way to KL Sentral and go back again to megamall. build a KTM KOmuter station next to Bangsar PUTRA station or monorail at abdullah hukum....
mrtfreak
20-01-05, 08:07 PM
wow, they actually haven't planned the route before giving out the contracts? :rolleyes: aiyo!
Huhuhu... actually the route will be the same but they wanted to implement a 2-train system... just like the services of KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit... one non-stop and another one stops at every station...
Eheh... where got they say confirmed larr... the title says... "Megamall connection proposed for KL Monorail"
mrtfreak
21-01-05, 11:00 AM
with a monorail?:confused: okay, that's going to be interesting. lol.
mrtfreak
21-01-05, 11:01 AM
but they report like confirmed already... haiz.... so misleading. and very little information for KL, Putrajaya and penang monorail on the internet.
Blast in KL Monorial coach
http://www.jeffooi.com/archives/2005/01/blast_in_kl_mon.php
The Star: 22nd. January 2005
KUALA LUMPUR: A burst tyre, which KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd suspects to be a defective tyre, is the cause of the blast on the train on Friday.
KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd said a tyre burst was experienced on the train, which was carrying 30 passengers, while it was pulling out of the Chow Kit station at 8.50pm resulting in leg injury to a 47-year old passenger and minor injury to another.
"The cause of the tyre failure in one of the eight load tyres in the train is still under investigation but it was suspected to be a case of defective tyre.
The operator added in a statement that the incident occurred when the train was moving towards Titiwangsa station.
"The tyre burst caused a rubber sidewall to flap and hit the side cover of the seat resulting in the leg injury to a passenger on the seat," it said, adding that it took all the necessary immediate action after the incident.
It was reported on Saturday that three passengers were injured when a blast occurred under their seat in a monorail coach at the station.
An investigation is being carried out.
jpatokal
23-01-05, 07:30 PM
I'm not sure how much of this is Singaporean spin, but the following quote from this article (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/NewsBreak/20050122175746/Article/indexb_html) sounds pretty surprising:
Ahmad Rejal said KL Monorail had always maintained a high standard of service and maintenance and the company felt that the incident was not due to its fault.
Surely this kind of thing should be detected in regular tire inspections? I mean, this company with a "high standard of maintenance" already caused brain damage for a poor reporter when one of those well-maintained wheels fell on his head :mad:
jpatokal
23-01-05, 07:42 PM
but they report like confirmed already... haiz.... so misleading. and very little information for KL, Putrajaya and penang monorail on the internet.
monorails.org is a rabid monorail fanboy site, they tend to exaggerate everything pro-monorail. According to them the Jakarta monorail should have been completed about 7 times already :D
jpatokal
23-01-05, 07:45 PM
with a monorail?:confused: okay, that's going to be interesting. lol.
The Tokyo Monorail actually does this: they introduced express services a few years back, with expresses skipping all stops in between. No, I'm not sure how they can manage the scheduling, but evidently they do and it's working well -- they just doubled the express frequencies to at least twice per hour. Here (http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/timetbl/index.html)'s the English timetable: click on the terminals, red departures are expresses.
mrtfreak
23-01-05, 10:59 PM
how is it that malaysian goods are never up to the standard of their european (or for this case, even asian -> refers to japan) counter parts? i mean, its their first attempt and already two "incidents" under their cap. i don't think any such "incidents" occured on japanese monorails for that matter.
mrtfreak
23-01-05, 11:06 PM
The Tokyo Monorail actually does this: they introduced express services a few years back, with expresses skipping all stops in between. No, I'm not sure how they can manage the scheduling, but evidently they do and it's working well -- they just doubled the express frequencies to at least twice per hour. Here (http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/timetbl/index.html)'s the English timetable: click on the terminals, red departures are expresses.
i see. that's interesting. i never knew that they could actually do that with a monorail.
mrtfreak
23-01-05, 11:09 PM
monorails.org is a rabid monorail fanboy site, they tend to exaggerate everything pro-monorail. According to them the Jakarta monorail should have been completed about 7 times already :D
yes, i think so. they're rather, lets put it nicely, enthusiastic people. they being pro-monorail and anti-metro. :rolleyes: and maybe a bit irrational at times. a bit too carried away for me. :mad:
jpatokal
24-01-05, 10:51 AM
i see. that's interesting. i never knew that they could actually do that with a monorail.
Monorail or birail, it's still the same basic idea -- build a bypass track and schedule so that the slow train is at the station while the express whizzes past.
mrtfreak
24-01-05, 11:23 AM
yeah, i know its the same. but i haven't seen it done on a monorail, so i guess it seems new to me. :p still, have they even begun construction work and when is it due to be completed by? any route alignment available?
I'm not sure how much of this is Singaporean spin, but the following quote from this article (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/NewsBreak/20050122175746/Article/indexb_html) sounds pretty surprising:
Surely this kind of thing should be detected in regular tire inspections? I mean, this company with a "high standard of maintenance" already caused brain damage for a poor reporter when one of those well-maintained wheels fell on his head :mad:
This is what people (especially polotician and companies) usually do... pointing fingers... last time they said it was a sabotage and now they are blaming Dunlop for the burst of pneumetic tire...
how is it that malaysian goods are never up to the standard of their european (or for this case, even asian -> refers to japan) counter parts? i mean, its their first attempt and already two "incidents" under their cap. i don't think any such "incidents" occured on japanese monorails for that matter.
Hmmm... I know it's just your opinion but I think it's not fair to conclude that "malaysian goods are never up to the standard of their european (or for this case, even asian -> refers to japan)"... even the new Las Vegas monorail made by a very reputable company experianced a major breakdown and parts falling... (read below) Just name a company that it's system never experianced a major breakdown, system failure or mishap... is it Siemens? Westinghouse? Bombardier? Alstom? Mitsui? Kawasaki? Hitachi? It's good to know the facts and figures too...
Las Vegas Monorail Shut Down After Tire Falls Off
September 1st, 2004
This week, the Las Vegas Monorail has been getting its biggest test since opening two months ago, with ninety thousand conventioneers in town for Magic, the Men's Apparel Guild In California show. But things came to a crashing halt today, literally. News 3's Tom Hawley reports from Sky 3 with details.
The monorail mishap happened just after the system opened at eight this morning, when a northbound train just east of Harrah's Hotel suddenly lost a tire, which plummeted into the parking lot below.
This is not the first problem the trains have encountered. A drive shaft fell from a train back in January, which resulted in a three day delay in testing while a safety attachment was installed.
Then last month, an operator accidentally opened the doors on the wrong side, sixty feet of above the pavement, while the system was briefly in manual mode instead of its normal computer operation. The worker responsible was suspended.
Today's problem left those on board briefly stranded, before the train limped to the next stop at low speed. As of this hour, the entire monorail operation is closed down.
The company that runs the monorail says it will be closed until at least tomorrow, maybe longer, depending on how long it takes to identify the problem and make sure it won't happen again.
Las Vegas monorail closes one day after it reopens
By ADAM GOLDMAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
September 08, 2004
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Las Vegas monorail was closed one day after it reopened when a piece of a train's undercarriage fell off Wednesday and landed in a busy street.
A system spokesman said no one was injured.
The incident happened about 10 a.m. as the fully automated train was heading south on its elevated tracks, monorail spokesman Todd Walker said.
Walker said a slip disk - similar to a large washer - that was connected to the drive train came loose. The 6-inch disk weighing one to two pounds hit a power rail, which supplies electricity to the train. The contact caused electrical arcing but no serious damage to the track before it fell about 25 feet to the street.
Walker said the monorail, which travels along a 3.9-mile route, will reopen when Clark County inspectors and system officials say it's safe.
"The monorail is closed indefinitely until safety concerns are satisfied," Walker said.
Ron Lynn, head of the county building division, said the system would undergo intense testing and every train's undercarriage would be completely dismantled and inspected.
The monorail had just reopened Tuesday morning after being closed for six days following a Sept. 1 incident in which a 60-pound wheel fell off one of the trains. Nobody was hurt. Walker said the wheel was installed improperly at an assembly plant.
The closure cost the private venture an estimated $480,000 in revenue.
The $650 million system was already six months behind when it began operating in July.
Monorail to remain closed
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Officials still trying to solve drive train woes
By OMAR SOFRADZIJA
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Las Vegas Monorail officials hope they're closing in on a cause for the shuttered rail line's woes, but they are no closer this week to setting a reopening date.
"It's not imminent. It's not opening anytime soon," Todd Walker, a monorail spokesman, said Monday. "You'll see full system testing before it opens."
The monorail has been closed since Sept. 8, after the third incident this year of metal parts falling from moving trains.
"The root cause has not been determined," Walker said. "We recognize it's something to do with the drive train."
Drive train parts fell away in two of the three incidents.
The train's builder and operator, Bombardier Corp. of Montreal, has submitted preliminary findings of its investigation into the problems that are now being reviewed by monorail officials.
Monorail officials declined to detail the report. Officials are now awaiting a similar study from Exponent Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif., a disaster analysis firm retained to scrutinize the inquiry.
A definitive cause of the monorail's woes, plans for a fix, a testing schedule and reopening date will largely depend on how the findings of the Bombardier and Exponent studies are reconciled by monorail officials.
Those findings must also be seconded by Clark County regulatory officials before the system can restart.
"They're all working on it at the same time," Walker said of Bombardier and Exponent. "Bombardier, it's their responsibility to fix it to the satisfaction of the county and the monorail company."
Walker was reticent to even guess at an earliest possible opening date.
The monorail opened to the public in July, several months behind schedule after glitches beset its driverless computer-steering system.
During the monorail's brief time open to the public, workers overseeing the system have been guilty of lapses, including the failure to heed system alarms and opening train doors facing a drop-off.
Earlier inquiries by monorail officials, county investigators, other consultants and Bombardier were insufficient to stem flaws on the $650 million rapid transit system.
Exponent was hired in late September. Its resume includes investigations of the bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and its past and current clients include NASA and the U.S. Army.
mrtfreak
24-01-05, 09:19 PM
yes, i am aware of that. but it seems to me that most systems are tire-safe. but i am sure that it is not bombardier's first monorail right? that's what i mean. it's MTrans' first monorail project and they're facing so many hiccups.
mrtfreak
24-01-05, 09:22 PM
thanks ijud. there seem to be "missing" stations at certain places. is it because they aren't confirmed stations? and where's this weld quay that i hear about?
is batu ferengghi going to be served by the monorail?
yes, i am aware of that. but it seems to me that most systems are tire-safe. but i am sure that it is not bombardier's first monorail right? that's what i mean. it's MTrans' first monorail project and they're facing so many hiccups.
That's true! Even a very reputable company with so many experiance and expertise face major problems... what can we expect from a little kiddie company?? I don't think people at MTrans wanted all those incidents to happen in the first place, while they are the final contenders for projects in Dubai and Korea... I pity them and their victims...
What more can I say at this moment... not only the route... even the project seems like on and off... they (Penang and Fed. Govt) are not too serious when talking about mass transport infra... all they wanna do is flood the road with cars...
Hehe... they're too emotional when talking bout monorails... but it's cool to have a bunch of people like them...
mrtfreak
24-01-05, 11:40 PM
Hehe... they're too emotional when talking bout monorails... but it's cool to have a bunch of people like them...
yeah. at leastu can get some info outta them.
mrtfreak
24-01-05, 11:42 PM
sigh... it could be a boon to them. in terms of tourism, tourists would take the monorail to all those places and with it linking to the airport? what easier way to get there than with the monorail express?
Las Vegas Monorail Shut Down After Tire Falls Off
The monorail mishap happened just after the system opened at eight this morning, when a northbound train just east of Harrah's Hotel suddenly lost a tire, which plummeted into the parking lot below.
This is not the first problem the trains have encountered. A drive shaft fell from a train back in January, which resulted in a three day delay in testing while a safety attachment was installed.
[...]
The Las Vegas monorail was closed one day after it reopened when a piece of a train's undercarriage fell off Wednesday and landed in a busy street.
Oh my dear, it seems those monorails are sort of prone to having something break off of them and fall down...... :eek:
And what was the story about the wheel of the KL monorail falling on some reporter? We Bangkokians didn't hear about that incident yet, can someone explain?
mrtfreak
25-01-05, 01:32 PM
during the testing phase, a journalist with bernama was in the wrong place at the wrong time. apparently, a monorail passed over head and a safety wheel dropped onto his head. being a journalist, a big hoo-ha came about and so the testing was ordered to stop. and it did stop for several months, delaying the monorail's opening by about a year or so.
its a pity that these hiccups seem to be happening for what could be a new industry for malaysia.
well, ijud, is there any news on the proposal to build the MARKII cars for the PUTRA LRT? if they do succeed in that (no wheels to explodde, drop off), i guess it would be a very profitable industry to market off and sell overseas. think of it, they might actually rival candain bombardier!
jpatokal
02-07-05, 02:28 PM
It's alive! Well, sorta. This isn't actually news, because nothing seems to have happened, but at least the artist formerly known as KL Monorail hasn't given up hope and is hoping to get the extension up and running by 2007. Bernama says (http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=142708):
KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- Monorail City Development Sdn Bhd (Monorail City), plans to add two more stations in its route-map to link them to Mid Valley Megamall and KL Sentral within two years from now, executive director, Lai Ying Choy said.
The move, he said is part of the group's expansion plan to cater for the growing demand from the public for better accessibility to the commuter network in the Klang Valley.
"Currently, we are in the stage of seeking an approval from the Ministry of Transportation and other related parties, hopefully we can establish our operations in these two new areas within two to three years from now," he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a RM30 million loan facility between the company and Bank Pembangunan dan Infrastruktur Malaysia Bhd (BPIMB), here Thursday.
jpatokal
30-07-05, 07:15 PM
Another article of un-news:
http://www.mmail.com.my/Current_News/MM/Saturday/National/20050730105044/Article/index_html
Work is "likely" to begin next year and will be completed "in two years’ time at the most". Ridership has risen to 50,000/day, compared to 35-40k/day earlier.
mrtfreak
02-08-05, 08:09 PM
I wonder how they will extend the monorail. :confused: They only have one track at KL Sentral. Don't tell me they are going to take turns to use this "lane" everytime they go between KL Sentral and Tun Sanbanthan. Sounds very short-sighted to me.
What if there happens to be a delay somewhere down the line? There are no crossovers except at KL Sentral and Titiwangsa. That means the whole line will be down? Sheesh. I'd like news on the construction getting started, not hopefully blah blah blah. Anyway, why does Mid Valley need the monorail anyway? :eek: They already have the Komuter which is doing them good.
jpatokal
05-04-06, 11:27 AM
And this is even more interesting (http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Tuesday/Nation/BT560782.txt/Article/), as now the monorail boys are trying to muscle in on the action:
MTRANS Technology Bhd is ready to develop an 11km connection from the KL International Airport (KLIA) terminal to Sepang International F1 Circuit and the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT).
MTrans Technology chairman Datuk Ahmad Sa'adi said the company and KL Infrastructure Group (KL Infra) late last year jointly submitted a proposal to the Government for the project, at a cost of RM90 million. ...
Ahmad said the construction period for the 11km monorail system will be about six months. Under its proposal, the train will have a frequency of every 10 minutes and travel time of 9 minutes. There will be three trains, each with a capacity of 268 passengers.
It was reported that Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL), which ferries air travellers between Kuala Lumpur Sentral and the KLIA, has also submitted a proposal to extend its railway tracks to the newly-built LCCT.
Obviously the ERL proposal makes a lot more sense -- no need for incoming passengers from the city to transfer to the monorail, just continue one stop more, and I'll bet the ERL is faster too (max speed 160km/h vs. the monorail which shakes like it's going to fall off its tracks at 50!).
On the monorail's plus side, the idea of linking up Sepang's F1 circuit isn't bad, but is a rail system really necessary for the one day a year when it actually draws a crowd?
jpatokal
15-04-06, 02:13 PM
Ljud beat me to it! But here's a Business Times (http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Saturday/Frontpage/BT562580.txt/Article/) articles with interesting dirt on current ridership:
KL Monorail's average daily ridership rose 42 per cent to 33,837 in 2004 from that in 2003. It increased 31 per cent to 44,442 last year, and 12.5 per cent to 50,000 as at last month. ...
The four additional lines are expected to ferry some 400,000 passengers per day and to complement the existing lines by increasing a projected 320,000 passengers per day through interfaces at respective stations.
So the ridership figures are still quite dinky even compared to Bangkok's Skytrain, never mind Singapore's MRT which racks up 1.3 million (!) daily trips...
It's also worth remember that this plan is just what MTrans wants to do and it's a long, long way from getting approved, much less built. :(
So, more than 3 years on, I finally got the chance to sample the KL Monorail yesterday. I rode all the way from Titiwangsa to KL Sentral (and back to Imbi).
And I have to say I was positively surprised. While I am by no means a monorail enthusiast (no, rather a bit biased against, and would prefer a 'real' rail system any time), one cannot complain at all.
The ride was not really bumpy. No, it's quite smooth for most of the time, very swift, and an especially cool experience in the curves (almost like a rollercoaster....:D ). This very line also shows the advantages a monorail system may have under certain conditions. The elevated structure is not massive/relatively unobtrusive, and the trains can easily negotiate small curve radii in difficult terrain or high-density built-up areas. All in all it seems to be well suited for KL with its hill/valley topology. Quite lovely station and train (esp. interior) design as well. (The outward facing seats in the car center provide a fantastic view!)
On the negative side, there's mainly the low passenger capacity (per train, and per hour), as compared to traditional urban rail. So again, it all depends on the circumstances, whether there's a lot of traffic to be expected on a proposed route or not.
And still no TVMs, I think....? :(
Further to my report above, here are some assorted photos of the KL monorail and related stuff, unfortunately of not too good quality (blame it on the weather...), but anyway.
For orientation, cf. the Urban Rail Map (http://urbanrail.net/as/kual/kuala-lumpur.htm), and also this one (http://johomaps.com/as/malaysia/kualalumpur/klmetro.html).
Kelana Jaya Line (AKA/formerly PUTRA LRT)
Fully automated (driverless), allowing passengers to enjoy the view onto the tracks, 2 car configuration, Bombardier rolling stock.
at Dato Keramat (http://img400.imageshack.us/img400/9869/s3014736rg6.jpg)
en route to Damai (http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/3827/s3014737op0.jpg)
in the tunnel section (http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6310/s3014738ol8.jpg) at Kapung Baru or Dang Wangi, note the platform screen doors (sorry for the lousy pic)
Ampang & Sri Petaling Line (AKA/formerly STAR LRT)
6 car configuration with driver, no front view, anyone knows the make?
at Masjid Jamek (http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2834/s3014741oh1.jpg), ready for boarding (http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/5961/s3014742co6.jpg)
and the eponymous mosque (http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/7243/s3014740xd1.jpg)
By the way, Plaza Rakyat station is still the same mess as 6 years ago when I first visited KL - passengers still have to use the seemingly endless provisional walkways (with stairs) zig-zagging around the back of Puduraya Bus Station, due to the stalled Plaza Rakyat Complex (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=plazarakyatofficetower-kualalumpur-malaysia) Project. That vast site, with just the foundations and the first few stories finished, blocks direct access to Jalan Pudu, an eyesore and an open wound in the center of the city. (See also this thread (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=381).)
at Sentul Timur (http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6387/s3014743ae7.jpg) (where a train overshot the end of the track (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=1980) last October.....): strange combination of Indian temple and watertower...
Titiwangsa (http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/7638/s3014746wd2.jpg), interchange with the KL monorail (interesting roof design...)
KL Monorail
straddle-beam type, 2 car combination with driver
Titiwangsa Station (http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/9580/s3014745ln1.jpg) (from the walkway connecting to the LRT station). Note the buffer at the track end (a bundle of metal pipes) - would like to see a crash test....!
not a particularly beautiful neighbourhood... (http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6484/s3014747pt1.jpg)
monorail switch (http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/4383/s3014748fr1.jpg) (the terminal stations have only a single track), and together with signal (http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1474/s3014749av0.jpg)
trainset arriving (http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/238/s3014750cq8.jpg)
station interior (http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7330/s3014751tg8.jpg) (nice tent-like roof!)
stylish train exterior (http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/742/s3014752fx6.jpg) (at KL Sentral)
(rear) driver cab (http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/7269/s3014782mv9.jpg) (who wouldn't want to try it out once?)
tracks at Imbi (http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4507/s3014759bn2.jpg), looking towards Hang Tuah
train entering KL Sentral (http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/3095/s3014753cs7.jpg) - some pretty big birds chose the concrete beam as their favourite resting place, but quickly flew away when the train approached. The short spur to the monorail depot branches off in the curve seen in the background.
track in the station (http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/8885/s3014755dj6.jpg) (no screen doors: beware, it's quite a deep concrete trough, at least 3m!)
KL Sentral monorail station (http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/4112/s3014757ig4.jpg) seen from the track end; just some 300m from KL Sentral (KTM/Komuter/PUTRA/Airport Link Interchange and stop of the shuttle bus to the LCC terminal), but without direct connection - you need to walk through a bunch of market stalls set up (temporarily? permanently?) on a parking lot
KL Sentral interior (http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/1592/s3014758vd5.jpg): also in style....
Finally, also see this excellent photo essay (http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/KLspecial01.html) by the Monorail Society with better pics than mine!
BONUS STORY: My attempt at buying a Touch'n'Go card
(or rather 'rent', as you need to pay a deposit).
First try at Dato Keramat. I walk up to the ticket office, manned by a mid-aged woman with headscarf. I, pointing at the ticket gates: "Excuse me, can I buy a Touch'n'Go card here?" She looks at me indignantly, as if I had demanded something outrageous, then answers brusquely: "Yes, you can use a Touch'n'Go card." "No, I wanted to know if you sell them here?" Her look is now almost condescending, as she either doesn't understand my question, or pretends (for reasons I cannot imagine) not to understand. Her reply: "Where you want to go?" Confused and momentarily speechless, I decide I've had enough and trot off to the TVM. Guess what? Only to find that my fare is 2.00 RM, and due to a quirk in the design/software setup, these goddamn machines (if they work at all) only accept a single banknote per transaction, the rest must be in coins. As luck would have it, I carried 1 RM and 50 RM notes and 50 or 60 sen in coins. So I was forced to walk back to the counter and face the dragon again. She graciously agreed to sell me a single journey ticket. Phew! (Mind you, all other LRT staff I encountered were friendly and helpful.)
Second try at Masjid Jamek, an important interchange station. There is actually a separate counter that advertises the Touch'n'Go card. The girl behind the glass hands me an application form. Now I suddenly remember something about this mentioned in the 2B forum a long time ago (by Jpatokal - unable to find it right now).... You have to fill in your address (are these cards available to tourists at all?) and even your credit card details. What crazy idea is that? Anyway, I decide it's not worth the hassle, as I only stay for 2 days and don't use the trains that much after all. Also, the single fares are already very affordable (assuming you get a discount if using the card, which I am not even sure about), starting at 1 RM (approx. 10 Baht) or even 0.7 RM, according to the Urban Rail site.
jpatokal
17-04-07, 10:55 AM
The problem with T'n'G is that it's administered by a separate company, so it's a bit of a "not invented here" problem for the operators that deign to allow it -- why should they waste their precious time, space and people for somebody else's product? It was originally designed for (and is best supported at) toll highways, it was bolted onto mass transit as a bit of an afterthought...
Anyway, I've usually gotten my TnG's topped up etc (no machines for this either...) at KL Sentral, which also has a dedicated counter. The application form is a joke, you can fill in your address as Mickey Mouse in Disneyland and nobody will even blink. However, unlike in my previous post (which I can't seem to find either), they do finally seem to allow (http://www.touchngo.com.my/WhatTNG_card_TNG_1h.html) refunds for lost registered cards...
jpatokal
16-05-07, 05:51 PM
Business Times gets the scoop first (http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Tuesday/Nation/BT622674.txt/Article/):
BANK Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd (BPMB) has taken control of KL Infrastructure Group Bhd's (KLIG) main asset, a monorail system in Kuala Lumpur, after the firm defaulted on its loan.
The bank has appointed Mohd Anwar Yahya and Cho Choo Meng as receivers and managers of KL Monorail System Sdn Bhd, the company said in a statement to Bursa Malaysia yesterday.
This means that the pair will be in charge of the monorail asset and not the directors of KLIG. However, KLIG has not given up hope on a deal that it might strike with the Government.
"KLIG will continue to engage the Government and BPMB with the view to address the proposed takeover of operational assets and assumption of loan liabilities of KL Monorail by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd based on earlier discussions and an approval in principle," it said.
KL Monorail could not pay interest of some RM4.2 million due on April 29 this year. It then received a notice to repay a total of RM906 million to BPMB by May 14.
THIS thread and another on Monorail manufacture & investment abroad:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=19975#post19975
ALSO Penang Monorail project:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3144
Putrajaya Monorail Project:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3394
June 11, 2008 22:04 PM
Scomi Engineering Keen To Expand KL Monorail System
KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) - Scomi Engineering Bhd is in talks with the authorities on the expansion of the current monorail system in Kuala Lumpur, said its president, Hilmy Zaini.
"KL Monorail is heavily used. There are times where they are actually jammed.
"So as when the decision will be made, it is up to SPNB (Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd) and the government," he told reporters at a media briefing here Wednesday.
Scomi Engineerings subsidiary, Scomi Rail, is the top three monorail manufacturers in the world while SPNB is the operator of the KL Monorail.
Hilmy said the company was capable of completing a project that included supplying the coaches, cars and the infrastructure construction within 24 months to 36 months.
-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/
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