Disneyland's Mark VII - a Photo Essay
Page Four of Nine
Photo by Kim Pedersen
Downtown Disney Station (Zone 7), has only existed since 2001, but the Disney gardeners have groomed the vegetation surrounding it into a lush green area, which matches the 'leaves' theme of the station. This view is from Disneyland Drive.
Photo by Kim Pedersen
A Disneyland Monorail pilot tells us that the blue tape is a temporary fix for a minor design flaw. The piece is attached because weak fasteners have allowed that piece of the door to fall off. The tape prevents the need to pull a train offline during operating hours. A temporary problem, no doubt.
Photo by James Horecka
Change the paint scheme and this area looks almost exactly like the Mark Vs. Since the 1960s the Disneyland monorail trains have had a lifespan of around twenty years. Mark Vs were put on beam between 1986 and 1988, and the design reflected their big brother Mark IVs in Walt Disney World (WDW). WDW now sports Mark VI trains, which have been on beam for a bit over twenty years. Hmmm!?
Photo by Kim Pedersen
Hats off to Scot Drake, Principal Concept Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering and the lead designer for the Mark VII project. Mark VIIs feature beautiful lighting beneath the seats and Tomorrowland body styling. The seating arrangement has also been changed to a center, outward-view bench with forward and backward benches at each end. Cabins hold up to 22 passengers, and the center bench has improved loading and unloading. Visit scotdrake.com to see some of his spectacular art work.
Photo by James Horecka
Note the tilt-out windows. This was a change from prior slide-down windows. Because of the limit on how far these windows can open, it was quickly discovered that cabins would heat up to beyond passenger comfort limits. This glitch is being worked on and a fix is well under way. Safety was the main reason for the new window design, which prevents passengers from sticking their heads and arms outside the train during the ride.
Photo by Kim Pedersen
Emergency exit doors exist at each end of the cabin.
