Suspended - Double Flanged

The first successful use of monorail technology in urban transportation was the Schwebebahn (suspended or floating railway) of Wuppertal, Germany. It has been in operation since 1901. Carl Eugene Langen gets credit for the concept, though Albert Charlier had built the "schwebe bicycle" in 1895.

The Wupper River in northern Germany flows though a narrow valley, which was becoming urbanized and congested. Originally, an elevated railway was planned with the support pylons in the middle of the river, but public objections (NIMBYs!) and concerns about flooding scuttled that plan. Since the support for Langen's system would be on the banks and not in the river, and the fact that the cars could swing up to 15 degrees like a pendulum, the system was approved. The first part of the system opened in 1901 and the full 8.3 miles (13.3 km) with 20 stations opened in 1903. The original two car trains weighed 34 (31 metric) tons loaded with 97 passengers. 19,000 tons of iron were used to build the railway framework. The rails are supported by a total of 472 girders.

There are two dual-wheeled bogies per car. The double flanged steel wheels run on a single steel rail laid on a girder. Bogies on the original cars had a single motor using a chain to drive both wheels. Current cars use a single motor driving both wheels with worm gears. Reversing at each end of the line is by loop, and a turntable has been installed for short turns. In 1993, between 45,000 and 50,000 people used the Schwebebahn every day. Not bad for a system that's been around for nearly 100 years!

 

 


Then.

 
Now.

The Schwebebahn had a perfect safety record until 1999. On April 12th, 1999, one of the Wuppertal trains fell off its track and plunged into the river below. For the first time in the 98 year history of the Schwebebahn, five people died and 47 were injured. The accident was caused when a contractor that was working on the guideway accidentally left a metal clamp on it. This was not a defect in equipment nor normal operating procedures. Countless people have lost their lives in the last 100 years in train and light rail accidents. Monorail still enjoys an enviable safety record!

The Track:
Length over the Wupper River
Length above the street in Vohwinkel
Minimum radius of curvature
Height above river (normal water level)
Minimum headroom (street to bottom of car)
Maximum gradient
Distance between tracks

The Vehicles:
End-to-end length
Length of main cabins
Width
Height of car (to roof)
Internal height
Distance between bogies
Axle-to-axle length of bogies
Diameter of wheels (current)
Weight-loaded
Weight-empty
Total seats
Total SRO
Total passenger capacity
Width of doors (four per unit)
Maximum tilt angle

Running Gear:
Voltage of traction power supply
Interior power supply
Continuous DC control for motion and braking
Traction motors 4 DC motors/train
Traction motor power
Maximum speed
Maximum acceleration rate
Maximum deceleration rate

 


10km
3.3km
75m
12m
4.5m
4%
4m


24.06m
9.7m
2.2m
2.7m
2.1m
7.6m
1.3m
800mm
33.5 metric tons
22.2 metric tons
48
156
204
1.3m
15 degrees


600VDC
24V

4DC motors/train
50kW
60km/h (37 mph)
1.1m/s
1.2m/s

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