Modern suspended mono-path rail for London (or some other city)?

[micro]

Here's a neat website by architect Garth Pearce that promotes the 'MonoMetro', a network of suspended railways similar to the hundred years old one in Wuppertal. The website: http://www.monometro.com/

Network map and impressive photos and videos (click on the yellow triangles or blue rectangles in the map): http://www.monometro.com/network.htm

Is it a good or bad idea - what do you think?

I think those structures are too ugly for London's streets.

[DonQui]

bad idea IMO.

[arlekin_m]

yes, ugly... looks more than a bit dangerous, too

[onetwothree]

They could work if they were planned into the city infrastructure from the beginning (ie. planned cities), but in a city like London they'd be way too dominant in inner-city streets. I do like that map, though, maybe they should just do it with light rail instead *dreams on*

[Bitxofo]

I like it!

[greg_christine]

On another forum, I questioned whether MonoMetro amounted to anything more than computer generated graphics. Before such a system can be deployed, there must be an engineering and design effort followed by the construction of a prototype and test track. Shortly after posting my comments, I received an e-mail from Mr. Garth Pearce. Rather than offering any assurances that there was an actual engineering effort behind MonoMetro, he demanded that I stop commenting on it.

[Tubeman]

Originally Posted by greg_christine

On another forum, I questioned whether MonoMetro amounted to anything more than computer generated graphics. Before such a system can be deployed, there must be an engineering and design effort followed by the construction of a prototype and test track. Shortly after posting my comments, I received an e-mail from Mr. Gareth Pearce. Rather than offering any assurances that there was an actual engineering effort behind MonoMetro, he demanded that I stop commenting on it.

Bloody hell... touchy!!!

It would be a blight in my opinion

[sweek]

That is very ugly.
Its an interesting map they have in that document though, I wish it would show some more detail on what routes / stations they are proposing there.
I understand the Uxbridge Tram, the old Alexandria Palace - Highgate - Finsbury Park route and the original Fleet line extension, but some of these routes look incredibly strange to me, like that Heathrow routes and whatever the hell is happening in Hammersmith!

[spyro]

i like the concept by itself.. it reminds me of an amusement park ride

what would the suspended railways be made out of anyway? looks like metal to me...

[micro]

Yes it would be nice for sightseeing.

I wonder if such a system is necessarily a blight or if there would be a way to make it more beautiful and less unsuitable, for example with a more classical design and colour for the columns. The problem is that the columns must be very stable since they must be able to endure the forces of a truck crashing into it at full speed.

[Welshlad]

Why the hell have it suspended??? seems to pose a lot of extra problems, theres no advantage over normal elevated monorail surely?

[micro]

I think it is suspended because the structure that supports it can be thinner then. It does not have to keep the trains upright and in balance, the hanging trains keep themselves in balance naturally. But it looks as if an oversized truck could touch the trains.

[lpioe]

Doesn't fit at all into London or any european city.
Would maybe look cool in a 'modern' city like Shanghai or Tokyo.

[Prestonian]

Originally Posted by greg_christine

On another forum, I questioned whether MonoMetro amounted to anything more than computer generated graphics. Before such a system can be deployed, there must be an engineering and design effort followed by the construction of a prototype and test track. Shortly after posting my comments, I received an e-mail from Mr. Garth Pearce. Rather than offering any assurances that there was an actual engineering effort behind MonoMetro, he demanded that I stop commenting on it.

yeah, i've run into similar comments from him on other forums. I personally think it would make an ugly addition to a city like london. It would blight the streets with its excessive engineering. I could see it moreso in the states, but then i wonder why it is any better than a monorail?

[city_thing]

That's just ugly. I would never let such a thing happen to my home town.

The stations would really bring down nice old area like The City.

It could work in Canary Warf though.

[micro]

Interesting that most of you agree with me that the structure is ugly.

I've now faked the fake photo, making the columns neoclassical and adapting their colour to the colour of the buildings in the background. (The horizontal beams should of course be treated accordingly but I don't have the time.) How about this? Is it just extreme kitsch or does it fit better with the city?

[DonQui]

could probably work in vegas

[Bitxofo]

Originally Posted by micro

Interesting that most of you agree with me that the structure is ugly.

I've now faked the fake photo, making the columns neoclassical and adapting their colour to the colour of the buildings in the background. (The horizontal beams should of course be treated accordingly but I don't have the time.) How about this? Is it just extreme kitsch or does it fit better with the city?

Strange, but I like this system and infrastructure.

Remember Wuppertal: it is great!!

[samsonyuen]

It's a bit ugly

[greg_christine]

I would be reluctant to pass judgment based on aesthetics. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Wuppertal monorail has a much more obtrusive structure but is now treated as an important historic and architectural asset:





Transit agencies are not in a position to fund R&D efforts. The people behind MonoMetro need to design, build, and test prototypes before pitching their system to transit agencies. It's pointless to worry about the architecture of the stations and columns before the basic design has reached that level of maturity.