NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Seattle Center Monorail

The Seattle Center Monorail is an elevated monorail line in Seattle, Washington, that runs one mile along Fifth Avenue from Westlake Center in Downtown to Seattle Center in Lower Queen Anne. It claims to be the "only fully self-sufficient public transit system" in the United States, and with a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h), to also be the fastest full-sized monorail in the country. The monorail trains and their tracks were given historical landmark status by the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board April 16, 2003. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x1024, 478 KB) The Seattle Center Monorail in Seattle. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x1024, 478 KB) The Seattle Center Monorail in Seattle. ... Space Needle from Downtown Seattle. ... The KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur, a colourful straddle-beam monorail Gyroscopically Balanced Monorail (1907) by Brennan and Scherl The term monorail or industrial monorail is also used to describe any number of systems in which a chair or carrier is suspended from, or rides on, an overhead rail structure... Nickname: The Emerald City Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Coordinates: Country United States State Washington County King County Incorporated December 2 1869 Mayor Greg Nickels Area - City 369. ... Nordstroms corporate headquarters and flagship store Westlake Center is a four-storey shopping center in downtown Seattle, Washington, USA. The southern terminus of the Seattle Center Monorail, it is located across Pine Street from Westlake Park, between 4th and 5th Avenues. ... Downtown Seattle, from top of Space Needle (looking south) Map of downtown Seattle Downtown is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. ... Center House, Seattle Center International Fountain Seattle Center is a fairground, park and arts and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington, on the site used in 1962 by the Century 21 Exposition. ... A taxi serving as a bus Public transport comprises all transport systems in which the passengers do not travel in their own vehicles. ... April 16 is the 106th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (107th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Creation and route

The monorail, which cost $3.5 million to build, opened on March 24, 1962 for the Century 21 Exposition, a World's Fair being held at the current site of Seattle Center. Eight million people rode the monorail during the half year the fair was open; today, annual ridership is around 2.5 million. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 342 KB) Photo of the Seattle Center Monorail tracks going through the EMP building and by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame Museum sculpture. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 342 KB) Photo of the Seattle Center Monorail tracks going through the EMP building and by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame Museum sculpture. ... Sign advertising the opening of EMP A view of EMPs southeast corner The Experience Music Project (EMP) is a museum of music history founded by Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, located on the campus of Seattle, Washingtons Seattle Center. ... March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in leap years). ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... The Space Needle, built for the Century 21 Exposition. ... A Worlds Fair is any of various large expositions held since the mid-19th century. ...

At the northern end of the line, the Experience Music Project building was designed so that the monorail passes through it on its way to the terminal. Sign advertising the opening of EMP A view of EMPs southeast corner The Experience Music Project (EMP) is a museum of music history founded by Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, located on the campus of Seattle, Washingtons Seattle Center. ...

Originally, the south end of the line was a large station in Westlake Park that formed a lid over the park. In 1988, the station was moved north a block with the construction of the Westlake Center shopping mall. In order to fit the design of the mall the tracks were moved closer together, such that there is only room for one train to occupy the Westlake Center station at a time. This design decision introduced a collision risk at the station that was eventually realized in 2005. Westlake Park is a 0. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Operation

The Seattle Center Monorail operates daily. It departs every 10 minutes from the station at Seattle Center enroute to Westlake Center Mall, at Fifth and Pine Street. Each trip takes two minutes to cover the approximately one mile route. Each train can carry up to 450 passengers per trip. The Monorail provides two-train service during special events and activities, with departures every five minutes or less.

Round-trip fares are $4.00 for adults, $1.50 for youth ages 5-12, $2.00 for senior 65+, disabled, and persons with Medicare cards. One-way fares are half of the round-trip price. Children four and under ride free.

Potential demolition

In November 2002, Seattle voters approved the construction of a new 14-mile monorail line. The "Green Line," as it was known, was to be the first of five monorail lines running throughout the city. Partial service was scheduled to be available in 2007, and full service was scheduled for 2009. Due to the route chosen from Queen Anne to Downtown, the existing monorail line was to be demolished as part of that project. The Green Line project was terminated by a public vote in November 2005 after concerns were raised about its financing plan.[1] For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Green Line was the first phase of a proposed five-line monorail system to be constructed in Seattle, Washington by the Seattle Popular Monorail Authority, also known as the Seattle Monorail Project. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Accidents

On July 25, 1971, a brake failure on the red train resulted in it striking the girder at the end of the track in the Seattle Center station, causing injuries to 26 passengers. In 2002 and 2003. passengers were evacuated by ladder after trains stalled on the track. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1632x1232, 480 KB) Picture taken 11/28/2005 by Garrett Fitzgerald (SarekOfVulcan) from the Westlake Center food court. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1632x1232, 480 KB) Picture taken 11/28/2005 by Garrett Fitzgerald (SarekOfVulcan) from the Westlake Center food court. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ...

On May 31, 2004, a fire broke out on the monorail with 150 people aboard. No one was killed; five passengers were taken to the hospital, none of them burned. The line was closed until December 16, 2004, when service resumed with one of the two trains (the "red train," newly fireproofed) in operation. May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On November 26, 2005, the two trains clipped one another on a curve, shearing the door off one train, smashing glass, and raining shards over passengers. Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries; no one else was seriously hurt. Poor design and driver error were blamed for the crash. In 1991, the South ends of the monorail tracks had been adjusted closer to each other to make room for the Westlake Center. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1632x1232, 624 KB) Picture taken by Garrett Fitzgerald (SarekOfVulcan) on Oct 1, 2005 from the Westin Hotel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1632x1232, 624 KB) Picture taken by Garrett Fitzgerald (SarekOfVulcan) on Oct 1, 2005 from the Westin Hotel. ... November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nordstroms corporate headquarters and flagship store Westlake Center is a four-storey shopping center in downtown Seattle, Washington, USA. The southern terminus of the Seattle Center Monorail, it is located across Pine Street from Westlake Park, between 4th and 5th Avenues. ...

The Monorail reopened for service on Friday, August 11, 2006, but was quickly beset with problems two days later when the blue train stalled just short of Seattle Center[2] and another breakdown on August 19 that trapped over 200 passengers in the blue train at almost the exact same spot as the prior week's breakdown.[3] The monorail was out of service to see if all problems have been fixed.[4] Now service is expected to be fully restored once again on November 13, 2006, with exception that the passenger limit is no more than 200 peoples. August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contents

Creation and route

Operation

Potential demolition

Accidents

See also

External links

References

Contents

Creation and route GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Operation

Potential demolition

Accidents

See also

External links

References

Creation and route