Elevated Rail

Mass Rapid
Transit
Presentation
Presenters Stephen Moore
Independent transport
To
commentator
Procurement specialist
Presenters Stephen Moore
Independent transport commentator
Procurement specialist, 40 years
Peter Dodwell
Peter DodwellOccupational Medical specialist;
Occupational & Aviation Medical specialist;
Transport health & safety, 30 yrs.
Transport health & safety, 40 yrs.

April 2021
http://fastr-wellington.com/
 FASTR WELLINGTON

FASTR stands for Fast, Aerial, Safe Transport by Rail for Wellington

We are a group promoting Suspended Monorail (SM) as the best solution to

retrofit Wellington with Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) to meet LGWM aims.

Suspended Monorail is superior to other forms of MRT such as trams [light rail],
buses, and trackless trams because it is elevated above ground-level traffic,
pedestrians and cyclists, and thus 100% separated.
FASTR LGWM

Aims to build on Wellington’s unique character

Has developed a set of urban design and transport principles

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FASTR LGWM

• Public transport (city and north)

• Smarter transport network

• Rapid transit

• Unblocking the Basin Reserve

FASTR’S MRT PROPOSAL
We propose a suspended monorail as the best MRT to deliver LGWM’s aims and all
your Projects in alignment with LGWM urban design and transport principles as it:
• Is 100% safe for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as ground-based vehicles.
• Travels at up to 80 kph along the whole route independent of surrounding road
speed limits that in Wellington vary from 30-50 kph.
• Has predicable trip time and reliability as it is 100% separated.
• Has large, easily accessible platforms for fast passenger boarding.
• Incorporates cycle parking into its platforms to encourage door-to-door
transport.
• Is designed to provide a service along Wellington’s narrowest and steepest
streets and across undeveloped ground if required.
• Does not contribute to road congestion that is inevitably associated with
shared road space and intersection prioritisation.
• Can provide a single MRT solution to all Wellington’s suburbs.
This is an established technology. The following are videos of suspended monorails in
operation and under development.

• Kamakura, Japan

• Wuppertal Schwebebahn in Germany

• H-Bahn Dortmund in Germany

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Kamakura is a region about 40 km southwest of Tokyo with a population of 174,314
in 2016. It has a very similar landscape to Wellington with steep hills, narrow
congested streets and valleys.

To ease congestion, 50 years ago the city built a suspended light railway within its
borders from a coastal suburb to the main station.

• There are 6 stops.

• Journey time is 14 minutes to travel 6.6 km.

• 30,588 passengers daily

Manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

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• The Wuppertal Schwebebahn (Wuppertal Suspension Railway) is a suspension
railway in Wuppertal, Germany opened in 1901.
• The 20-station 13.3 km line is used by 85,000 passengers daily.
• Yet takes only about 30 minutes for this 20-stop length.
• Cars were modernised in 2011.
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H-Bahn
• One single track version located at the University of Dortmund, Germany, is an
automatically controlled suspended monorail system
• It is approximately 3 km long.
• With a minimum frequency of 40 seconds there are 36 scheduled runs per hour. At
peak times there are up to 60 runs per hour.
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• Manufactured by Siemens
Source: https://h-bahn.info/en/ & https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/h-bahn/
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Suspended monorails are undergoing continuous improvement.
lithium batteries

Source:

http://shanghai.ist/2019/03/21/new-transparent-suspended-sky-train-unveiled-in-chengdu/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTKlAvE8bO0 46 minute documentary on test track (2019)

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PROVEN TECHNOLOGY

Wuppertal, Germany
Est. 1901 - 120 years in operation
80,000 passengers daily,
13.3km, every 6 minutes; 20 stops;
av transit speed 27.5kph (i.e.
~30min transit time); twin tracks.
Only 1 fatal accident (1999) - similar
to airline safety & vastly better than
non-separated ground-based safety.

Shonan, Japan
years in operation

30,588 passengers daily

Travels 6.6 km between Ōfuna

Station and Enoshima, making six stops. The
average length of a single trip is 14 minutes
with a train every 7 minutes.
PROVEN TECHNOLOGY
CHIBA - JAPAN

H-Bahn– Germany
CONTINUOUS DESIGN IMPROVEMENT

Chengdu– China

Enshi, Hubei – China

COULD THIS BE LAMBTON QUAY IN 2025 ?
PRINCIPAL BENEFITS OF SUSPENDED MONORAIL –
The 3 S’s are the key: - SAFER, SWIFTER, SURER

LGWM aims:
• “Providing more efficient and reliable access for all
users” = Swifter, Surer
• “Improving safety for all users” = Safer

Even heavy rail has problems at level crossings.

But lights, bells, and barrier arms only serve a train’s 3 S’s,
while inevitably slowing and frustrating other traffic… Enter
the human factor with occasional disasters. This
incompatibility of the 3 S’s at ground level cannot be
eliminated without 100% separation.

So Melbourne recently eliminated 50 level crossings via

a suburban viaduct…Eliminating conflict with road users
& achieving - for all - the aims of SAFER, SWIFTER, &
SURER.
PRINCIPAL BENEFITS OF SUSPENDED MONORAIL –
The 3 S’s are the key: - SAFER, SWIFTER, SURER

Suspended Monorail can achieve 100% separation from ground-level traffic. An elevated
platform - & ‘flight path’ - achieves results the way scheduled airlines do. This separation
allows predictable and consistently faster speeds while eliminating the human factor that
can cause many near-misses and crashes. Focus first on SAFETY… the others follow.

Ground-level urban MRT - Trams, Buses, and Trackless Trams - cannot do this in Wellington.
BENEFIT - SAFER

We must learn from the Melbourne & Sydney Trams

experience…
• Melbourne – in 2018, 1100 collisions (51 with
pedestrians) & increasing yearly.
• Sydney – 250 safety incidents in Nov/Dec 2019.
Melbourne, 5 Oct 2019

Because SM is separated from ground-level traffic:

 No risk to pedestrians, scooters
 It has no tracks posing a risk to cycles, m/cycles
 Does not cause ground-based emergencies
(vehicle collisions, near-misses).
 Independent of road safety hotspots
(intersections, emergency callouts).
 Change in track direction - no hazard to ground-
based transport. Sydney, 2020
BENEFIT - SAFER

Suspended monorail has a safety record similar to

airline safety & vastly better than non-separated
ground-based MRT.

The only accident we could find was on

12 April 1999 in Wuppertal where five people died
and 47 were injured. This was the only fatal
accident on this line since the railway opened
in 1901. The accident was caused by a maintenance
worker’s error, and was not a technical defect or a
system error.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Wuppertal_Schwebebahn_accident

Also we are proposing a different technology to

Wuppertal – the French SAFEGE Suspended Monorail
that has a steel box-beam; where we found no
record of accidents.
BENEFIT – SAFER PLATFORM H-Bahn platform has barrier between train and
platform so people cannot fall in front of train.
H-Bahn platform
at Dortmund
University. Large
weather-proof
platform
separate from
street with
elevators at
each end for
disabled
access.
J-Walking Sydney school children
In comparison,
Sydney light rail
station that’s
outdoors with
minimum
queuing space;
with road
exposure, & risk
from jaywalking
pedestrians.
BENEFIT - SWIFTER & SURER
Boarding smoother & quicker.

Speeds of up to 75-80 kph, because –

 Not limited by road speed limits

 Not affected by road emergencies

 Not affected by ground-based traffic lights &

intersections Shonan Turnstyle restricts platform access
to paying passengers – swifter boarding.
 Not affected by road congestion at peak or other
times

 Can swing from kerbside to road centre, even off-

road - no impact on road traffic, so no undue
slowing for corners…

 Not affected by road works [see next slide];

BENEFIT - SWIFTER & SURER

[Wuppertal, recent pipe maintenance causing prolonged road closure]

BENEFIT – CHEAPER & SOONER

Cheaper & completed sooner, with minimal disruption during construction, because:

 No tunnels required; can climb hills up to 1 in 10 gradient and can cross over
undeveloped terrain.

 Minimal On-site construction: Pylon footings 35 metres apart minimises

expense/delay. Eliminates –the need to dig up the whole road for track laying.
Other hardware prefabricated and craned in outside business hours.

 Minimal underground services are required to be moved.

Sydney’s light rail cost AUD $3 Billion. A significant proportion of this cost
was relocation of underground services and this was identified as one of the
biggest risks to the project.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sydneys-george-street-light-rail-
construction-spiders-web-that-lies-beneath-20151112-gkx07f.html
BENEFIT - QUICK TO BUILD - MINIMAL DISRUPTION

SO…
 SM construction has minimal impact on local businesses & residents.

 Swifter construction in a single stage (less than 3 years total), so the substantial
benefits are achieved sooner!

 NB The West Wind farm 52 turbines with 67m high towers and 33km of roads was
constructed in 2 years.
BENEFIT - ENHANCES BOARDING ACCESS

 Mobility Access – level at stations; and lifts/escalators give access from ground to
platform level.

 Overhead stations with ticket turn-style access. This gives safety, shelter, and -
(a) eliminates ticket swipe while boarding, for shorter stops;
(b) ensures payment compliance without the need for inspectors;

 Space beneath for bike or scooter parking to encourage door-to-door transport

 On Golden Mile stations can combine with local retailers at 1st floor. Pedestrians
(including disabled and wheelchair users) not forced to go 2-3 blocks from Golden Mile
to find LR stops.

 Regional Hospital – sheltered, level access to building, above road level.

 At Wellington Railway Station, above-ground pedestrian access can be behind/above

station building and platforms - no pedestrian or road congestion
+ a real asset for massed Stadium pedestrian traffic, and a pinchpoint for LR.
BENEFIT - ENHANCES BOARDING ACCESS
Shonan, Japan Dortmund large platform with lift

Sheltered direct building access Could connect to Stadium Concourse.

BENEFIT - ALMOST ANY ROUTE
BENEFIT - ALMOST ANY ROUTE, RETAINS FAVOURITES

Suspended monorail through the city:

 Can provide a service along the Golden Mile

 Can include a waterfront loop route with a Te Papa station

 Can loop around the Basin Reserve

 Can provide level access to the Regional Hospital’s front door in Newtown

 Can pass through Newtown’s narrow roads with no disruptions and a

Constable St route (+ station) avoids need for any tunnel

 Possible station for Hataitai at Kilbirnie Park, on Wellington Rd.

BENEFIT - ALMOST ANY ROUTE, RETAINS FAVOURITES
BENEFIT - ALMOST ANY ROUTE, RETAINS FAVOURITES

Suspended monorail through the Eastern Suburbs:

 Possible station for Hataitai at Kilbirnie Park, at Wellington Rd.

 Kilbirnie bus hub sheltered and shared with buses as a true hub.

 A Station above the roundabout opposite the Kilbirnie Fire Station would
provide services for the ASB Sports Stadium and an overpass for
pedestrians across Cobham Drive.

 Can use Miramar Cutting for access to Miramar shops and existing bus hub

 An airport station could be integrated into terminal for seamless travel

connections
BENEFIT - ALMOST ANY ROUTE, RETAINS FAVOURITES
BENEFIT - ALMOST ANY ROUTE, RETAINS FAVOURITES
BENEFIT – ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

 Minimal noise (70 dB at 15m) - runs on rubber tyres, not metal wheels on
rail.

 No tunnels - so cheaper & reduced carbon footprint from excavation and

reinforced concrete.

 Electric, not contributing to ground-based traffic congestion/pollution.

 Speed and predictable service will encourage passengers to change their

mode of transport
RESPONSE TO POSSIBLE CONCERNS

Loss of privacy from elevated carriages

Suspended monorail does not create any increased privacy issues compared with
other forms of MRT.
• SM travels higher and faster than existing Double Decker buses that travel
slower past 1st floor residential windows.
• Trains already pass peoples back yards in the Hutt.

Visual impact - Can be managed/mitigated to be negligible; plus -

• We believe Wellington will embrace and celebrate SM as a visible symbol of

our city’s commitment to green mass transport as they have done with the
Brooklyn wind turbine.
• Parisians originally were concerned about the visual impact of the Eiffel tower
but now this icon represents their city.
RESPONSE TO POSSIBLE CONCERNS

Case Study: Caulfield to Dandenong Sky

Rail Victoria, Australia

More than a year after the first train ran along

elevated rail lines in Melbourne's south-
eastern corridor, residents say "sky rail" has
increased quality of life and added to the
vibrancy of local communities, and realtors
say fears of a property price plunge have been
assuaged.

The plan had been fiercely opposed by many

residents. Some feared commuters would peer
into their homes from above, while others had
objections to what was described as a visual
monstrosity. But 15 months after the first carriage
rolled through, even some of those most strongly
opposed have come around.
RESPONSE TO POSSIBLE CONCERNS

Case Study: Caulfield to

Dandenong Sky Rail Victoria,
Australia

Elevated tracks tower over the

backyard of Helen Franzi, 36, who
lives with her two young children in
Carnegie, about 15 kilometres south-
east of Melbourne.
But she is all positive, saying sky rail
had drastically reduced noise from
passing trains.

Source:
https://www.theage.com.au/nation
al/victoria/more-than-a-year-on-
has-sky-rail-turned-suburbs-into-
ghettos-20190509-p51lqm.html
TECHNICAL DETAILS

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• LET’S GET
WELLINGTON
MOVING SMARTER
AND FASTR,
• VIA
FAST, AERIAL, SAFE
TRANSPORT BY RAIL.

• WE URGE
CONSIDERATION OF
THIS OPTION VIA
INCLUSION IN THE
LGWM BUSINESS
CASE, FOR ROBUST
ANALYSIS AGAINST
OTHER OPTIONS.

• WWW.FASTR-
WELLINGTON.COM
 On Road 100% Segregated Suspended Trackless Status
Priority Priority Description Light Rail Light Rail Monorail Trams Quo
1 SWIFTER 4th 1st 1st 3rd 5th

2 SURER 5th 1st 1st 3rd 4th

3 SAFER 4th 1st 1st 3rd 3rd

4 Accessibility 4th 1st 1st 4th 3rd

5 Constructed Sooner 4th 5th 2nd 3rd 1st

6 Constructed Cheaper 4th 5th 3rd 2nd 1st

7 Noise Level 3rd 3rd 1st 2nd 5th

8 Visual Impact 3rd 1st 5th 3rd 2nd

• Suspended Monorail is the superior MRT to be retrofitted into a city like Wellington.

• 100% Segregated Light Rail – is where there are barriers along 100% of the route. We
call light rail Trams if they are NOT 100% segregated. We believe Trams are not
significantly better than the status quo.
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND LIGHT RAIL COMPARISON
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND LIGHT RAIL COMPARISON
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND LIGHT RAIL COMPARISON
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND LIGHT RAIL COMPARISON
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND LIGHT RAIL COMPARISON
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND LIGHT RAIL COMPARISON
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND LIGHT RAIL COMPARISON