Sea World Monorail System

Sea World Monorail System

One of the trains passing over the Sea World carpark.
Sea World
Cost A$3 million
Opening date 15 August 1986 (1986-08-15)[1]
General statistics
Attraction type straddle-beam Monorail
Manufacturer CWA Constructions
Model Von Roll MkII
Length 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Speed 27 km/h (17 mph)
Vehicles 3
Riders per vehicle 96
Height restriction Children under 105 cm (41 in) must be accompanied by an adult.
Wheelchair accessible

The Sea World Monorail System is an Australian 2-kilometre (6,600 ft) monorail circuit around the Sea World theme park on the Gold Coast.[2]

History

The Sea World Monorail System opened on 15 August 1986 as Australia's first monorail system.[1][2][3][4] Following the conclusion of World Expo 88 in Brisbane, at least one of the monorail trains was relocated to Sea World in 1989.[5][6][7]

Stations

The operator cab of one of the trains.

Three stations are located on the 2-kilometre (6,600 ft) long line.[2] The first station is located near the front of the park adjacent to Penguin Encounter. It is known as the main monorail station. After taking a scenic journey alongside the Gold Coast Broadwater the monorail passes several Sea World attractions including the Dolphin Nursery, Fish Detectives arena, shopping plaza, Ray Reef and Polar Bear Shores.

The monorail then arrives at its next station known as the mid monorail station, located in the rough centre of the park. This station is situated between Shark Bay and the Sea World Theatre. From the mid monorail station the track then travels between the Sea World Resort's 1.6-hectare (170,000 sq ft) water park (also available as an upcharge for Sea World guests[8]) and Castaway Bay before arriving at the Sea World Resort and Water Park monorail station.

The final leg of the monorail circuit is the longest. It begins by travelling alongside the Imagine Dolphin Show arena and Dolphin Cove pools before passing over Jet Rescue and through the Sea Viper. The track then runs alongside the main lagoon where Pirates Unleashed is held before making a small circuit around the Sea World carpark and returning to the main monorail station.[9] All stations are located several metres above ground level and can be accessed by ramps or staircases.

Trains

A monorail train at World Expo 88.
Sea World Monorail System
Legend
 Sea World Resort Station
Maintenance shed
(not open to public)
Mid Station
Main Station
bus transfer
(via short walk outside park)

Three, nine-car trains are operated. Each of the trains can hold 96 passengers.[2] The last car on the train has been modified to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. A section of transfer track is located above Sea World Resort's Water Park and Castaway Bay.[9] This transfer track allows trains to be removed from the main circuit and stored in a maintenance bay located directly under the mid monorail station.

It is rare for all three trains to operate on the same day. This only occurs occasionally in the peak summer season.[10] One of the monorail trains previously operated at World Expo 88 in Brisbane in 1988 and was relocated to Sea World in 1989.[5][6][7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Navarre, Kim (19 August 2008). "Monorail". Photo. Flickr. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Sea World Monorail System (Sea World)". Parkz. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  3. ↑ Sea World. "History and Development of Sea World". MyFun. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  4. ↑ Sea World. "Sea World Mono Rail". MyFun. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Brisbane World Expo '88". New2Brisbane. 10 April 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  6. 1 2 Foster, Lee (1 May 1988). "Living It Up Down Under At Expo '88". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  7. 1 2 "World Expo Park". Database Entry. Parkz. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  8. ↑ Sea World (2011). "Sea World Resort Water Park". MyFun. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  9. 1 2 Sea World (2011). "Park Map". MyFun. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  10. ↑ Wilson, Richard (8 April 2005). "Sea World Monorail System". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
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