KL Monorail

The Monorail trains were designed and built in Malaysia based on various international standards and practices. The design of the monorail vehicle is similar to the Seattle (USA) monorail system that has been in operations for the last 40 years. It is based on the original ALWEG monorail design that was first installed in Disneyland (LA) in 1959.
 

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The trains are operated manually by a driver in the front cab compartment which is physically separated (1.6 metres high partition) and inaccessible to passengers.

Train separation and speed control are monitored and enforced automatically by the signalling and train control system.

Two-way radios are provided on-board all trains allowing communications with the Operations Control Centre (OCC) at any time. There is a facility for making public address announcement in the trains. The train doors will remain closed while the train is moving.

An emergency release is provided for opening of doors, allowing passengers to exit the train in case of  an emergency. Emergency back-up power is provided to ensure that essential equipment is operable for a minimum period of 30 minutes.

Trains are designed in accordance with international standards and requirements for fire safety, including restrictions on use of inflammable material and materials that produce toxic fumes and/or gaseous substances in case of a fire. Materials and components for interior fixtures and finishes are vandal resistant. Portable fire extinguishers and first aid boxes are provided on-board each train.

Each end-car is equipped with coupler and the train can be dispatched when emptied of its passengers to help push or pull the failed train to the nearest station in the unlikely event when a train  is incapacitated between stations.

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• The vehicle straddles along a narrow guideway beam with the side tyres hugging the sides of the beam.
• The vehicle is wider than the guideway that supports it.
• The monorail blends in well with the modern city environments.
• The monorail has capacity ranging from 3,000 - 35,000 passengers per hour per direction.

• It has the smallest footprint amongst existing deck type transit systems
• The monorail is elevated, requiring basically only air space and can be implemented in an urban environment with considerable built up areas.
• There is no necessity for tunneling which represents an expensive option.
• The monorail can handle gradients of up to 6% and curves with a radius of 60 meters.
• Monorail runs on an exclusively grade-separated guideway. It has an excellent safety record and derailments are virtually impossible.

• The monorail system is lighter resulting in lower construction cost. The use of precast concrete also ensures quality in construction.
• The area required to accommodate the construction work is also smaller as the structures including columns and foundations are smaller in size. Generally, construction can be carried out without having to completely close down the city roads.
• The time taken for construction is also shorter compared to other systems.
• The columns and guideway beams can be precast in the casting yard and delivered to the site at night thereby reducing road traffic congestion problem.