Hiya Ryan,
My husband works for a major transit agency (with trains), and we talk about the monorail system several times a year. We got stuck at MK for 40 minutes during the slow afternoon last year in the summer heat, and heard from the poor monorail operators (who were herding cats b/e the ferry was also temporarily down for some reason) that this was fairly common now-a-days.
When it comes to the transit authority here in DC (Metro), the train orders from start to finish take quite some time, and it’s all built overseas. Funny, it’s not always built in the same country! But when they are finally in action, due to Federal fund rules, the replacement parts have to come from US parties… which makes no sense whatsoever.
(aka - still coming from overseas, but a middleman company or three “stocks” it in the US for the agency. When it ages out, that number drops to one company, and then they rake the agency over the coals $$$).
The engineers in DC that are trying to use the old system (the rails that the trains run on) are using things built in the 1960’s. With DISNEY, they were built in what, 1971 timeframe? Similar challenges.
The current Disney monorail system can’t really do anything about the lack of parts for a very old train system. It makes sense to get something new in there. But I can tell you from hearing the shop talk up here, the delays are probably not due to branding (i.e. - Thomas the train). They are more than likely due to working with the current system (current rails) and getting the NEW trains to be more green, engineered to fit the existing system, and be cost effective for years to come.
Seeing as it’s a selling point for several of their resort properties, and it’s an icon, I hope that they get it resolved rather than replaced.
I hope it’s ready by the 50 year celebration… or SOONER… but I haven’t heard anything solid. If you do, please share.
I love taking the monorail in and out of the Kingdom… it’s magical!
~ Josie ~