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About Us
The Seattle Monorail has been a Seattle icon since the 1962 World’s Fair. Many people believe that the monorail is owned, managed and operated by the City of Seattle. However, unlike Metro, Sound Transit and the trolley , the monorail is a privately run business with independent leadership and staff. Not only is the monorail not government, subsidized, but in fact, it makes money for the city.
Area businessman, Tom Albro, holds the concession with the City of Seattle to manage and operate the monorail.
Today, the trains carry approximately 1.5 million riders every year. The monorail has become an important fixture in Seattle for locals, who use the trains during major festivals and sporting events. Seattle Center Monorail is the nation's only fully self-sufficient public transit system.
Monorail Operation and Maintenance
The Seattle Center Monorail system uses 62 prestressed concrete piers to support the two beams which the monorails ride upon. The trains can cover the 1 mile distance at a top speed of 50 miles per hour, making it the fastest full-sized monorail system in the country, even today.
Riding on 64 rubber pneumatic tires, the monorail runs on 700 volts D.C. power obtained through contact rails on the inside of the beam. 16 load-carrying tires ride on top of the beam, and 48 guide tires grip the sides of the beam.
Maintenance of the system is fairly straight forward, with nearly all system components still produced and supported by the original component manufacturers. For example: All tires, drive train components, and bearings are readily available locally. The propulsion system is GE, just like common subway trains (New York, Chicago). The braking system is WABCO (Westinghouse Air Brake), and operates much like train. The gear boxes were manufactured by Rockwell and are still supported. The drive shafts and joints are Rockwell also, supplied by Drivelines Northwest right here in Seattle. Although the cars look very unique, the systems of the train are industry standard, supported, and available even after 40 years.