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The Seattle Center Monorail was built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair to provide a crucial link between the fairgrounds and the amenities downtown.
Construction began in April of 1961 by Alweg Rapid Transit Systems, who received the bid when it offered to underwrite the entire cost of construction.
The monorail opened to the public on March 24, 1962 nearly one month before the start of the World's Fair. At a cost of $3.5 million, the trains carried more than eight million guests during the six months of the fair, easily paying for themselves. That is, the full initial capitol cost of the system was recovered and a profit was realized by ALWEG before the end of the fair.
Following the Fair, the monorail system was turned over to Century 21 Corporation at no cost. Century 21 sold the system to the City of Seattle in 1965 for $600,000.
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.
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.
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