Monorail set for new pink, yellow lines

[reader]

From Financial Channel

 

 

The FINANCIAL -- Bombardier Transportation has announced two contracts for its BOMBARDIER INNOVIA Monorail 300 system for two mass rapid transit lines in Bangkok.

 

This will improve the commute for more than 400,000 people – every day. The contracts are with the Northern Bangkok Monorail Co. Ltd. (NBM) and the Eastern Bangkok Monorail Co. Ltd. (EBM), responsible for the turnkey construction and 30-year concession of the new, elevated lines.

 

Bombardier will design and supply the mechanical & electrical elements for the two monorail lines, and deliver a combined total of 72, four-car INNOVIA Monorail 300 trains (288 cars) equipped with BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 650 automatic train control technology for driverless operation. The contract with NBM concerns the new 34.5 km Khae Rai-MinBuri (Pink) Line to operate with 42 trainsets. For EBM, scope comprises 30 train sets for the 30.4 km Lat Phrao-Samrong (Yellow) Line

 

Operating in the city’s northern and eastern areas, the monorails will integrate with the existing transportation network and run at speeds up to 80 km/h with a maximum capacity of over 28,000 passengers per-hour, per-direction.

 

http://www.finchannel.com/business/67281-bombardier-wins-contracts-for-the-first-monorails-in-thailand

[gumbleby]

Yet another incompatible system.

[Guest]

Exactly what I thought.     There must be advantages to common rolling stock, including the ability to run trains from one line onto another.    Also, proper trains tend to have more capacity than these monorail things, although I suppose the monorail could be scaled.

 

Building in the air must be a better solution for a city struggling to stay above sea level.

 

Even if it makes sense to use incompatible rail technology, what they do need is a common payment contactless card that works on everything.  

Tokyo manages it -the same card will work on multiple regional rail lines run by different private operators and the metro.   Incidentally, Tokyo also has transfer gates that can take you by the shortest route from one rail operator to the other, via a single payment gate.    

Contrast with the mess at the end of the BKK rail link, where you go down 2 sets of stairs, across a walkway, & up more stairs.   With 2 payment gates.

[reader]

Similar train type in Sao Paulo (exterior and interior POV).

 

[bkkguy]

Contrast with the mess at the end of the BKK rail link, where you go down 2 sets of stairs, across a walkway, & up more stairs.   With 2 payment gates.

 

my experience with the metro/tube/underground systems in for example London, Paris or Singapore has been station "connections" with 500-800m of winding walkways with multiple sets of stairs/escalators  - but at least you are still within the ticket barrier

 

bkkguy

[Guest]

my experience with the metro/tube/underground systems in for example London, Paris or Singapore has been station "connections" with 500-800m of winding walkways with multiple sets of stairs/escalators 

 

Well, London was first in the world and is therefore the "prototype".    The general idea is to learn from that.

 

If Bangkok adopted best practice, the air rail llink to Skytrain connection would be down one short escalator, along a level walkway & straight up a short escalator onto the other platform.     The station layout clearly would permit them to do that.  

 

If they are run by separate companies, all that's needed is a transfer gate, for payment with the common contactless card, or it could even be possible just to calculate a fare from start to finish stations, if there is only one route option. 

[Alexx]

Exactly. As Bangkok started so late, they really could - and should - have learned from all the mistakes that had been made elsewhere. Unfortunately for all of us concerned though, they hardly leave out any mistakes that can possibly be made. Missing links, missing sky walks, missing unified ticketing - you name it, they screw it up with a "great" level of consistency.

[fedssocr]

I am not sure how much difference it really makes that it's a different sort of system.

 

the "spider card" integrated payment system has been in development for quite a while now. I think it was originally supposed to be in operation a year ago. The biggest problem is that there are separate entities running all of the systems. They need to get everything under one roof.

 

This thread over at FlyerTalk is very comprehensive with respect to what's being planned. 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thailand/1549502-bangkoks-metro-network-expansion-plans-updates-5.html

[Alexx]

There has been talk about integrating ticketing for BTS and MRT since the MRT first opened... The "Spider Card" does look promising in the sense that they seem to be actually working on it, but I won't get my hopes up (again) until I can finally buy one and use it everywhere.

[vinapu]

There has been talk about integrating ticketing for BTS and MRT since the MRT first opened... The "Spider Card" does look promising in the sense that they seem to be actually working on it, but I won't get my hopes up (again) until I can finally buy one and use it everywhere.

There's lack of will probably and perhaps some oversized ego plays as well as with technology it should be easy dividing spoils between various operators. Istanbul is good example with their value loaded Istanbul Card which can be used on all kinds of transport including not only municipally operated  but also on railways , ferries and private buses.  

[ChristianPFC]

Not just MRT/BTS/BRT/ARL (I can't use my MRT card on ARL), tollways as well. There are two tollway operators in Bangkok, one of them doesn't even have cashless payment.

[bkkguy]

Not just MRT/BTS/BRT/ARL (I can't use my MRT card on ARL), tollways as well.

 

why stop there, it is not uncommon in other countries, eg Singapore,  for such stored value cards to be used at cafes, department stores, convenience stores, car parks, taxis etc. Rabbit is already well down this road with their card accepted on BTS as well as a large number of stores, cafes and fast food places

 

and doesn't one of the tollway companies already operate the MRT?  (hence the new logo everywhere, BEM - Bangkok Expressway and Motorway) - but perhaps a bit of a personal logistics problem trying to use the same card at MRT turnstiles (card in your wallet) and expressway tollbooths (card attached/held up to windscreen)?

 

and if/when the spider card hits the streets it will be interesting to see what info you need to provide to get one - based on age I qualify for an "elder" seniors discount card on MRT but being a falung not the BTS seniors equivalent

 

bkkguy