Steam Monorail

[Keith Taylor]

Here is a web site showing a very ambitious project! Doing track maintenance must be a real nightmare on this line!
http://www.lartiguemonorail.com/

Keith

[Duncan Mackiewicz]

Keith, that is one unusual engine. What an odd setup but obviously it worked for them. How fortunate that folks came forward to save the train.  Hmmm.  Sounds a bit like us at the WW&F.
Duncan

[Ed Lecuyer]

I believe that the locomotive and cars are replicas. In fact, the locomotive is a "steam outline" - and employs a different method for propulsion.

[Dave Reed]

It says the engine is a replica, but is now deisel fired.

How do you measure the gauge on that?  It is a few inches or do you measure between the lower (guide?) rails?

[Paul Horky]

The USofA had two [2] monorail that I have heard of 1 in New York City that ran to an amuesment park. The second was in Califorina around Trona not too far from Death Valley. Anyone know of any others in the USofA? I have also heard that there is one [1] in India Someplace that is abandoin but still in place. Anybody know anything about it?

[Glenn Christensen]

Hi,

My recollection is that the US had 2 steam monorail lines.  Neither of these were based upon the Lartigue patent.  One of these I don't remember at the moment, but the other was the Bradford & Foster Brook (aka the "Peg Leg" RR) which ran from Bradford to Gilmour, PA.  For more information check this URL: http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/History.html

The steam monorail line in India you mention was the Patalia Monorail system that ran in India's Punjab region.  The monorail trains used a steel wagon wheel that ran on the road to keep the train balanced.  Its 5 (4 steam) locos were all 0-3-0s.  Two of these trains were rescued, one is on display in Punjab and the other operates at the Rail Transport Museum in New Delhi.

For more on the Listowel & Balbunnion check out this URL: http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Listowel.html


Best Regards,
Glenn

[John McNamara]

Glann,

Are you perhaps thinking of the Meigs monorail, here in Massachusetts?

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigs_Elevated_Railway

-John

[Glenn Christensen]

Hey there, John,

Good to hear from you!!!!!  I hope you're doing well!

No, I had never heard of the Meigs Elevated Railway until you sent me your post!  So you've just introduced me to a THIRD steam monorail line that operated in the US!!!! 

But your response DID get me thinking.  The second US steam monorail line was an experimental line built by none other than the Portland Company to the design of a fellow named Moody Boynton in 1889.  It was called the "Boynton Bi-cycle Railway."  Words cannot to justice to the photograph of the locomotive!  It featured a single 8-foot drive wheel slung between two parallel boilers with a cab and tender, following Forney-style on a two wheel truck, making the locomotive a 0-1-2!  The test was termed a "success".  There is a nice write-up on Mr, Boynton's invention in the book "Yankees Under Steam" published in 1970 by "Yankee" magazine.


Thanks and Best Regards,
Glenn

[Keith Taylor]

Here is a link to another steam monorail, this one a YouTube Video of a Welsh set up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o30FDVe92fY
Keith

[Glenn Christensen]

Hi Keith,

It was good chatting you at the WW&F a few weeks ago!  Nice to finally meet you in person!

Nice link, good alternate links to the other monorails we've talked about too.

Please stay in touch!


Best Regards,
Glenn