Disneyland Monorail in Operation After Power Outage

Last week guests were safely evacuated after a power loss halted the "Highway in the Sky" for several hours
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It was nice to see operations returned to normal at the Disneyland Resort following a significant power outage incident involving the Disneyland Monorail earlier this week.

What’s Happening:

  • We caught the Disneyland Monorail running again after being shut down last week.
  • On the late afternoon of Thursday, January 8th, a localized power outage struck the Disneyland Resort transportation system.
  • The outage affected two trains simultaneously; one train was halted specifically near the Space Mountain attraction in Tomorrowland.
  • Approximately 60 guests were trapped onboard. Anaheim Fire & Rescue and resort personnel utilized ladders to evacuate passengers, a process that took roughly two hours to complete.
  • The Anaheim Police Department confirmed that zero injuries were reported during the ordeal.

About the Disneyland Alweg Monorail System

  • The Disneyland Monorail System, originally the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System, opened on June 14, 1959, distinguishing itself as the first daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere.Designed by Disney Legend Bob Gurr, the original Mark I trains featured a futuristic design that became synonymous with the park's mid-century modern aesthetic.
  • The system currently operates the Mark VII fleet, which debuted in 2008.
  • These trains are powered by a 600-volt DC power source picked up from a busbar running along the beamway.
  • The beamway spans 2.5 miles, transporting guests between the Tomorrowland station inside the park and the Downtown Disney District station, navigating tight turns and grades that require precise propulsion control.
  • The system is designed with multiple block zones; if a train loses power or violates a block zone, safety brakes engage automatically.
  • Evacuations via cherry pickers or ladders are the standard procedure for power failures where towing is not an option.

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Daniel Kaplan
Daniel loves theme parks — specifically how the narrative of theme park attractions differs from film or books — and loves debating what constitutes a "good" theme park attraction story.
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