Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

[RenMan]

Watching this tribute to the PeopleMover got me to wondering where the disconnect was between the confident assertions that we were riding the "transportation of tomorrow today" and the reality which has come to be.

Was this just hype to make the attraction more appealing, or did the engineers at WED and Goodyear really believe that a ride system of individually-powered tires underneath a motorless vehicle would show up in airports and shopping centers everywhere? Did they go around marketing this concept? Is it in fact in use in many places outside DL?

I find myself wondering why so many TL-style predictions of the future never materialize, besides the obvious explanation that the people making the predictions were only thinking of what was possible and not what was feasible.

[lazyboy97O]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

The Houston Airport (I believe) purchased and used a WEDway PeopleMover from WED Enterprises. WED Enterprises owned the technology, not Goodyear. The original system just used Goodyear tires. The second version, in use at Walt Disney World, uses no tires but magnetics.

I am of the opinion the predictions never materialized because they were all focused on transportation, which is rather well regulated across the globe. That was the easiest way to communicate and do business, in person. Today we use computers and the internet.

[sediment]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Well, it was about as fast as walking, so I don't see how it would be feasible.
OTOH, there are faster, and still unmanned, trains under Seattle and Denver airports that take passengers from the central terminal to the outlier terminals. That's pretty cool. Something that LAX could use if it were to build a new central terminal somewhere.

[RenMan]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

The Houston Airport (I believe) purchased and used a WEDway PeopleMover from WED Enterprises. WED Enterprises owned the technology, not Goodyear. The original system just used Goodyear tires. The second version, in use at Walt Disney World, uses no tires but magnetics.

I am of the opinion the predictions never materialized because they were all focused on transportation, which is rather well regulated across the globe. That was the easiest way to communicate and do business, in person. Today we use computers and the internet.

Interesting that you mention the Houston airport because I remember it having a system like the PeopleMover, I just couldn't remember if there were little tires propelling the vehicles.

[lazyboy97O]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Interesting that you mention the Houston airport because I remember it having a system like the PeopleMover, I just couldn't remember if there were little tires propelling the vehicles.

I do not know if the Houston system used tires or not. As I stated, there were two versions: tires (Disneyland) and LIMs (Magic Kingdom).

[3rdshiftCM]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Interesting that you mention the Houston airport because I remember it having a system like the PeopleMover, I just couldn't remember if there were little tires propelling the vehicles.

The Houston system uses magnets and is still in use.

[Koutesu]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

The Houston system uses magnets and is still in use.

Does the Houston system also have the rotating tables at the terminals? I've looked for info on the Houston Wedway, but never found much. It would be interesting to see how much of the Wedway concept made its way into the Houston Wedway.

[RenMan]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

If by "rotating tables" you mean a rotating platform where people get on board, no I don't think so. The cars stop at various places along their linear trajectory where they let people on and off.

[TP2000]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Does the Houston system also have the rotating tables at the terminals?

More importantly, does the Houston system have hostesses in blue and gold Go-Go-Goodyear! polyester uniforms with matching gold go-go boots?

I too have wondered just how much the Houston airport PeopleMover resembles the Disneyland original. More than likely, it bears no resemblance to the 1960's Disneyland marvel, and is probably a completely boring and bland automated train system with a frumpy woman in a baggy polo shirt slumped at a console ignoring everyone in the station area. So much for the go-go boots.

Wouldn't it be great though if they brought back a new PeopleMover and had wild a-go-go 60's uniforms for the ride operators again?

And with the Go-Go-Goodyear! commercial jingle playing on the speedramps?

To this day, decades later, whenever I'm buying tires and I see a Goodyear product, or I look up and see the Goodyear Blimp flying overhead, I think of the PeopleMover.

[RenMan]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Well, sorry to bring this thread back on track :shy:, but I still wonder to what extent the imagineers thought they were developing ride technology which would actually manifest itself in our everyday lives at home.

The reason this topic interests me is that I would like to see them do some creative thinking about mass transit solutions. If they have that in their heritage, it's not so ridiculous to think that they might try to do that today in coming up with a PeopleMover 2.0. The only way such a ride will fascinate me and captivate my interest (and serve its purpose, IMO) is for them to have attempted to solve real-world problems rather than just trying to make a ride at Disneyland.

[Koutesu]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Well, sorry to bring this thread back on track :shy:, but I still wonder to what extent the imagineers thought they were developing ride technology which would actually manifest itself in our everyday lives at home.

The reason this topic interests me is that I would like to see them do some creative thinking about mass transit solutions. If they have that in their heritage, it's not so ridiculous to think that they might try to do that today in coming up with a PeopleMover 2.0. The only way such a ride will fascinate me and captivate my interest (and serve its purpose, IMO) is for them to have attempted to solve real-world problems rather than just trying to make a ride at Disneyland.

I think Disneyland's version still showed how well the system could work, even if it only had one station. It fit's nicely into buildings without making a a disturbance to the areas it went through. It could make tight turns and the elevation of the track can change. Once you got out of the old Carousel building, it weaved in and out of the existing monorail pylons and Autopia freeways. I think it would be easy to work a system like that into an existing downtown area or commercial center.

[Opus1guy]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

I know Disney really did think it was a viable transportation system for the future. Now whether or not the decision to go with rubber tires was because of Goodyear's potential sponsorship...I can't say. But it may simply have been because linear induction technology hadn't been perfected yet.

But for sure Disney felt "Peoplemovers" were something for the future and in fact did sell systems in later years. From the Opus Archives:



And also:

The basis of the Houston PeopleMover is the short stator, low speed, track mounted Linear Induction Motor (LIM), which propels up to six three-car urethanewheeled trains around a 2.38 km (1.49 mi) steel track with nine stations. Approximately 900 motors, controlled by hardware or microprocessor-based logic cards, are used in the system. Train collision protection is provided by a safety block system, which prevents a following train from entering an already occupied block. Each block is controlled by a pair of microcomputers, via a fully redundant set of motor inhibits and track-mounted caliper safety brakes. System supervision is provided by a programmable controller located in the central equipment area. This controller monitors system status, operates the central display board, and relays supervisory commands from central to the station microcomputers. A minicomputer monitors the programmable controller's input data to detect anomalous conditions and to create status reports and system logs. This system has been operating in Houston since July, 1981 with an availability greater than the contract-specified level of 99.6 percent.

The above quote from "Vehicular Technology Conference, 1982." 32nd IEEE
Publication Date: 23-26 May 1982
Volume: 32, On page(s): 407- 419

Also see this recent article with some neat photos and background: On Track - The Disney Trains

[Koutesu]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

I know Disney really did think it was a viable transportation system for the future. Now whether or not the decision to go with rubber tires was because of Goodyear's potential sponsorship...I can't say. But it may simply have been because linear induction technology hadn't been perfected yet.

But for sure Disney felt "Peoplemovers" were something for the future and in fact did sell systems in later years. From the Opus Archives:



And also:



The above quote from "Vehicular Technology Conference, 1982." 32nd IEEE
Publication Date: 23-26 May 1982
Volume: 32, On page(s): 407- 419

Also see:

http://www.fly2houston.com/0/178336/0/1906D1934/

Those are nice finds! It doesn't sound like the stations operate like the Disneyland and WDW originals, but it's good to know it maintained a safety record and is still very efficient. I heard that at WDW, it can still operate normally, even if up to 1/6th of the LIMs not operating. I don't remember if the same statistic applied to Disneyland's, but I do remember Disneyland's being able to handle 4600 people per hour.

Does anyone know the status of the Houston PeopleMover today?

[Opus1guy]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Does anyone know the status of the Houston PeopleMover today?

Well, the link I gave up there:

http://www.fly2houston.com/0/178336/0/1906D1934/

...was from March of this year, so I assume it's still trucking.

As a matter of fact, I'm in Houston at this very moment (and almost 2:30am here!). But I usually fly United in and out of Terminal A, which sadly isn't connected to the Peoplemover system. Although I do get to ride on it now and then. It works great even if it is showing its age a bit. And the ride is a bit more bumpy than what they could probably do today. But the sucker is such a reliable and inexpensive workhorse, they may be hesitant to replace it!

[3rdshiftCM]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

More importantly, does the Houston system have hostesses in blue and gold Go-Go-Goodyear! polyester uniforms with matching gold go-go boots?

I too have wondered just how much the Houston airport PeopleMover resembles the Disneyland original. More than likely, it bears no resemblance to the 1960's Disneyland marvel, and is probably a completely boring and bland automated train system with a frumpy woman in a baggy polo shirt slumped at a console ignoring everyone in the station area. So much for the go-go boots.

Wouldn't it be great though if they brought back a new PeopleMover and had wild a-go-go 60's uniforms for the ride operators again?

And with the Go-Go-Goodyear! commercial jingle playing on the speedramps?

To this day, decades later, whenever I'm buying tires and I see a Goodyear product, or I look up and see the Goodyear Blimp flying overhead, I think of the PeopleMover.

The Houston system is fully automated, so there are no "ride ops" needed for the system.

And as you can see from the pics they look more like a mini monorail than the DL PM.

Well, sorry to bring this thread back on track :shy:, but I still wonder to what extent the imagineers thought they were developing ride technology which would actually manifest itself in our everyday lives at home.

The reason this topic interests me is that I would like to see them do some creative thinking about mass transit solutions. If they have that in their heritage, it's not so ridiculous to think that they might try to do that today in coming up with a PeopleMover 2.0. The only way such a ride will fascinate me and captivate my interest (and serve its purpose, IMO) is for them to have attempted to solve real-world problems rather than just trying to make a ride at Disneyland.

I do understand what your saying but, WDI needs to concentrate more on creating a ride that will stand over time, not just being the traffic solution for the future, because one day that future may come and your outdated cycle starts all over again.

Walt had his team build their dreams that's why the park has been able to hold up for over 50 years and I think the plan to use both the PM and Monorail at EPCOT the city not the theme park, would indicate that they all believed in the systems practicality for public use.

Those are nice finds! It doesn't sound like the stations operate like the Disneyland and WDW originals, but it's good to know it maintained a safety record and is still very efficient. I heard that at WDW, it can still operate normally, even if up to 1/6th of the LIMs not operating. I don't remember if the same statistic applied to Disneyland's, but I do remember Disneyland's being able to handle 4600 people per hour.

Does anyone know the status of the Houston PeopleMover today?

The system is still in operation and as a testimony to it's design, the airport has and is installing a new system but will not be replacing the original WED system as there is no need to.

Well, the link I gave up there:

http://www.fly2houston.com/0/178336/0/1906D1934/

...was from March of this year, so I assume it's still trucking.

As a matter of fact, I'm in Houston at this very moment (and almost 2:30am here!). But I usually fly United in and out of Terminal A, which sadly isn't connected to the Peoplemover system. Although I do get to ride on it now and then. It works great even if it is showing its age a bit. And the ride is a bit more bumpy than what they could probably do today. But the sucker is such a reliable and inexpensive workhorse, they may be hesitant to replace it!

I find it hard to believe YOU have ridden on a WED system and have nothing to show for it.

[Retrocool]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Video of Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport's Disney-built Inter-Terminal Trains - http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5db_1183674394&p=1

[wildnewrose]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

hi

[RenMan]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Wow, thanks for the article links. Interesting how they describe the trains as such reliable fixtures. It's nice to see something so well engineered that it keeps going strong for decades. Makes you wonder why they weren't implemented elsewhere.

[Opus1guy]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Wow, thanks for the article links. Interesting how they describe the trains as such reliable fixtures. It's nice to see something so well engineered that it keeps going strong for decades. Makes you wonder why they weren't implemented elsewhere.

They were implemented elsewhere! Just not by Disney. From the article linked above:

Disney got out of the business back in 1984 and sold the patents of its monorail and other people moving systems to Bombardier, who went on to build or install virtually the same underground system in Washington D.C., connecting the U.S. Capitol building with the Dirksen and Hart Senate buildings.

[lazyboy97O]

Re: Did Goodyear ever try to sell the PeopleMover concept?

Well, sorry to bring this thread back on track :shy:, but I still wonder to what extent the imagineers thought they were developing ride technology which would actually manifest itself in our everyday lives at home.

The reason this topic interests me is that I would like to see them do some creative thinking about mass transit solutions. If they have that in their heritage, it's not so ridiculous to think that they might try to do that today in coming up with a PeopleMover 2.0. The only way such a ride will fascinate me and captivate my interest (and serve its purpose, IMO) is for them to have attempted to solve real-world problems rather than just trying to make a ride at Disneyland.

http://www.waltopia.com
Go watch the "EPCOT film". The WEDway PeopleMover was a critical part of how people were going to get around EPCOT.

Technically, wouldn't a new Disneyland PeopleMover be 3.0, as the Magic Kingdom and Houston utilize a different means of propulsion than the Disneyland original?

And as you can see from the pics they look more like a mini monorail than the DL PM.

Disney always maintained that the Disneyland version was a show prototype. The Houston PeopleMover looks a lot like the art for the EPCOT PeopleMovers.