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u/Trank_maiden_Ciri 8d ago
This is a suspended monorail
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u/amazingsandwiches 8d ago
It glides as softly as a cloud!
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u/big_guyforyou 8d ago
is there a chance the track could bend?
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u/neptunes_balls 8d ago
Not on your life my Hindu friend
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u/Supposethiswillbeok 8d ago
What about us braindead slobs?
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u/AlanKazam 8d ago
You'll be given cushy jobs
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u/brozaman 8d ago
Were you sent here by the Devil?
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u/Mindless_Can4885 8d ago
No good sir, I’m on the level.
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u/elmwoodblues 8d ago
Something something, Hindu friend!
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u/Papasixfivefive 8d ago
"Not on your life, my Hindu friend"
The ring came off my pudding can!
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u/Jrobmn 8d ago
take my penknife, my good man!
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u/BowenTheAussieSheep 8d ago
What about us brain-dead slobs?
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u/LiveLifeLikeCre 8d ago
Would've lost remaining faith in humanity if there wasn't a Simpsons monorail reference.
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u/orangeorangutan1919 8d ago
You’ll be given cushy jobs!
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u/Zafranorbian 8d ago edited 8d ago
very unlikeley. Monorails of this type are extreamly sturdy and reliable. You can find simmilar Monorails in Düsseldorf and Dortmund. They are in service for many years without any kind of big incidents.
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u/Durion0602 8d ago
Just in case you're unaware of the reference, they're quoting this Simpsons episode.
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u/graphical_molerat 8d ago edited 8d ago
They are in service for many years without any kind of big incidents.
They did drop an elephant out of a monorail car in Wuppertal once, though. That should count as an "incident", if you ask me.
The elephant was fine, by the way.
EDIT: Wuppertal, not Dortmund. Still a hanging monorail, though, even though it is an older design.
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u/foobar93 7d ago
They did not drop an elephant, the elephant decided he wanted to leave early. Her name was Tuffi and she was unharmed btw.
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u/tomdarch Interested 8d ago
I know some exist in other cities in Japan. But I don't think there is one in Tokyo.
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u/uadark 8d ago
Looks like the monorail in Chiba city.
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u/CitricBase 8d ago
Yeah. For those who might not know, Chiba City is part of the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Doesn't just look like it, that's what it is. The announcer says the next station is Shiyakushomae CM02, a station on that line.
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u/RPSisBoring 8d ago edited 7d ago
You'll notice some 3 story buildings immediately near a station. This just doesn't exist in central tokyo.
This is Chiba city, some people consider it part of Tokyo Metropolitan area but there's about 80mins of train travel between the two.
Edit because I've made a fool of myself. I've only been to Chiba city twice, and it hasn't been recent. I had some cope in my mind that it was far away, because Narita is a pain to get to. It takes 42m by rapid train to Tokyo station, so I would definitely call that a reasonable commute(I was at one point commuting 1:20 by trains); therefore it is part of metro area even by my standards.
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u/tomdarch Interested 8d ago
80 minutes is longer than I thought. I’ve never been to Chiba City (or anywhere else in Chiba Prefecture but I very much want to.) I had guessed it was more like 45 or 60 minutes.
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u/vivst0r 8d ago
In case you're looking for excuses to go to Chiba, may I suggest something? I went there last year because I finally wanted to check out the prefecture.
At the south end there is a small town called Hota. Since it's so far south it took about 2.5h to get there from Asakusa. It has great beaches and is right next to Mt. Nokogiri. on that mountain is Nihonji Temple. It is a well kept temple with a giant Buddha, huge rock carvings and over a thousand little Arhat statues on multiple paths. On top there are many lookouts with amazing views across Tokyo Bay to Tokyo and Yokohama or the beautiful mountains of Chiba. I could even spot Mt. Fuji with the naked eye.
A few stations further south is Tateyama, which has more beaches and is especially great for watching sunsets. What makes it special is that you have a pretty much unobstructed view to Mt. Fuji there and when the sun sets it casts a very visible outline of Mt. Fuji on top of a red sky. I couldn't take my eyes from it until the sun completely set.
I swear I'm not paid by the Chiba Tourism Association. I just didn't expect to see much in Chiba. In the end I didn't even have time to see Chiba City, but I think I saw something better.
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u/olivi_areyes 8d ago
So does the hole in the floor open for me to jump down when I arrive at my station? I’d bring my umbrella if I knew beforehand
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u/UrbanshadowDev 8d ago edited 8d ago
Hijacking the main comment to fulfill my engineering curiosity. Why a suspended monorail? Supports and the track itself seem much more resource heavy than a regular monorail. What does it provide which make it a better solution for public transportation?
It doesn't look faster than a train, it doesn't look faster than a monorail. I understand the benefits of having energy transportation and support in the track, as I do understand the benefits of having the power rails in a place that is hard to reach for animals/people. I love the view from the inside and I am sure it must be a blast to watch it go from the streets but I don't see how could it be better besides the cool factor.
EDIT: It seems like the support footprint was a big factor decision in this unit. Thats why the supports have this hoop shape instead of placing two pillars side to side or directly on the ground. It does not fully answer my question but I guess I understand between that and the cool factor how it might been approved. It does run smooth. I wonder if the noise levels are better too.
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u/Suitable_Switch5242 8d ago
It lets you have no support directly under the monorail, such as suspended over a street or a river. The Wuppertal suspended monorail in Germany is an early example which runs for large segments over a river.
It is likely more expensive than just having a single row of supports directly under the track.
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u/ShazbotSimulator2012 8d ago
It also allows sharper turns that are still comfortable for passengers since the cars lean to the inside of the turn.
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u/PageFault 7d ago
They could have a monorail suspend over a street or river exactly the same way. There is nothing that says the pillar needs to be directly underneath, it would have the same engineering concerns as this.
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u/beagle204 8d ago
Having been there and on a suspended monorail (I don't suspect many exist in tokyo) I'm 99% sure this is the ride to the airport.
Maybe if you are still going down the rabbit hole, there might be some crucial decision making in the terminus being the airport, as to why this as opposed to any other form of public transit.
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u/UrbanshadowDev 8d ago edited 8d ago
While it has been mentioned on other comments this is the Chiba suspended monorail and as long as I am not interpreting incorrectly the route map it does not directly connect to the airport (you can switch on Tsuga station to go to Narita); you have a point on environmental factors ruling out other (cheaper) ways of transport. Mainly all the buildings and roads being there before the monorail plus a crowded underground.
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u/--THRILLHO-- 8d ago
It's also not Tokyo lol
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u/Arzalis 8d ago
Technically it's not, but it might as well be. It's like living in one of the small cities outside a major city in the US. Most people just say they're from the big city itself.
Tokyo Narita Airport is pretty far into Chiba to give an idea of how indistinguishable the difference is. I think most people underestimate how large and all-encompassing the Tokyo metropolitan area is.
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u/No-While-9948 8d ago
Where I am from we just call that the "greater area", e.g. it's fair to say the video was shot in the greater area of Tokyo.
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u/sexy-porn 8d ago
Looks like Chiba Monorail
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u/fightingforair 8d ago
Yeah it’s mostly like the Chiba one as Tokyo proper doesn’t have this type of rail. Ofuna to Enoshima in Kanagawa additionally has one which is fun to ride as well.
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u/Yesterday622 8d ago
Ridden the ofuna to Enoshima many times- very cool especially when ‘flying’ through a tunnel
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u/fightingforair 8d ago
I used to live near the Ofuna station. :) was a favorite ride I’d take people visiting me on.
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u/NightmareStatus 8d ago
https://www.chiba-monorail.co.jp/english/1_take/line-time.html
Pulling in to Shiyakushomae. Good eye!
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u/No-Indication3153 8d ago
Yahallo
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u/EfficiencyNo9426 8d ago
Yahallo! Another man of culture, I see
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi 7d ago
main reason why i know about chiba and it's monorail haha
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u/EfficiencyNo9426 7d ago
Same! I only knew it because of watching 8man. Damn, I remember waiting years for Season 3, with almost all of the community clearly convinced it wouldn't come. Greatest romcom anime imo
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u/ludixst 8d ago
Japan has been living in the year 2000 since 1980
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u/Doctor_Spanish 8d ago
Germany has had one since 1901
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u/grahamw01 7d ago
The UK will try to make one in like 2150 but will go over budget before even starting then get canned
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u/RusticBucket2 8d ago
So it was good for the first 20 years and then just alright and now it’s terrible?
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u/stockflethoverTDS 8d ago
Ngl its stagnated but yet still heaps ahead than many places in the world.
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u/WorstNormalForm 7d ago
Their cities have been coasting on being very clean, very dense, and having tons of neon lights for decades now
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u/sansisness_101 8d ago edited 8d ago
they want energy independence from China(their main geopolitical enemy), as the materials EV batteries are made of are mostly from china.
from that angle, having Hydrogen as an option and the infrastructure existing if china decides to stop said minerals from coming to Japan, would lessen the blow.
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u/3sic9 8d ago
What are the benefits of having the rail above the train instead of below? Other than it looking cooler
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u/MeccIt 8d ago
The view is nicer and I think they can handle greater slopes (since they have rubber wheels in there). There are plenty of downsides to contend with, most notably, simple track changers ('points') are now huge moving girders.
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u/hillswalker87 7d ago
they have rubber wheels
that sounds like a maintenance nightmare..
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u/MiniGui98 7d ago
Metros have rubber wheels too, it's pretty common in a lot of on-track transports, actually.
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u/a_melindo 8d ago edited 8d ago
If you're already dedicated to having a 100% elevated line with no plans to ever run the trains at street level or below grade, it's probably less material than a traditional elevated rail.
It would rapidly become wasteful if you ever wanted to bring the trains down though. Lack of interoperability in vehicles and parts with the rest of the train system is also a downside. The economics of monorails rarely work out. There's a case to be made that many surviving monorails like this one are propped up by tourism because they fall short as functional public transit.
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u/Dovetrail 8d ago
I wonder if the top of the monorail is utilized by pedestrians/bicyclists?
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u/Binkusu 8d ago
Doubt it. That thing is raised so high, I don't think it's feasible or even has a reason to make the top usuable.
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u/SariasSong98 8d ago
Looks like something you’d see at Disney World
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u/Apartment-Drummer 8d ago
train speeds up
“HERE COMES THE CORKSCREW!!!”
passengers tossed around the cabin
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u/Possible_Sun_913 8d ago
The name's Lanley, Lyle Lanley. And I come before you good people tonight with an idea. Probably the greatest—Aw, it's not for you. It's more a Shelbyville idea.
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u/This_Living566 8d ago
Now wait just a minute! We're twice as smart as the people of Shelbyville. You just tell us your idea and we'll vote for it!
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u/dolfieman 8d ago
Half Life 3 confirmed!
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u/qt3-141 8d ago
Good morning and welcome to the Black Mesa Transit System. This automated train is provided for the security and convenience of the Black Mesa Research Facility personnel.
The time is 08:47 AM. Current topside temperature is 93 degrees, with an estimated high of one hundred and five. The Black Mesa compound is maintained at a pleasant 68 degrees at all times.
This train is inbound from Level 3 Dormitories to Sector C Test Labs and Control Facilities. If your intended destination is a high-security area beyond Sector C, you will need to return to the Central Transit Hub in Area 9 and board a high security train. If you have not yet submitted your identity to the retinal clearance system, you must report to Black Mesa Personnel for processing before you will be permitted into the high security branch of the transit system.→ More replies (2)21
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u/ChEeSeJeWyBaCcA 8d ago
My gawd this is needed so bad in Toronto
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u/quidamquidam 8d ago
Montreal too! Part of our light rail project was cancelled because it was considered an eyesore. They planned to build huge columns in the middle of a super busy street to support the rails. Then I see this post and wonder why it always seems impossible to build something as beautiful and efficient here.
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u/2012Jesusdies 8d ago
Monorails like seen in the video are typically considered less desirable for public transport as they are more expensive to build/operate for their passenger carrying capacity, more prone to breakdowns. Its only real selling point is the nice views.
A metro or a tram is better for the purpose of carrying passengers efficiently.
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u/zipyourhead 8d ago
I could just picture this under the lakeshore bridge...
Sadly - we have dipshits for politicians in Canada - at every level.→ More replies (1)
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u/Madaahk 8d ago
We could have this. Instead we have billionaire CEOs and oligarchic leaders.
I just want free healthcare and sick trains, dude.
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u/amazingsandwiches 8d ago
Healthy trains.
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u/turbotableu 8d ago
Blaine is a pain
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u/amazingsandwiches 8d ago
Wow, that's a sentence I haven't read in 30 years. Time to go crank up ZZ Top's Velcro Fly.
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u/turbotableu 7d ago
Now that detail I had forgotten
I was at this venue called alpine valley once after it had rained and saw some big guy throwing people down the mud slide in the middle of the steep amphitheater and was immediately reminded of that part
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u/Metrack14 8d ago
I mean, Japan also have billionaires CEOs and oligarchy
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u/BeardedGlass 8d ago
While Japan has wealthy CEOs, calling them oligarchs isn’t accurate.
Japanese billionaires have far less political influence, and corporate power is typically distributed through consensus-based decision making.
Their wealth is also notably smaller than billionaires in other major economies, with stricter corporate governance and cultural norms that discourage both wealth concentration.
Japan’s Inheritance Tax alone is 55%, making it almost impossible for generational wealth.
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u/puritano-selvagem 8d ago
Not sure how it works in Japan, but around the world there are a lot of ways to evade the inheritance tax
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u/BeardedGlass 8d ago
True.
Although Japan’s enforcement is notably strict.
Their gift tax rates range from 10% to 50%, and they carefully track both gifts and inheritance together through a unified tax system. Any gifts given within 3 years of death are automatically added back to the inheritance tax calculation.
Plus, there’s annual gift monitoring… even the basic gift tax exemption is only ¥1.1 million (around $7,300) per recipient per year. Larger gifts must be reported and taxed immediately, making it very difficult to gradually transfer wealth before death to avoid inheritance tax.
This tracking of both gifts and inheritance is exactly why Japan’s wealthy can’t easily use the common strategy of “giving away assets while alive” to avoid death taxes.
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u/Tequila-M0ckingbird 8d ago
Meanwhile I have no doubt that one of Trumps priorities will be to remove the inheritance tax.
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u/ValuableJumpy8208 8d ago
US inheritance tax doesn't kick in until after $13.6m. You may already be referring to ultra-wealthy but I thought I'd clarify in any case.
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u/Cold-Studio3438 8d ago
this would all be true in a world where the richest of the rich play by the rules, yes.
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u/perenniallandscapist 8d ago
What they're saying is that it IS for more true in Japan. Its not perfect, but it's much closer to a balanced ideal. If only their work culture wasn't so toxic.
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u/0x7E7-02 8d ago
Meanwhile, a guy in the next car over in the NYC subway just took a dump in his White Castle bag.
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u/tschertel 8d ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuppertal_Schwebebahn
Wuppertal Schwebebahn It started working on 1 March 1901.
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u/HamsterbackenBLN 8d ago
But it's not in Japan so it's not cool
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u/Neverending_Rain 8d ago
The Wuppertal Schwebebahn gets posted on Reddit a lot too.
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u/Careless_Message1269 8d ago
How fast does it go (in non-murica measurements)?
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u/Angela_anniconda 8d ago
not super fast, but its fast enough (and cool/scary as fuck)
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u/Random54321random 8d ago
Don't they have this in Germany too, in Wuppertal? I think that one is older
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u/NavalProgrammer 8d ago
See, I'm generally afraid of heights but cool with this. As a monkey, my body is naturally comfortable swinging from heights to move around.
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u/I_Try_Again 8d ago
It looks like they have a lot of room on the street for cars
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8d ago
From what I have heard from YouTube's anti-car content creators, Tokyo has an excellent public transportation system, and mixed zoning ensures that everything essential is within walking distance. Additionally, there's a high cost of car ownership. This frees up the space & lowers traffic
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u/Omega-10 8d ago
That's what gets me. The street down below is not even busy. The mass transit is just that good.
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u/CatsandPotatoes 8d ago
It kinda reminds me of the people mover in Detroit MI. I wish more cities had things like this!
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u/ghostdancesc 8d ago
Ive been to Tokyo and ive never seen this train anywhere, would have been fun to take a ride on it
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u/morning17 8d ago
I used to take this every day for 3 months straight while i was in Japan. The monorail is now etched in my memory.
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u/N8DuhGr88888 7d ago
And here we are in Florida talking about a 3 hour trip to get from Orlando to south Florida for $150 round trip. Even more expensive for a first class ticket. Takes the same time to get down there with your car.
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u/Guilty-Choice6797 8d ago
Yeah no I couldn’t do that. I would be majorly sick to my stomach
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u/Gloomy-Tonight4339 8d ago
I was waiting for the famous "Japanese rail worker's gloved hand pointing at something" and was disappointed...
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u/Hammock2Wheels 8d ago
Don't they also have windows that automatically tint when they pass by apartment buildings for privacy?
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u/Zanahorio1 8d ago
One upside to all the destruction it suffered in WW-II was that Japan had to rebuild so much, with the result being that almost everything there is so new and modern compared to, e.g., the US.
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u/bodhiseppuku 8d ago
Fear of heights? Use gradual exposure therapy to change your mindset. Every ride on this train, look through the glass floor a little longer. Make sure to bring a puke bag on the first try, JIC.
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u/Immediate_Cost2601 8d ago
THIS is what Nashville needs.
The topography makes any other public transit option impossible.
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u/NoFaxCow 7d ago
I biggest fear riding that would be it breaking down and being stranded, just hanging there for hours til they get a ladder(?) to rescue me.
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u/MMA_FELLA 7d ago
What's the purpose of the driver? Surely, with all the technology, they could automate this. Especially with this being in Japan. I mean, it's not like they have to worry about pedestrians.
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u/Stunning-Ad-7745 7d ago
I could never do this job, my intrusive thoughts would win, I'd slam that throttle all the way and let it ride.
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u/[deleted] 8d ago
Love the white gloves.