Slope car

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Slope car at Muya Bus Stop, Naruto, Tokushima.
Slope car at Muya Bus Stop, Naruto, Tokushima.
Slope car at Wespa Tsubakiyama, Fukaura, Aomori.

A slope car (スロープカー surōpukā?) is a small automated monorail, or a fusion between monorail, people mover, and rack railway. It is a brand name of Kaho Manufacturing. Since this mode of transportation is relatively unknown, it lacks widely accepted generic name, other than the simple "monorail". The system, however, is different from normal modern monorails in many ways. It is a development from industrial monorails used in 1960s orchards. Slope cars are installed in more than 80 places in Japan and South Korea. [1]

Contents

[edit] Overview

As the name suggests, the system is introduced generally when there are steep slopes or stairs between entrance gates and buildings. Slope cars generally function as amenities to help the accessibilities of elderly or handicapped users visiting particular places, such as parks, golf courses, or hotels. As most lines move fairly slowly, people without disabilities often find it faster to walk the same routes on foot, rather than to use slope cars. However, there are also cases that slope cars run very steep places even people without disabilities cannot walk through. In Japan, slope cars are not legally considered as railways.

[edit] System

There is a type with 3m length, 4 to 8 passengers capacity, and a type with 6m length, around 30 passengers capacity. Some slope cars use "trainsets" consisted of two cars. Most slope cars are straddle-beam monorails, but there are also suspended monorail slope cars as well. [1]

Normal monorails generally use rubber tyres running on a concrete track, while slope cars use a sort of steel rack rail and pinions. As such, slope cars can climb 1000 (45°) slopes at max. The system is powered by third rails.

The system does not require a driver. A car starts when a user pushes a button, and it automatically stops at a destination.

[edit] History

In 1966, Yoneyama Industory, an agricultural machinery maker in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, invented "Monorack" (モノラック Monorakku?), a freight-only rack monorail system. It soon became wide spread in mikan citrus orchards in the prefecture, and in other parts of Japan. Other makers also started to build similar systems. Later in 1990, a company called Chigusa developed a passenger rack monorail system. These rack monorails were first used to transport workers in construction sites or forests. However, from 1990s, public facilities such as parks also started to use the system. Kaho Manufacturing started to sale their "slope cars" from 1990.

[edit] Other names

As "slope car" is the brand name of Kaho Manufacturing, similar, if not the same, concepts are called differently by different manufacturers.

  • Ansaku makes Trans Mobile (トランスモービル Toransu Mōbiru?).
  • Chigusa makes Raxcar (ラックスカー Rakkusukā?).
  • Monorail Industry makes Monorider (モノライダー Monoraidā?).
  • Senyō Kōgyō makes Mountain Liner (マウンテンライナー Maunten Rainā?).

[edit] List of slope cars

D: Diagonal line length
M: Maximum gradient
P: Passenger capacity
O: Opening year
Facility, line name Function D Speed M P O Location
Aburagi Dam Dam 87 m
27 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
45° 6 2002 Soeda, Fukuoka
Aburayama Golf Course Golf course 96 m
29 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
21° 4 2004 Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Akagi Kōgen Highland Pasture Kronenberg Zorbing 70 m
21 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
11° 2003 Shibukawa, Gunma
Ashikita Kaihin Sōgō Park Zorbing 140 m
43 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
15° 2003 Ashikita, Kumamoto
Ashikita Kaihin Sōgō Park Zorbing 153 m
47 ft
5.1 km/h
3.2 mph
11°40′ 2005 Ashikita, Kumamoto
Bay Hill View Chayagadai Diagonal elevator 30 m
9 ft
1.8 km/h
1.1 mph
24° 4 1999 Ōita, Ōita
Bukkō-ji Temple Accessibility 38 m
12 ft
1.8 km/h
1.1 mph
29° 6 2005 Kyōto, Kyōto
Bukkoku-ji Temple Accessibility 90 m
27 ft
2.4 km/h
1.5 mph
15° 4 2004 Sendai, Miyagi
Cactus Herb Park Park 191 m
58 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
19°30′ 30 1995 Nichinan, Miyazaki
Changwon Country Club Golf course 60 m
18 ft
1997 Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
Funaoka Castle Park Park 305 m
93 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
18° 40 1996 Shibata, Miyagi
Garden Sight Sakurajima, Sakurajima-gō Diagonal elevator 27 m
8 ft
1.7 km/h
1.0 mph
32°30′ 8 2001 Kagoshima, Kagoshima
Gassan Dam Dam 166 m
51 ft
2.7 km/h
1.7 mph
35°32′ 8 1994 Tsuruoka, Yamagata
Genkai Island Accessibility 47 m
14 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
33° 2 1998 Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Gifu Prefectural Museum, Rakuraku-gō Diagonal elevator 86 m
26 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
13° 8 2002 Seki, Gifu
Grandee Nasu Shirakawa Golf Club Golf course 50 m
15 ft
2.4 km/h
1.5 mph
17° 6 2005 Nishigō, Fukushima
Haenam Ttangkkut Park 8 m
2 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
26°50′ 2005 Haenam, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Haenam Ttangkkut Park 395 m
120 ft
3.6 km/h
2.2 mph
23°30′ 40 2005 Haenam, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Hananomori Park, Koinobori-gō Park Hokuto, Yamanashi
Hanatateyama Onsen Park 99 m
30 ft
3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
15° 8 2004 Chikuzen, Fukuoka
Hanawa Ski Resort Ski resort 212 m
65 ft
5.4 km/h
3.4 mph
28° 10 1996 Kazuno, Akita
Hayakuchi Dam Dam 200 m
61 ft
1.5 km/h
0.9 mph
45° 2 2003 Ōdate, Akita
Hinokidai Danchi Accessibility 87 m
27 ft
3.9 km/h
2.4 mph
22° 6 2000 Sasebo, Nagasaki
Hotel Hatsuhana Park 30 m
9 ft
1.8 km/h
1.1 mph
29°50′ 6 2005 Hakone, Kanagawa
Hwaam Cave Park 527 m
161 ft
6.6 km/h
4.1 mph
20° 2003 Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, South Korea
Hwanseongul Cave Park 600 m
183 ft
2006 Samcheok, Gangwon-do, South Korea
Iiyama Ski Jump Ski resort 136 m
41 ft
5.4 km/h
3.4 mph
27° 8 1999 Iiyama, Nagano
Iizuka City Chikuho Community Center Accessibility 17 m
5 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
29° 3 1997 Iizuka, Fukuoka
Ikawa X Park Zorbing 82 m
25 ft
3.9 km/h
2.4 mph
18° 2004 Miyoshi, Tokushima
Inaniwa Castle Konjakukan Park 237 m
72 ft
4.0 km/h
2.5 mph
33°30′ 24 1993 Yuzawa, Akita
Iya Onsen Diagonal elevator 3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
42° 2004 Miyoshi, Tokushima
Jōō-ji Temple Accessibility 31 m
9 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
29° 4 2002 Taku, Saga
Kannondaki Park, Kajika-kun Park 202 m
62 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
13° 10 1997 Satsuma, Kagoshima
Kayase Dam Dam 231 m
70 ft
1.5 km/h
0.9 mph
45° 2 1999 Isahaya, Nagasaki
Kunimi Forest Park Park 800 m
244 ft
3.6 km/h
2.2 mph
35° 40 2006 Shisō, Hyōgo
Kwangju Country Club Golf course 70 m
21 ft
2002 Gokseong, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Maruoka Park Park 236 m
72 ft
3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
15° 10 2005 Kirishima, Kagoshima
Mashiki Country Club Golf course 73 m
22 ft
3.6 km/h
2.2 mph
24° 4 1992 Mashiki, Kumamoto
Masutani Dam Dam 172 m
52 ft
1.5 km/h
0.9 mph
36° 2 2003 Minamiechizen, Fukui
Minami Kiyosato Flower Park Park 185 m
56 ft
3.6 km/h
2.2 mph
25°30′ 20 2000 Hokuto, Yamanashi
Minamihata Dam Dam 79 m
24 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
28° 6 2003 Nakagawa, Fukuoka
Minaminooka Memorial Park Accessibility 52 m
16 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
24°30′ 6 2004 Yokohama, Kanagawa
Misawa Adonis Golf Club Golf course 99 m
30 ft
3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
33° 4 1994 Ena, Gifu
Miyamoto residence Accessibility 19 m
6 ft
1.5 km/h
0.9 mph
28° 2 1992 Hisayama, Fukuoka
Mizutori-gō Accessibility 60 m
18 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
29° 2 2002 Nagasaki, Nagasaki
Moritate Construction Accessibility 14 m
4 ft
0.6 km/h
0.4 mph
45° 2 1999 Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Mount Hiko, Mount Hiko Slope Car Park 849 m
259 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
18° 80 2005 Soeda, Fukuoka
Muya Bus Stop, Sloppy Diagonal elevator 173 m
53 ft
9.6 km/h
6.0 mph
5°40′ 20 2002 Naruto, Tokushima
Naengcheon Country Club Golf course 110 m
34 ft
2003 Daegu, South Korea
Nagasaki Subtropical Botanical Garden Park 380 m
116 ft
3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
10° 20 1996 Nagasaki, Nagasaki
Nakadake Dam Dam 125 m
38 ft
1.8 km/h
1.1 mph
35° 2 2006 Soo, Kagoshima
Namgwangju Country Club Golf course 40 m
12 ft
2001 Hwasun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Nanakura Dam Dam 96 m
29 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
45° 4 1993 Ōmachi, Nagano
Nanreku Shōken-yama Park Park 203 m
62 ft
6.0 km/h
3.7 mph
11°30′ 12 1990 Ainan, Ehime
Ogasayama Sports Park Ecopa Park Fukuroi, Shizuoka
Okuhagi Honjin Garden Park 453 m
138 ft
4.2 km/h
2.6 mph
25° 24 1990 Hagi, Yamaguchi
Okutadami Dam Dam 228 m
69 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
21° 40 1997 Uonuma, Niigata
Ōtaki Dam Dam 101 m
31 ft
2.7 km/h
1.7 mph
50° 6 1997 Kawakami, Nara
Passage Kinkai Island Golf Club Golf course 95 m
29 ft
3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
22° 5 1997 Nagasaki, Nagasaki
Rusutsu Resort Ski resort 480 m
146 ft
10.8 km/h
6.7 mph
9°30′ 36 1998 Rusutsu, Hokkaidō
Saga Sōgō Ground Accessibility 8 m
2 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
35° 2 1999 Saga, Saga
Sakura-gō Accessibility 50 m
15 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
33° 2 2003 Nagasaki, Nagasaki
Sanbōdai Schanze Ski resort 145 m
44 ft
5.4 km/h
3.4 mph
28° 8 1997 Shibetsu, Hokkaidō
Sanda Onsen Kumano no Sato Park 43 m
13 ft
3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
14° 8 2006 Sanda, Hyōgo
Sazanka Kōgen Pincnic Park, Kōgen Monorail Park 402 m
123 ft
6.0 km/h
3.7 mph
17° 20 1995 Isahaya, Nagasaki
Sazanka Kōgen Pincnic Park, Kōgen Monorail Park 280 m
85 ft
6.0 km/h
3.7 mph
14° 16 1993 Isahaya, Nagasaki
Shin Takasegawa Dam Dam 102 m
31 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
30° 4 1996 Ōmachi, Nagano
Shirahama Mermaid Town Accessibility 69 m
21 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
24° 4 2000 Shirahama, Wakayama
Shōkaien Care House Toyonosato Accessibility 48 m
15 ft
1.8 km/h
1.1 mph
36°9′ 16 2001 Mizumaki, Fukuoka
Siesta Patio Park 213 m
65 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
16° 15 2000 Taku, Saga
Soeda Park, Sakura Park 181 m
55 ft
3.6 km/h
2.2 mph
17° 16 1991 Soeda, Fukuoka
Sugiyama residence, Noboru-kun Accessibility 20 m
6 ft
1.5 km/h
0.9 mph
28° 2 1996 Shizuoka, Shizuoka
Sun Village Akane Ski resort 46 m
14 ft
2.4 km/h
1.5 mph
30° 12 1995 Iizuka, Fukuoka
Tachibana Thermal Power Plant Accessibility 27 m
8 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
27° 2 2000 Anan, Tokushima
Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden Park 250 m
76 ft
3.6 km/h
2.2 mph
9°30′ 40 2003 Ōita, Ōita
Takasegawa Dam Dam 104 m
32 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
45° 4 1994 Ōmachi, Nagano
Takayama Dam Dam 72 m
22 ft
1.5 km/h
0.9 mph
42° 8 2006 Minamiyamashiro, Kyōto
Takeo Onsen Hoyōmura, Skybus Noboru-kun Park 488 m
149 ft
4.2 km/h
2.6 mph
23° 16 1993 Takeo, Saga
Tenjin Dam Dam 96 m
29 ft
1.5 km/h
0.9 mph
45° 2 1999 Miyakonojō, Miyazaki
Tenjin-kun Accessibility 60 m
18 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
29° 2 2002 Nagasaki, Nagasaki
Tsunagi Onsen Shikisai Park 56 m
17 ft
2.1 km/h
1.3 mph
32°30′ 6 1994 Tsunagi, Kumamoto
Ueda Women's Junior College Tea House Accessibility 58 m
18 ft
2.4 km/h
1.5 mph
22° 2 2005 Ueda, Nagano
Ulsan Country Club Golf course 32 m
10 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
12° 6 2005 Ulsan, South Korea
Ulsan Country Club Golf course 135 m
41 ft
1993 Ulsan, South Korea
Urayama Dam Accessibility 216 m
66 ft
2.7 km/h
1.7 mph
45° 2 1998 Chichibu, Saitama
Wakato Hospital Diagonal elevator 94 m
29 ft
3.0 km/h
1.9 mph
9°15′ 4 1992 Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka
Watanabe residence Accessibility 25 m
8 ft
0.9 km/h
0.6 mph
31° 2 1998 Minoo, Ōsaka
Wespa Tsubakiyama Park 572 m
174 ft
4.8 km/h
3.0 mph
25° 40 2000 Fukaura, Aomori
Yamano Hotel Park 36 m
11 ft
2.4 km/h
1.5 mph
36° 6 2004 Takayama, Gifu
Yoichi Ski Jump Ski resort 129 m
39 ft
5.4 km/h
3.4 mph
30° 8 1999 Yoichi, Hokkaidō
Yong-in Country Club Golf course 100 m
30 ft
2001 Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Yong-in Country Club Golf course 78 m
24 ft
2001 Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Zaō Ski Jump Ski jump 200 m
61 ft
5.4 km/h
3.4 mph
35° 10 2001 Yamagata, Yamagata

[edit] References

  1. ^ Delivery results search at Kaho Manufacturing's official website yields more than 80 cases (slope cars only).

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


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