Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Monorail re-opening scheduled for today

A Las Vegas Monorail train sits at the maintenance facility at the north end of the line near Sahara Avenue and Joe W. Brown Drive on Monday afternoon. Officials are inspecting the trains at the facility before test driving them on the tracks. Photo by ISAAC BREKKEN/REVIEW-JOURNAL

The Las Vegas Monorail is expected to re-open this morning after officials took at least four of the trains for a test run Monday afternoon to ensure the system's safety.

Monorail officials expected the system to begin operating around 8 a.m., barring no further complications.

Information was unavailable Monday night about what caused one of the train's tires to fall off Sept. 1, which prompted the system shut down. But monorail spokesman Todd Walker said the trains have been tested for safety and expected to have answers about the initial malfunction today.

"We wouldn't be opening if it wasn't safe. That was the whole reason for the shutdown five days ago," Walker said, adding, "It always was safe."

Monorail officials were inspecting the trains at a maintenance facility located on the track at Sahara Avenue and Joe W. Brown Drive before test driving them on the rails on Monday.

Typically the monorail opens at 8 a.m. with four trains running, three more ready to come on line as traffic increases, one spare and one available for maintenance purposes, Walker said.

The shutdown of the 4.4-mile system happened after a northbound train's tire fell, landing in an unoccupied parking spot in a lot owned by Harrah's between Flamingo Road and Sands Avenue. No one was hurt.

The monorail's contracted operator, Canada-based Bombardier Inc., and a Virginia-based monorail consultant conducted separate investigations into the incident. County officials also took part in the investigation.

At least one mechanic could be seen working on the trains at the maintenance facility Monday, but Bombardier Inc. offices nearby were closed for Labor Day.

The platforms were closed to passersby with only a security guard to watch each of the empty stations. But trains roamed the line, often stopping between stations to open doors and display the empty cars to the traffic below.