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Monorail - Blog Posts

dude-vader

10 years ago

On the automated monorail to Odaiba

The Osaka Monorail

A 2000 series set of Osaka Monorail rides the high tracks of the Saito branch line, coming into Banpaku Kinen Kôen station in front of the Expo 70 Commemoration Park.

The final post in this mini-series on the Osaka Expo 70 Commemoration Park is the obvious: how does one get there? Considering the Expo was all about bringing together the world's shared (or non-shared) visions of the future, the Monorail seems perfect! Except this line wasn't launched in time for the Expo - it was a later project, opened in 1990.

A 1000 series monorail advertising Hankyû's service to Kyôto enters Banpaku Kinen Kôen station at the West end. What seems to be a yellow maintenance vehicle can be seen in the background, in a siding in the monorail depot.

The straddle-beam monorail links Osaka Airport to Kadoma, and is due to be extended by the end of the decade. A short branch line pops out just to the East of the Expo 70 Park station, so a visit to the park is also a chance to see some mighty impressive sets of monorail points either side of the station, as the West side (above) also connects to the depot.

Osaka Monorail junction complex at the East end of Banpaku Kinen Kôen. The 3 tracks in the station merge into two before each side splits up: the Main line continues straight on, while the Saito branch line rises further up and turns left.