LAS VEGAS --
Monorail officials here have called in Exponent, an independent
team of safety experts, to conduct a review of the citys newest
transportation system, which remains closed after parts fell from
the train in two separate incidents last month.
The $650 million
monorail, which opened July 15, was closed indefinitely Sept. 8
after a component of the drive train, a six-inch slip washer
weighing between one and two pounds, fell off the train, according
to a monorail spokesman.
The incident,
which occurred just south of the Ballys/Paris monorail station, did
not cause any damage or injuries.
However, it
occurred the day after the monorail had reopened after being closed
for six days because a 20-inch tire assembly, weighing 60 pounds,
had fallen from one of the train cars, the spokesman said. That
incident also did not cause any damage or injuries.
Although the two
incidents happened close together and have resulted in the closure
of the monorail for nearly a month so far, the monorail spokesman
said officials do not anticipate a loss of confidence in the system
by its riders.
All they want to
know is when will service be restored, he said. The events were
unrelated, [and] this is different than a commuter system [where
the same people ride the same trains daily]. Between 90% and 95% of
our passengers are visitors.
Until monorail
officials get a better idea of when the train system might reopen,
they are advising would-be riders planning to visit the city
through Oct. 31 not to buy advance tickets. A posting to that
effect is on the monorails Web site at www.lvmonorail.com.
Instead, the
spokesman said, visitors should wait to obtain tickets at the
hotel-casino properties that have a monorail station or in the
monorail stations themselves once the train is running.
Those who have
purchased tickets can get a refund. Theres a number printed on the
back of the tickets [that people can call for refunds], the
spokesman said. You mail in [the ticket] and we send you a
check.
Refunds already
have been requested, and, by monorail officials estimates, just 1%
of advance-sale tickets are outstanding, the spokesman said. He
also noted that tickets are valid for a year from the purchase
date.
Earlier last
month, monorail officials reported that more than 837,000 people
had ridden the elevated train system in August, generating nearly
$2.5 million in revenue.
To contact
reporter Amy Baratta, send e-mail to [email protected].