Slope car
A slope car 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.
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 that provide accessibilities for elderly or handicapped people 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 places where slope cars climb very steep slopes which people without disabilities can not climb unless there are stairs. In Japan, slope cars are not legally considered as railways.System
There is a type that is long, having a 4 to 8 passengers capacity, and another type that is long, having around 30 passengers capacity. Some slope cars are "trainsets" consisting of two cars. Most slope cars are straddle-beam monorails, but there are suspended monorail slope cars as well.Normal monorails generally use rubber tyres running on a concrete beam, while slope cars use a steel beam with a rack rail on one side. As such, slope cars can climb 100% slopes at maximum speed. The system is powered by a "third rail" on the other side of the beam.
The system does not require a driver. A car starts when a user pushes a button, and it automatically stops at the selected destination.
History
In 1966, Yoneyama Industory, an agricultural machinery maker in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, invented "Monorack", a freight-only rack monorail system. It soon became widespread 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 sell their "slope cars" in 1990.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.
- Chigusa makes Raxcar.
- Monorail Industry makes Monorider.
- Senyō Kōgyō makes Mountain Liner.
List of slope cars
| Facility, line name | Function | Diagonal line length | Diagonal line length | Speed | Speed | Maximum gradient | Passenger capacity | Opening year | Location |
| 168 stairs Monorail | Accessibility | 2.1 | 1.3 | 42° | 8 | 2016 | Choryang-dong, Dong District, Busan, South Korea | - | |
| Aburagi Dam | Dam | 2.1 | 1.3 | 45° | 6 | 2002 | Soeda, Fukuoka | - | |
| Aburayama Golf Course | Golf course | 2.1 | 1.3 | 21° | 4 | 2004 | Fukuoka, Fukuoka | - | |
| :ja:赤城高原牧場クローネンベルク|Akagi Kōgen Highland Pasture Kronenberg | Zorbing | 4.8 | 3.0 | 11° | 2003 | Shibukawa, Gunma | - | ||
| Ashikita Kaihin Sōgō Park | Zorbing | 4.8 | 3.0 | 15° | 2003 | Ashikita, Kumamoto | - | ||
| Ashikita Kaihin Sōgō Park | Zorbing | 5.1 | 3.2 | 11°40′ | 2005 | Ashikita, Kumamoto | - | ||
| Bay Hill View Chayagadai | Diagonal elevator | 1.8 | 1.1 | 24° | 4 | 1999 | Ōita, Ōita | - | |
| Bukkō-ji Temple | Accessibility | 1.8 | 1.1 | 29 | 6 | 2005 | Kyōto, Kyōto | - | |
| Bukkoku-ji Temple | Accessibility | 2.4 | 1.5 | 15° | 4 | 2004 | Sendai, Miyagi | - | |
| Cactus Herb Park | Park | 4.8 | 3.0 | 19°30′ | 30 | 1995 | Nichinan, Miyazaki | - | |
| Changwon Country Club | Golf course | 1997 | Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | - | |||||
| :ja:船岡城|Funaoka Castle Park | Park | 4.8 | 3.0 | 18° | 40 | 1996 | Shibata, Miyagi | - | |
| Garden Sight Sakurajima, Sakurajima-gō | Diagonal elevator | 1.7 | 1.0 | 32°30′ | 8 | 2001 | Kagoshima, Kagoshima | - | |
| Gassan Dam | Dam | 2.7 | 1.7 | 35°32′ | 8 | 1994 | Tsuruoka, Yamagata | - | |
| :ja:玄界島|Genkai Island | Accessibility | 2.1 | 1.3 | 33° | 2 | 1998 | Fukuoka, Fukuoka | - | |
| :ja:岐阜県博物館|Gifu Prefectural Museum, :ja:らくらく号|Rakuraku-gō | Diagonal elevator | 4.8 | 3.0 | 13° | 8 | 2002 | Seki, Gifu | - | |
| Gohan-eup Monorail | Accessibility | 3.53 | 2.19 | 16° | 12 | 2009 | Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, South Korea | - | |
| Grandee Nasu Shirakawa Golf Club | Golf course | 2.4 | 1.5 | 17° | 6 | 2005 | Nishigō, Fukushima | - | |
| Haenam Ttangkkut | Park | 0.9 | 0.6 | 26°50′ | 2005 | Haenam, Jeollanam-do, South Korea | - | ||
| Haenam Ttangkkut | Park | 3.6 | 2.2 | 23°30′ | 40 | 2005 | Haenam, Jeollanam-do, South Korea | - | |
| Hananomori Park, Koinobori-gō | Park | Hokuto, Yamanashi | |||||||
| Hanatateyama Onsen | Park | 3.0 | 1.9 | 15° | 8 | 2004 | Chikuzen, Fukuoka | - | |
| :ja:花輪スキー場|Hanawa Ski Resort | Ski resort | 5.4 | 3.4 | 28° | 10 | 1996 | Kazuno, Akita | - | |
| Hayakuchi Dam | Dam | 1.5 | 0.9 | 45° | 2 | 2003 | Ōdate, Akita | - | |
| Hinokidai Danchi | Accessibility | 3.9 | 2.4 | 22° | 6 | 2000 | Sasebo, Nagasaki | - | |
| Hotel Hatsuhana | Park | 1.8 | 1.1 | 29°50′ | 6 | 2005 | Hakone, Kanagawa | - | |
| Hwaam Cave | Park | 6.6 | 4.1 | 20° | 2003 | Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, South Korea | - | ||
| Hwanseongul Cave | Park | 2006 | Samcheok, Gangwon-do, South Korea | - | |||||
| Iiyama Ski Jump | Ski resort | 5.4 | 3.4 | 27° | 8 | 1999 | Iiyama, Nagano | - | |
| Iizuka City Chikuho Community Center | Accessibility | 0.9 | 0.6 | 29° | 3 | 1997 | Iizuka, Fukuoka | - | |
| Ikawa X Park | Zorbing | 3.9 | 2.4 | 18° | 2004 | Miyoshi, Tokushima | - | ||
| Inaniwa Castle Konjakukan | Park | 4.0 | 2.5 | 33°30′ | 24 | 1993 | Yuzawa, Akita | - | |
| :ja:祖谷温泉|Iya Onsen | Diagonal elevator | 3.0 | 1.9 | 42° | 2004 | Miyoshi, Tokushima | |||
| Jōō-ji Temple | Accessibility | 2.1 | 1.3 | 29° | 4 | 2002 | Taku, Saga | - | |
| :ja:観音滝公園|Kannondaki Park, Kajika-kun | Park | 4.8 | 3.0 | 13° | 10 | 1997 | Satsuma, Kagoshima | - | |
| Kayase Dam | Dam | 1.5 | 0.9 | 45° | 2 | 1999 | Isahaya, Nagasaki | - | |
| Kunimi Forest Park | Park | 3.6 | 2.2 | 35° | 40 | 2006 | Shisō, Hyōgo | - | |
| Kwangju Country Club | Golf course | 2002 | Gokseong, Jeollanam-do, South Korea | - | |||||
| Maruoka Park | Park | 3.0 | 1.9 | 15° | 10 | 2005 | Kirishima, Kagoshima | - | |
| Mashiki Country Club | Golf course | 3.6 | 2.2 | 24° | 4 | 1992 | Mashiki, Kumamoto | - | |
| :ja:桝谷ダム|Masutani Dam | Dam | 1.5 | 0.9 | 36° | 2 | 2003 | Minamiechizen, Fukui | - | |
| Minami Kiyosato Flower Park | Park | 3.6 | 2.2 | 25°30′ | 20 | 2000 | Hokuto, Yamanashi | - | |
| Minamihata Dam | Dam | 2.1 | 1.3 | 28° | 6 | 2003 | Nakagawa, Fukuoka | - | |
| Minaminooka Memorial Park | Accessibility | 2.1 | 1.3 | 24°30′ | 6 | 2004 | Yokohama, Kanagawa | - | |
| Misawa Adonis Golf Club | Golf course | 3.0 | 1.9 | 33° | 4 | 1994 | Ena, Gifu | - | |
| Miyamoto residence | Accessibility | 1.5 | 0.9 | 28° | 2 | 1992 | Hisayama, Fukuoka | - | |
| Mizutori-gō | Accessibility | 0.9 | 0.6 | 29° | 2 | 2002 | Nagasaki, Nagasaki | - | |
| Moritate Construction | Accessibility | 0.6 | 0.4 | 45° | 2 | 1999 | Fukuoka, Fukuoka | - | |
| Mount Hiko, Mount Hiko Slope Car | Park | 4.8 | 3.0 | 18° | 80 | 2005 | Soeda, Fukuoka | - | |
| :ja:撫養バスストップ|Muya Bus Stop, Sloppy | Diagonal elevator | 9.6 | 6.0 | 5°40′ | 20 | 2002 | Naruto, Tokushima | - | |
| Naengcheon Country Club | Golf course | 2003 | Daegu, South Korea | - | |||||
| Nagasaki Subtropical Botanical Garden | Park | 3.0 | 1.9 | 10° | 20 | 1996 | Nagasaki, Nagasaki | - | |
| Nakadake Dam | Dam | 1.8 | 1.1 | 35° | 2 | 2006 | Soo, Kagoshima | - | |
| Namgwangju Country Club | Golf course | 2001 | Hwasun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea | - | |||||
| :ja:七倉ダム|Nanakura Dam | Dam | 2.1 | 1.3 | 45° | 4 | 1993 | Ōmachi, Nagano | - | |
| Nanreku Shōken-yama Park | Park | 6.0 | 3.7 | 11°30′ | 12 | 1990 | Ainan, Ehime | - | |
| :ja:小笠山総合運動公園|Ogasayama Sports Park Ecopa | Park | Fukuroi, Shizuoka | |||||||
| Okuhagi Honjin Garden | Park | 4.2 | 2.6 | 25° | 24 | 1990 | Hagi, Yamaguchi | - | |
| :ja:奥只見ダム|Okutadami Dam | Dam | 4.8 | 3.0 | 21° | 40 | 1997 | Uonuma, Niigata | - | |
| :ja:大滝ダム|Ōtaki Dam | Dam | 2.7 | 1.7 | 50° | 6 | 1997 | Kawakami, Nara | - | |
| Passage Kinkai Island Golf Club | Golf course | 3.0 | 1.9 | 22° | 5 | 1997 | Nagasaki, Nagasaki | - | |
| Rusutsu Resort | Ski resort | 10.8 | 6.7 | 9°30′ | 36 | 1998 | Rusutsu, Hokkaidō | - | |
| Saga Sōgō Ground | Accessibility | 0.9 | 0.6 | 35° | 2 | 1999 | Saga, Saga | - | |
| Sakura-gō | Accessibility | 0.9 | 0.6 | 33° | 2 | 2003 | Nagasaki, Nagasaki | - | |
| Sanbōdai Schanze | Ski resort | 5.4 | 3.4 | 28° | 8 | 1997 | Shibetsu, Hokkaidō | - | |
| Sanda Onsen Kumano no Sato | Park | 3.0 | 1.9 | 14° | 8 | 2006 | Sanda, Hyōgo | - | |
| :ja:山茶花高原ピクニックパーク|Sazanka Kōgen Pincnic Park, Kōgen Monorail | Park | 6.0 | 3.7 | 17° | 20 | 1995 | Isahaya, Nagasaki | - | |
| :ja:山茶花高原ピクニックパーク|Sazanka Kōgen Pincnic Park, Kōgen Monorail | Park | 6.0 | 3.7 | 14° | 16 | 1993 | Isahaya, Nagasaki | - | |
| Shin Takasegawa Dam | Dam | 2.1 | 1.3 | 30° | 4 | 1996 | Ōmachi, Nagano | - | |
| Shirahama Mermaid Town | Accessibility | 2.1 | 1.3 | 24° | 4 | 2000 | Shirahama, Wakayama | - | |
| Shōkaien Care House Toyonosato | Accessibility | 1.8 | 1.1 | 36°9′ | 16 | 2001 | Mizumaki, Fukuoka | - | |
| Siesta Patio | Park | 4.8 | 3.0 | 16° | 15 | 2000 | Taku, Saga | - | |
| Soeda Park, Sakura | Park | 3.6 | 2.2 | 17° | 16 | 1991 | Soeda, Fukuoka | - | |
| Sugiyama residence, Noboru-kun | Accessibility | 1.5 | 0.9 | 28° | 2 | 1996 | Shizuoka, Shizuoka | - | |
| :ja:サンビレッジ茜|Sun Village Akane | Ski resort | 2.4 | 1.5 | 30° | 12 | 1995 | Iizuka, Fukuoka | - | |
| Tachibana Thermal Power Plant | Accessibility | 0.9 | 0.6 | 27° | 2 | 2000 | Anan, Tokushima | - | |
| :ja:高崎山自然動物園|Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden | Park | 3.6 | 2.2 | 9°30′ | 40 | 2003 | Ōita, Ōita | - | |
| Takasegawa Dam | Dam | 2.1 | 1.3 | 45° | 4 | 1994 | Ōmachi, Nagano | - | |
| :ja:高山ダム|Takayama Dam | Dam | 1.5 | 0.9 | 42° | 8 | 2006 | Minamiyamashiro, Kyōto | - | |
| :ja:武雄温泉|Takeo Onsen Hoyōmura, Skybus Noboru-kun | Park | 4.2 | 2.6 | 23° | 16 | 1993 | Takeo, Saga | - | |
| Tenjin Dam | Dam | 1.5 | 0.9 | 45° | 2 | 1999 | Miyakonojō, Miyazaki | - | |
| Tenjin-kun | Accessibility | 0.9 | 0.6 | 29° | 2 | 2002 | Nagasaki, Nagasaki | - | |
| Tsunagi Onsen Shikisai | Park | 2.1 | 1.3 | 32°30′ | 6 | 1994 | Tsunagi, Kumamoto | - | |
| :ja:上田女子短期大学|Ueda Women's Junior College Tea House | Accessibility | 2.4 | 1.5 | 22° | 2 | 2005 | Ueda, Nagano | - | |
| Ulsan Country Club | Golf course | 4.8 | 3.0 | 12° | 6 | 2005 | Ulsan, South Korea | - | |
| Ulsan Country Club | Golf course | 1993 | Ulsan, South Korea | - | |||||
| :ja:浦山ダム|Urayama Dam | Accessibility | 2.7 | 1.7 | 45° | 2 | 1998 | Chichibu, Saitama | - | |
| Wakato Hospital | Diagonal elevator | 3.0 | 1.9 | 9°15′ | 4 | 1992 | Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka | - | |
| Watanabe residence | Accessibility | 0.9 | 0.6 | 31° | 2 | 1998 | Minoo, Ōsaka | - | |
| :ja:ウェスパ椿山|Wespa Tsubakiyama | Park | 4.8 | 3.0 | 25° | 40 | 2000 | Fukaura, Aomori | - | |
| Yamano Hotel | Park | 2.4 | 1.5 | 36° | 6 | 2004 | Takayama, Gifu | - | |
| Yeongju-dong Oreumgil Monorail | Accessibility | 3.6 | 2.2 | 20° | 8 | 2014 | Yeongju-dong, Jung District, Busan, South Korea | - | |
| Yoichi Ski Jump | Ski resort | 5.4 | 3.4 | 30° | 8 | 1999 | Yoichi, Hokkaidō | - | |
| Yong-in Country Club | Golf course | 2001 | Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea | - | |||||
| Yong-in Country Club | Golf course | 2001 | Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea | - | |||||
| Zaō Ski Jump | Ski jump | 5.4 | 3.4 | 35° | 10 | 2001 | Yamagata, Yamagata | - |