At Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, a vehicle using the same structure as a roller coaster will now run within the park, replacing the monorail that was the first to open in Japan.
Ueno Zoo's ``Tokyo Suspension Tram Ueno Suspension Line'' is the first monorail in Japan that opened in 1955. Due to its age, it has been out of service for five years and will be removed in the future.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government held a public call for a new vehicle to replace it, and after selecting one, they decided on a vehicle with a structure similar to a roller coaster, in which the rails are held down by wheels from three directions: top, bottom, and side.
According to the Tokyo metropolitan government, on uphill slopes, the motors use electricity to operate, but in some places on downhill slopes, the trains run on gravity instead of electricity in consideration of the environment.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has decided to start considering specific designs such as the number of vehicles and interior design, and is aiming to start operations in March 2020.