Ueno Zoo Monorail

{{Short description|Former monorail at zoo in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan}}

{{use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox Public transit

| box_width =

| name = Ueno Zoo Monorail Line

| image = UenoZooMonorail1280.jpg

| imagesize = 250px

| caption =

| locale = Ueno Zoo

| transit_type = Suspended monorail

| lines = 1

| stations = 2

| ridership =

| chief_executive =

| headquarters =

| began_operation = December 17, 1957

| ended_operation = October 31, 2019 (suspended)
December 27, 2023 (decommissioned)

| owner =

| operator = Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation

| marks =

| vehicles = 1

| train_length =

| headway =

| system_length = {{convert|0.3|km|mi|2|abbr=on}}

| el = 600 V DC

| map =

| map_name =

| map_state = collapsed

}}

The {{Nihongo|Ueno Zoo Monorail Line|東京都交通局上野懸垂線|Tōkyō-to Kōtsū-kyoku Ueno Kensui-sen}} was a {{convert|0.3|km|abbr=on}} long suspended railway operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). It lies within the Ueno Zoo in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. The monorail is similar to the Wuppertal Schwebebahn, but has rubber tires rather than steel wheels. Many of the parts manufactured for the monorail were off-the-shelf.{{cite web|title=Ueno Zoo|url=http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Ueno.html|access-date=2007-03-30}} The first monorail in the nation (and the first zoo monorail in the world{{cite web|title=Philadelphia Zoo |url=http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Philzoo.html |access-date=2007-03-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104045152/http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Philzoo.html |archive-date=January 4, 2006 }}), it had two stations, single track, and operated at 600 V DC. The line began operating on December 17, 1957, was suspended during 2001–2002, and has been suspended since October 31, 2019, with the operator citing the high costs of replacing the aging trains.{{cite web |title=Fate of Japan's oldest monorail line up in the air |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/01/24/national/japans-oldest-monorail-line-suspended-62-year-run-ueno-zoo/#.XbGMP6_TWUk |website=Japan Times |access-date=24 October 2019 |language=en |date=24 January 2019}}{{cite news |last1=NISHIMURA |first1=NAOMI |title=Japan's oldest monorail in Ueno Zoo bound for suspension |url=http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201901240068.html |work=The Asahi Shimbun |date=24 January 2019}}{{cite web |title=「 上野動物園モノレール40形車両引退イベント』 開催 |url=https://railf.jp/news/2019/10/15/182500.html |publisher=railf.jp |access-date=24 October 2019 |language=ja |date=15 October 2019}} It was officially closed on December 27, 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/pickup_information/news/pdf/2023/otr_p_2023111311234_h_01.pdf|title=東京都懸垂電車上野懸垂線における鉄道事業廃止日の繰上について|language=ja |date=November 13, 2023}} Being located inside the zoo, it only operated on days when the zoo was open, and between 9:40 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with departures scheduled every seven minutes. The fare for the 90-second trip was 150 yen.

File:UenoZooMonorail1278.jpg