Your Monorail Society Officers
The volunteers of The Monorail Society are numerous, but we only have three official officers. Be sure to visit our Hall of Fame to see some who have contributed "above and beyond" as members of TMS throughout the years.
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Kim A. Pedersen... Kim A. Pedersen is of the generation that was convinced by Walt Disney that monorail was going to be the transit mode of the future. In the late 1980's, Pedersen wondered what ever happened to monorail. He decided to spend a year researching libraries and other sources to get answers. He found that new monorails were enjoying great success in Japan but were only used for amusement parks, fairs and zoos elsewhere. Seeing the need for a voice to promote the people-popular transit mode, in 1989 he founded The Monorail Society (TMS). With a goal of 30 members to justify the effort, it wasn't long before he found there were others who shared the same views. Twenty years after the start of TMS, membership exceeded 5,000. Kim lives with his wife Carol and sons Kory and Skyler in Fremont, California. Carol and Kim own their own Internet retail business called MyPacifier.com. As a result of his efforts for monorail, he has had the privilege of driving monorails at Walt Disney World, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Seattle, WA; Broadbeach, Australia; Metrail, Malaysia and Disneyland, CA. He also has traveled to Japan and Europe to study and document monorails there. He is proud of TMS accomplishments and the progress monorail has made. Pedersen looks forward to seeing more systems built in the future, including some with the help of TMS efforts. |
![]() There can be some great moments as a TMS Prez! . |
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Keith S. Walls... Keith S. Walls has had transit as a hobby since 1971. In 1999 he found that his hobbyist stature changed to that of what he calls "activist for elevated non-obtrusive transit systems (e.g. monorails!)." He owns his own business, Keith Walls Photography. Keith is also a Computer Systems (presales) Analyst and has a BS and MS in Computer Science from the University of Central Florida, Orlando. It's this knowledge that The Monorail Society is tapping on several fronts. First and foremost, Keith suggested that TMS should have more technical information available. To satisfy his fellow "technical geeks," the TMS Technical Pages were put together by Keith and President Pedersen. Upon accepting the post of Technical Director in 1999, Keith stated "The Monorail Society is in a position to actually change public policy worldwide. I am thrilled to be chosen to be an officer in such a progressive group. I would like to help take it up a notch, and give real ammunition to those opposed to traditional at- or below- grade light and heavy rail, both from an economic and technical viewpoint." In April of 2000 Keith advanced to the title of Vice President. His many contributions beyond the scope of his Technical Director title prompted his quick advancement. Keith lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife Jan and his daughter Megan. |
![]() Keith test drives the Seattle Center Monorail |
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Brian C. Brooks... Brian C. Brooks has had an interest in monorails since first riding the Disneyland Monorail at the age of 13. That interest was reignited in 2005 when he was seeking a practical solution to the world famous (or infamous!) Los Angeles County traffic congestion crisis. Brians career with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District as a Civil Engineering Technician and eventually as a Valuation Engineer II exposed him to both the extensive network of flood control corridors and the excessive costs and delays of right of way acquisition for major new projects. In 2006 Brian submitted a proposal to Los Angeles County to use the flood control corridors for elevated mass transit. His research for this proposal led him to conclude only Elevated Monorail Transit (EMT) was feasible and this in turn led him to join The Monorail Society. The proposal prompted a feasibility study by the Department of Public Works which confirmed that EMT was feasible. Brian has studied numerous potential EMT routes in California and elsewhere and is continuing to prepare and submit specific proposals when appropriate. As TMS Technology Evaluation Officer, Brian will continue to research all types of monorail and maglev technology. He will also continue to promote monorail to politicians, public officials, business leaders, and the public. Brian is married with two children and lives in Pomona, California. |
![]() Brian speaking on behalf of monorail at the Santa Monica Alternative Car Expo in 2007. |