The Monorail Society - 20 Year Anniversary
Part II - Monorail history in TMS's first 20 years
by Kim Pedersen

Part II of our special look back at the 20 years of The Monorail Society (TMS) involves the history of monorails and TMS. Using Monorail Newsletter and the archives of The Monorail Society Website, I’ve put together the following summary of events. Just from gathering these items, it's interesting to see repeated patterns of unbuilt projects and projects that went from monorail to the 'dark side.' There is joy for the monorailist in these 20 years, as many new monorails have opened and more are being planned and built. I look forward to our membership's comments in The Monorail Society Discussion Group on how you all see where we are, twenty years later.

The first recollection of events comes directly from Monorail Newsletter, which was our primary communication tool until yours truly figured out the Internet...

Fall 1989
The first issue of Monorail Newsletter is distributed by The Monorail Society to our first members. The cover proclaims “The Future is Back!!” Articles were on Disneyland’s 30th anniversary, Japan = Monorail Land, the first Mark VI trains arrival at Walt Disney World and the Dallas Times Herald supporting monorail. In my opening comments as President/Editor, I stated the “Our goal is to see monorails transformed from the image of amusement park and fair rides into the role of legitimate urban transit.” I finished with “As this is my first attempt at organizing a “society,” I welcome any suggestions, advice or ideas. Together we can help transit ‘return to the future,’ and have fun in the process!”

Winter 1990
Leaders in Santa Ana, California, back a 20-mile monorail plan for Orange County. Burbank, California studies monorail. Monorail vs. light rail debated in Newark, New Jersey. Atlantic City considers 18-mile monorail.

Spring 1990
Von Roll reportedly wins contract for monorail in Kuala Lumpur. Houston debates over mode for transit system approved by voters. Airport connector with advanced technology proposed from Pittsburgh. Transrapid plan for Florida delayed as Disney decides against terminal on Disney property. Group of businessmen in Grand Rapids, Michigan proposed transportation plan including monorail. Futrex wants demonstrator line for their monobeam system in New Orleans by 1994. Osaka Monorail opens in Japan.

Summer 1990
New Arrow monorail cars to replace original cars at Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. Dortmund University is extending its H-Bahn monorail by 1.1 kilmeter. Niagara Falls, New York side, considers monorail or other people movers for area. Sydney’s new Harbourlink monorail has lower ridership than expected. Several cities in Orange County, California join the effort for monorail.

Fall 1990
Transrapid monorail maglev line from Anaheim, California to Las Vegas, Nevada planned by Bechtel. The Monorail Society is online at Prodigy for chat. The Walt Disney Company reveals plans for “Port Disney” in Long Beach, California, including monorail to connect with downtown. Rumor has it Disney will also build monorail for Tokyo Disney Resort. The Soviet Union is interested in a maglev from Moscow to Sheremetyovo Airport. Chiba Monorail is being extended for the first time.

Winter 1991
Wuppertal Schwebebahn celebrates 90th year in Germany. Honolulu considers conventional rail or monorail for fixed guideway system. Pocos de Caldas, Brazil to open monorail line. Kuala Lumpur monorail construction slated to begin soon. In Florida, the neighbor counties of Hillsborough and Pinellas disagree over monorail vs. light rail. Merry Hill Shopping Center, in Birmingham, England, prepares to open Von Roll monorail system. Magician Doug Henning and Beatle’s former guru Maharishi Yogi plan Vedaland in Florida, complete with monorail.

Spring 1991
Los Angeles voters on preferences for San Fernando Valley: 10% subway, 21% light rail, 21% no rail, 48% monorail. Monorail plan moves forward for Burbank, California. The Orange County Transportation agency is formed to move the monorail project forward. Tokyo Monorail extending line to stations in new Haneda Terminals via subway tunnels. Bechtel delays Las Vegas-Anaheim maglev project. Houston Metro Directors select monorail for 22-mile urban system in Texas. Wide use of term “monorail accident” for mishap in Hiroshima people mover construction tragedy.

Summer 1991
Newark International Airport Monorail under construction. Wyoming Senator Malcom Wallop proposes monorail for USA National Park transportation. Monorail proposed in Bethesda, Maryland between metro station and Montgomery Mall. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, negotiates with HSST for maglev system. The Monorail Society had its first public display at the Art Deco Society’s meeting in San Francisco. Several TMS members attend 1st gathering.

Fall 1991
Titan PRT discusses monorail for Compaq Computer Corporation campus in Texas. Honolulu selects steel rail over Bombardier monorail. Walt Disney World Monorail System is 20 years old. Mission Valley, San Diego, California, studies monorail circulator. Tampa Airport’s indoor monorail nears completion.

Winter 1992
Houston voters kill monorail by selecting Bob Lanier for mayor, who ran largely his campaign vowing to kill it and put the money towards police. $500 million had already been allocated from the Federal government for the project. Tampa International Monorail opens. The State of Florida approves a Transrapid maglev line between Orlando International and International Drive. California’s Orange County Transportation Authority approves 30-year rail plan and opens up possibility for steel rail instead of monorail. Palm Desert, California, plans a monorail peoplemover. The Walt Disney Company decides for second California park next to Disneyland, Long Beach project is out.

Spring 1992
World’s longest monorail proposed in New Zealand to link to Fjordland National Park. Grassroots effort for monorail in Los Angeles under way, specifically for San Fernando Valley. Dusseldorf may get H-Bahn monorail. Germany’s government officials declare Transrapid technology ready for passenger service.

Summer 1992
3-mile monorail proposal for Altoona, Pennsylvania gets national attention, albeit negative, on 20/20. Monorails of Japan, shot in 1990 by Kim Pedersen, is released for sale.

Fall 1992
Study by Jakes Associates for Mission Valley monorail system accepted by Metropolitan Transit Development Board of San Diego, CA. Study for monorail along Freeway 101 in the San Fernando Valley is accepted by LACTC. Residents along route complain views will be blocked. Arrow Dynamics selected for monorail between Luxor and Excalibur in Las Vegas. Businesses in Buckhead district of Atlanta want 6-mile monorail. Mashantucket Pequot Indians plan monorail for their Ledyard, CT Foxwood casino/resort. Miami Metro Zoo Monorail damaged by Hurricane Andrew. Beverly Hills officials propose monorail.

Winter 1993
LACTC approves elevated ‘monorail’ line along Freeway 101 in San Fernando Valley. Monorail candidates selected for suspended monorail technology grant from FTA. Intamin sells People Porter minirails to several expos. Von Roll purchased by AEG Westinghouse. CN Rail plans two automated monorail lines for Montreal, Canada. “The Simpsons” monorail episode first broadcast in January.

Spring 1993
Developer in Cincinnati strongly backs monorail for airport connector. Irvine Airport monorail proposal is in danger of cancellation.

Summer 1993
MGM Grand Hotel and Bally’s plan one-mile monorail connector behind resorts. Spain’s Eurotren Monoviga in running for several systems, including Caracas, Venezuela and Mexico City, Mexico. Rosemont, Illinois, selected for prototype PRT system. Sentosa invites tenders for replacement monorail for island by Singapore. Donald Trump has monorail in plan for Meadowlands Complex proposal in NJ. A 1/4 mile monorail realignment completed in Disneyland, CA to allow space for new park attraction (Indiana Jones). Tama Monorail under construction near Tokyo, to be completed in 1997. American MagLine Group proposes Transrapid between Los Angeles International and Palmdale, CA.

Fall 1993
Stuttgart, Germany, completes garden festival, which featured Intamin People Porter minirail. Minirail is up for sale. Arrow monorail near completion in Las Vegas. MGM-Bally’s decision now between AEG-Von Roll or VSL-Bombardier. Beamways become visible at Newark International Airport, NJ. CN Rail drops monorail proposals for Montreal, Canada.

Winter 1994
Retired Walt Disney World Mark IV monorails selected for MGM-Bally’s line in Las Vegas, NV. Luxor-Excalibur Monorail opens in Las Vegas, suffers problems from start. Aerorail of Texas touts steel rail version of French-developed SAFEGE technology. San Francisco International official tells TMS that monorail only option for peoplemover at airport. Disneyland Monorail survives 6.6 Northridge earthquake. TMS is five years old.

Spring 1994
1st comprehensive list of world’s monorails published in Monorail Newsletter. Issue is special edition published for ExpoRail 94. Exposition features TMS booth, a first for the organization.

Summer 1994
Monorail ‘Airrail Initiative’ launched in Seattle, WA by TMS member Dick Falkenbury. Troubles continue for Luxor-Excalibur monorail in Las Vegas, NV. Construction begins on one-mile MGM-Bally’s monorail in Las Vegas. Las Condes, Chile, invites tenders for 11 km monorail. Automated guideway project for Gothenburg, Sweden, put on hold.

Fall 1994
Tokyo Monorail celebrate 30th year with opening of Haneda Airport extension. Longest monorail bridge in the world under construction in Osaka, Japan. Jacksonville, FL, selects Bombardier technology for downtown peoplemover. Von Roll monorail cars arriving at Newark International, NJ. Fight continues in San Fernando Valley, CA, over monorail vs. subway. Seattle monorail initiative gathering steam with signatures.

Winter 1995
Monorail Newsletter proclaims 1995 as the ‘year of the COMEBACK.’ Newark International and MGM-Bally’s construction on cover. Dusseldorf selects Siemens SIPEM (H-Bahn) technology. Pylons for MGM-Bally’s monorail going up. Seattle Initiative 39 fails to get enough signatures to make it to ballot. Los Angeles MTA votes to extend subway in San Fernando Valley instead of building monorail as voters declared preference for, 5-1. Dismantled Carowinds monorail (NC) to be rebuilt in Acapulco, Mexico resort. Severn Lamb signs contract for Bandar Sunway development outside of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Spring 1995
VSL completing MGM-Bally’s infrastructure ahead of schedule. Glitches delay Newark International Monorail opening. New animal park under construction on Walt Disney World property in FL, speculation continues over monorail expansion. Merry Hill Centre Monorail in Birmingham, England closes. Arrow Dynamics sued over troubled monorail in Las Vegas, NV.

Summer 1995
MGM-Bally’s Monorail opens in Las Vegas, NV, only 17 months after conception. TMS officers attend grand opening ceremonies. Luxor-Excalibur monorail demolished nearby. TMS touts its first e-mail address.

Fall 1995
Osaka Monorail expansion continues. TMS President Pedersen writes open letter to Disney challenging them to expand monorail system. Eurotren Monoviga receives Lillihammer Award for transport innovation. Otis Transit Systems signs joint marketing agreement with Severn-Lamb of the United Kingdom. Guam looks at monorail.

Winter 1996
Monorail Newsletter publishes first list of ‘Monorails on Film and Video.’ Danish hybrid car/monorail RUF system being refined. Testing continues of Newark International Airport monorail. Rumor of more Mark IV trains moving from Walt Disney World to Las Vegas, NV.

Spring 1996
Monorail Newsletter publishes ‘The Switch Myth.’ Holland Monorail proposed for Dutch city of Alphen de Rijn. Barra Shopping Center near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, opens 1.5 km Intamin monorail. Also in Brazil, Sao Paulo plans 5 km monorail. Casinos at Tunica, Mississippi, consider monorail to connect properties. Stratosphere Corporation commissions Jakes Associates to study monorail connector between new Stratosphere Tower and downtown Las Vegas, NV. Hitachi takes out ads in rail magazine touting 35 years of monorail experience.

Summer 1996
Futrex System 21 monobeam scale prototype unveiled. Newark International Airport Monorail System opens to public. Naha, Okinawa, gives go ahead for 12.9 km monorail system. Yet another proposal for monorail talked about as a Moscow-Sheremetyovo Airport connector. Dick Falkenbury in midst of second initiative attempt to get monorail on the ballot in Seattle. Tokyo Monorail considering new terminal station at Hamamatsucho Station at north end of line.

Fall 1996
Severn-Lamb reveals images of new test track for monorail at their Warwickshire, England facility. Titan PRT Systems changes name to Titan Global Technologies, Ltd. TMS visits facility in New Jersey. Monorail initiative gains enough signatures to be on Seattle ballot. Monorail part of proposed Giga City in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Oriental Land Company approves monorail system for Tokyo Disney Resort. Wuppertal Stadtwerke begins ambitious refurbishment of 13.3 km Schwebebahn and stations, to be finished in time for 100 year anniversary in 2001.

Winter 1997
Debate over monorail vs. light rail rages in Northern Kentucky. Construction progresses with Bombardier monorail for 1st 3.5 km of track in Jacksonville, FL. Clark County Regional Transportation Commission for the Las Vegas Resort Corridor Master Plan approved, 18-mile system of some sort of rail envisioned. Seattle Regional Transit Authority wins ballot measure, just before monorail initiative goes up for vote in November. Light rail plan for Salt Lake City, UT, being fought by monorail backers. Miami Seaquarium boxcar monorails up for sale. One-mile extension for Newark International Monorail approved to local rail station.

Spring 1997
Seattle Monorail 35 years old. Columbus, OH, considers downtown loop system. Downtown Singapore monorail proposed. Feasibility study for Niagara Falls, Canada area monorail completed. Hitachi & Toyo Engineering building Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia monorail system.

Summer 1997
Pocos de Caldas Monorail opens in Brazil. Severn-Lamb trains being tested on Bandar Sunway City in Malaysia. First extension of Osaka Monorail opens in Japan. Chiba City Monorail hosts its 100,000,000th passenger. Kitakyushu City Monorail continues to enjoy increased revenues, officials predict it will be in the black within 4 years. In Seattle, the Experience Music Project Museum is being constructed around the Seattle Center Monorail tracks. This was the last printed issue of Monorail Newsletter.

Fall 1997
The Monorail Society computer suffers a major crash. TMS President Pedersen decides it’s an omen to leave paper and go cyber. Refunds are issued and long process of learning how to webmaster begins. Dick Falkenbury’s monorail initiative in Seattle passes.

May 18, 1998
The Monorail Society website goes live. Membership becomes free and begins and grows faster. News Briefs are updated as news comes in, rather than only quarterly in newsletter. Features are added periodically, making The Monorail Society the go-to source for monorail information. Since News Brief archives didn’t start until 2002, records of news from 1998 to 2002 are limited at this point, I’ll add them later as I find them in my journal, or as folks remind of some of the special events.

1998
Kuala Lumpur Monorail project removes Hitachi and decides to build system using Malaysian companies. Seattle Center Monorail Alweg technology is reverse engineered by MTrans for trains.

April 12, 1999
Wuppertal Schwebebahn suffers its only fatal accident when works leave metal claw on track after evening of work. The first train hits the claw, derails and plunges into River Wupper, killing five passengers.

2000
The Monorail Society releases short video entitled “Why Not Monorail?” The project is written by Kim Pedersen and edited by Karl Parker.

March 1, 2001
Wuppertal Schwebebahn is 100 years old.

And now, bits and pieces from our website New Briefs Archives from 2002 to January 1, 2009…

May 4, 2002
Tall columns going up for new four-mile Las Vegas Monorail System.

May 25, 2002
Moscow Monorail under construction.

May 31, 2002
Brighton, England considers monorail

June 3, 2002
Orlando, Florida debates light rail vs. monorail.

June 4, 2002
The Elevated Transportation Company (ETC) approves Seattle monorail plan to take to voters.

June 16, 2002
American Maglev vehicle ready for testing on new track at Old Dominion University, VA.

June 21, 2002
Sentosa Island in Singapore select Hitachi Asia Ltd. For new monorail to island.

July 6, 2002
Chongqing, China building 17.4 km system based on Hitachi technology.

August 13, 2002
Sensing that Seattle City Council members are not pro-monorail, despite overwhelming support from citizens, another petition drive begins.

August 31, 2002
Dusseldorf Airport Monorail opens in Germany.

September 23-25, 2002
Monorail Society members meet at APTA Expo 2002 in Las Vegas, NV. New Las Vegas monorail vehicle on display.

October 10, 2002
Old Dominion University Maglev doesn’t run smoothly during tests.

November 6, 2002
Seattle votes yes (barely) to fund 14-mile starter monorail system with automobile tax.

November 10, 2002
Monorail link to new stadium proposed in London, England.

November 17, 2002
Elevated Transportation Company announces Joel Horn will be executive director for Seattle Monorail Project.

November 30, 2002
Myrtle Beach, SC, has Carter & Burgess study transit options, monorail or light rail.

December 31, 2002
Shanghai Transrapid Maglev makes inaugural run on 30-km track for officials. Testing to continue.

January 26, 2002
MGM-Bally’s Mark IV trains make last run on one-mile system. Construction to connect line with new 4-mile system begins immediately.

January 11, 2003
King County citizens near Seattle want monorail too. New efforts start to spread monorail.

January 12, 2003
Monorail selected for transit system in Penang, Malaysia.

February 5, 2003
The United States Maglev Coalition is formed.

February 24, 2003
The father of the grassroots monorail effort in Seattle, Dick Falkenbury, resigns from the Seattle Popular Monorail Authority (SPMA-formerly ETC).

March 11, 2003
General Atomics building maglev test track at their San Diego facility.

March 13, 2003
Another extension being added to Dortmund University H-Bahn in Germany.

March 27, 2003
The Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization selects monorail as the preferred alternative for a fixed guideway system in FL.

May 17, 2003
Debate over whether the Seattle Center Monorail should be torn down for replacement with 14-mile system rages on. Preservationists succeed in getting landmark status for the 1962 monorail.

May 18, 2003
The Monorail Society website is five years old.

June 16, 2003
The Regional Transportation Commission approves an extension of the Las Vegas Monorail to downtown Las Vegas as next phase of expansion.

June 22, 2003
Jakarta, Indonesia studies proposal by Malaysia’s MTrans for monorail. The Monorail Society membership reaches 3,000.

July 20, 2003
Initial track for Putrajaya Monorail spotted in Malaysia where it will link to high speed rail line to Kuala Lumpur and airport.

August 9, 2003
Tax collection lower than expected for Seattle Monorail Project. Also, SPMA reveals ‘iris’ split track design for downtown. City Council rejects landmark status for Alweg line.

August 10, 2003
Naha Monorail opens in Okinawa, Japan, the islands first rail system since World War II.

August 14, 2003
Niagara Falls monorail project in Ontario, Canada obtains $18 million grant. System is slated to open in 2006.

August 14, 2003
Bob Broadbent remembered, the man who spearheaded the successful effort to get a monorail system for the Las Vegas resort corridor.

August 31, 2003
The Kuala Lumpur Monorail opens in Malaysia.

September 18, 2003
Metrail hybrid technology monorail test track revealed. Test track up and running in Malaysia.

October 9, 2003
Monorail Nigeria group formed to promote system for city of Lagos.

October 25, 2003
Controversies abound over Seattle Monorail Project. Tax being evaded, alignment argued over and single-line areas considered.

November 16, 2003
Shanghai Transrapid maglev sets a speed record of 501 kilometers per hour (311 mph) during test phase.

December 25, 2003
Boston highway monorail proposed by Massachusetts State Rep. David Flynn.

December 30, 2003
Shanghai Transrapid becomes first maglev train in world to go into daily commercial service.

January 25, 2004
A 13-km monorail line is proposed to connect Vnukovo Airport with Moscow, carrying on a tradition of monorail proposals that began in the 1960s.

February 1, 2004
Las Vegas Monorail drops 18-inch drive shaft during tests. Jakarta Monorail construction delayed. Backers say 2006 for opening.

February 10, 2004
Monorailrecall.com formed to stop monorail project in Seattle, which has to date received three ‘build it’ votes from citizens. Effort is headed by light rail proponent Richard Borkowski.

March 2, 2004
MTrans dropped from Jakarta monorail project. Hitachi of Japan now favored.

March 9, 2004
Germany’s Munich International Airport opens maglev preview center for proposed connector to city.

March 10, 2004
Shanghai-Hangzhou maglev studied in China.

March 10, 2004
The Seattle Monorail Project final Environmental Impact Statement is released.

April 6, 2004
Aerobus announces contract for Weihai over-water line in China.

April 23, 2004
Monorail recall petition fails to garner 50,000 signatures for Seattle ballot initiative.

May 8, 2004
The Monorail Society website reveals new look for easier navigation and updated look. Monorail proposed for Hershey, PA.

May 13, 2004
Hitachi signs MOU with Jakarta to provide monorail system for Indonesian city.

May 31, 2004
Seattle Center Monorail Blue Train catches fire by Seattle Center.

June 8, 2004
Monorail project for Putrajaya, Malaysia delayed.

June 24, 2004
Severn-Lamb reportedly close to deal for monorail in Almady, Kazakhstan.

July 15, 2004
TMS members attend opening of Las Vegas Monorail System in NV.

August 6, 2004
Bombardier withdraws from bid process for Seattle Monorail Project, leaving Hitachi as sole bidder.

August 9, 2004
Monorail proposed for city of Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.

August 22, 2004
Hitachi to prepare feasibility study for Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

September 1, 2004
Tire falls from Las Vegas Monorail, system is closed until cause can be found.

September 9, 2004
After reopening on the 8th, another part falls from Las Vegas Monorail. This time it’s a 6-inch disk. System closes again.

September 13, 2004
MTrans signs a joint-venture agreement for Gangnam District Monorail in Seoul City, South Korea.

September 26, 2004
Tokyo Monorail is 40 years young.

October 28, 2004
Megamall connection proposed for Kuala Lumpur Monorail. In the Bahamas, an off-shore development known as Moon Bahamas is proposed featuring monorail.

November 2, 2004
Monorail recall ballot issue fails, fourth vote for monorail by Seattle citizens.

November 12, 2004
Hytran of Hinsdale, IL promotes steel railed version of SAFEGE monorail.

November 14, 2004
Monorail preview rides begin in Chongqing, China.

November 27, 2004
Moscow Monorail opens for ‘passenger tests.’

December 16, 2004
Seattle Center Monorail trains return to service first time since fire.

December 18, 2004
Metrail proposed for Bangalore, India.

December 24, 2004
Las Vegas Monorail reopens after rough debut year.

January 18, 2005
Bombardier sends letter to Seattle Monorail Project suggesting change in procurement method as they are still very interested in providing the system. New walk-through ‘Seattle trains’ would be part of project if Bombardier bids.

January 22, 2005
Tire blast on Kuala Lumpur Monorail injures three on board the train.

January 27, 2005
Federal authorities deny funds for expansion of Las Vegas Monorail to downtown Las Vegas. First year problems sited as probable reason.

February 3, 2005
Membership in The Monorail Society reaches 4,000.

February 16, 2005
The Konya Chamber of Industry wants monorail for the Turkish city and contacts TMS for information.

February 17, 2005
Chandigarh, India gets proposal for Metrail monorail system.

February 20, 2005
Transrapid proposed for United Kingdom maglev system known as the Ultraspeed UK Project.

February 23, 2005
Durban, South Africa moves forward on plan for monorail system in tourist area.

March 4, 2005
Jakarta continues to suffer finance problems for troubled monorail project. Hitachi may be out now.

March 7, 2005
Tehran, Iran considers monorail transit system. TMS receives information requests. DestiNY USA project in Syracuse, NY proposes airport connector monorail.

March 16, 2005
Von Roll monorail makes last run around Sentosa Island in Singapore.

March 20, 2005
Futrex still attempting to get financing for demo line.

March 20, 2005
Kitakyushu Monorail operates without problems after 7.0 magnitude earthquake on island of Kyushu.

March 30, 2005
Monorail proposed for Oxford Street in London, England. Monorail proposed for peoplemover system around proposed Burj Dubai skyscraper in UAE.

April 28, 2005
Washington Group International drops out of Seattle Monorail project Hitachi’s Cascadia Team citing “business reasons.”

May 5, 2005
Las Vegas Monorail continues to suffer glitches and national press covers every one of them.

May 24, 2005
Lowe’s Motor Speedway owner O. Bruton Smith proposes monorail in Concord Hills, NC.

June 2, 2005
Syria’s Minister of Transport announce MTrans to build system in Damascus.

June 3, 2005
Seattle Monorail Project signs agreement in principle with Hitachi’s Cascadia Monorail.

June 18, 2005
Chongqing Monorail opens in China.

July 4, 2005
Joel Horn and Tom Weeks step down from positions with Seattle Monorail Project, shortly after financing plan is nixed.

July 24, 2005
Canberra, Australia architects, planners and engineers come up with ‘Moving our Future’ concept including monorail.

August 3, 2005
MTrans claims to secure monorail deal for Delhi, India.

August 8, 2005
The Jakarta Post reports that Siemens AG of Germany is now the favored contractor for monorail.

August 9, 2005
Las Vegas Monorail reports record month for ridership in July.

September 16, 2005
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels withdraws support for Seattle Monorail Project, setting stage for fifth vote.

October 4, 2005
Jakarta Monorail project now says local firms will build system.

October 20, 2005
Seattle Monorail Project trims budget by $7 billion.

October 29, 2005
Las Vegas Monorail celebrates 10 millionth passenger.

November 3, 2005
Las Vegas airport extension study OK’d by Clark County Commission.

November 6, 2005
Transrapid proposed for cross-Holland system.

November 8, 2005
Seattle votes for fifth time on monorail, this time they vote to end the project.

November 15, 2005
Dubailand Monorail planned in UAE. Major missteps of Seattle Monorail Project Authority and lack of support from Mayor Nickels seen as key reasons.

November 26, 2005
Seattle Center Monorails scrape each other at pinch point by Westlake Center Station.

December 14, 2005
Hitachi wins contract for Palm Jumeirah Monorail in UAE.

December 18, 2005
As project winds down, numerous archival items from SMP donated to The Monorail Society.

January 16, 2006
Chennai, India selects monorail for city-wide system.

January 31, 2006
Monorail proposed for Hartford, CT by Connecticut River Monorail Alliance.

February 5, 2006
Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury challenges Los Angeles to build monorail in editorial “L.A.’s future is up in the air.”

March 13, 2006
Politicians kill efforts for rail in Pinellas County, FL for fourth time in 30 years.

March 28, 2006
Money approved for monorail study of Tunica area in MS.

April 3, 2006
Wilshire Boulevard Monorail proposed in Los Angeles, CA.

April 13, 2006
L.A. County Monorail system proposed by Brian C. Brooks. Plans include making use of 100s of miles of water channels crisscrossing the area.

April 14, 2006
71 kilometers of extensions proposed for Kuala Lumpur Monorail by operators.

May 11, 2006
Anti-monorail forces capture elections in Chennai, India, ending hopes for monorail.

June 29, 2006
Kuala Lumpur Monorail carries 40 millionth passenger.

July 4, 2006
Jaipur, India says no to metro system and yes to monorail.

August 6, 2006
‘High Tech Monorails’ video previewed in Hollywood, CA by filmmaker Rob Kelly.

August 11, 2006
Shanghai Maglev has onboard fire, forcing evacuation of the train.

August 12, 2006
Seattle Center Monorail runs again for first time since ‘pinch’ accident.

August 20, 2006
Seattle Center Monorail stalls along route, passengers suffer in heat while waiting for rescue.

October 12, 2006
Portsmouth, England monorail plan fizzles when promoters don’t come up with finalized plans.

October 30, 2006
Seoul, South Korea ends plans for MTrans monorail in Kangnam-gu area.

December 7, 2006
Las Vegas Monorail receives land use permit to extend monorail to McCarran International Airport.

December 19, 2006
Monorail to the pyramids proposed in Cairo, Egypt.

December 28, 2006
Letters of intent signed with MTrans to pursue development of monorail systems in Venezuela.

January 25, 2007
Masotoshi Kawahara is celebrated as the 1.5 billionth rider of the 42 year-old Tokyo Monorail.

February 1, 2007
Sentosa Express Monorail opens in Singapore, the first ‘Hitachi Small’ system.

February 23, 2007
Membership in The Monorail Society reaches 5,000. Manama, Bahrain planning monorail.

February 27, 2007
Johor Bahru, Malaysia plans monorail system.

March 3, 2007
Develop Peel Holdings proposes major overhaul of Central Docks in Liverpool, England. Monorail is part of plan.

March 10, 2007
A 7-km maglev is approved in South Korea.

March 17, 2007
The Jakarta Post reports monorail project will commence construction again.

March 26, 2007
Tokyo Monorail service halted when crane hits side of train.

April 15, 20007
Iran considers 900-km Transrapid maglev system.

April 17, 2007
Mitsubishi reveals new SAFEGE train designs, much sleeker than earlier incarnations.

May 10, 2007
Prostitutes arrested on monorail beam in Kuala Lumpur, trying to flea from police.

May 15, 2007
Monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto, South Africa planned.

June 8, 2007
Hope fades for Jakarta Monorail project again!

August 8, 2007
South Africa government halts private plans for Johannesburg monorail.

August 15, 2007
Developers propose monorail for Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada.

August 27, 2007
Monorail feasibility study completed for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

October 17, 2007
3.4 km monorail planned for Istanbul, Turkey

November 27, 2007
Scomi (formerly MTrans) unveils new Sutra train design with full-scale test vehicle.

December 7, 2007
Tekray monorail technology revealed in Ankara, Turkey. Test vehicle on track.

December 15, 2007
A 28-km, three line monorail system is being planned for Sokcho, South Korea.

December 20, 2007
1st of new Mark VII monorail trains arrives at Disneyland, California and is hoisted onto track.

January 13, 2008
Monorail systems planned for Makkah, Saudi Arabia to deal with millions of pilgrims that visit holy sites each year.

January 14, 2008
Demonstrations break out in Shanghai against maglev extension.

January 30, 2008
Hitachi bids for second attempt at Honolulu transit rail line. Anaheim, CA Mayor Pringle wants area monorail system.

February 27, 2008
Pune, India halts plan for monorail

February 28, 2008
Aerobus wins contract for cable-suspended monorail system in Melaka, Malaysia.

March 27, 2008
Germany cancels Transrapid maglev plan to connect Munich with airport due to escalating costs.

April 25, 2008
Monorail proposed for Christ Church, Barbados. Monorail proposed for Preston, United Kingdom. Penang, Malaysia monorail plan in danger of cancellation over politics.

April 21, 2008
Development maglev opens one-km line in Daejon, South Korea.

June 17, 2008
Security robot monorails developed by Linceu GmbH of Germany.

June 26, 2008
Penang Monorail project halted in Malaysia.

July 3, 2008
Monorail Red, the first Mark VII train, debuts passenger service in Disneyland, CA. Air conditioning problems prevent service throughout day due to greenhouse effect inside cars.

July 8, 2008
New minirail spirals up and down inside store in Shanghai, China.

July 15, 2008
MonoMobile demonstrates prototype car/monorail hybrid vehicle.

July 28, 2008
Las Vegas Monorail alignment plans shortened for airport extension by one mile.

July 31, 2008
Futrex Inc. puts their technology and company up for sale.

August 6, 2008
Crane slices into Wuppertal Schwebebahn train in Germany.

August 14, 2008
News reports indicate Scomi wins bid for Mumbai, India monorail.

August 28, 2008
British monorail company claims to win contract for Makkah in press release. Later company threatens legal action against TMS if story and any mention of company is not removed from website.

August 26, 2008
Hitachi shows off first of Palm Monorail trains.

September 12, 2008
Metrail AG of Switzerland is awarded contract for 6-km hybrid monorail system in City of Arabia, UAE.

September 28, 2008
The government of Bahrain approves monorail for Manama.

October 2, 2008
Hitachi obtains order for monorail system in Daegu, South Korea.

October 15, 2008
Second monorail system is approved for Mumbai, India.

October 16, 2008
Scomi announced as official winning bidder for Mumbai Monorail Project, India.

November 5, 2008
Construction begins on inverted-t monorail system in Incheon, South Korea.

November 22, 2008
Kolkata becomes latest Indian city to proclaim interest in monorail system.

December 23, 2008
Idea for Colorado Monorail to connect DIA, Denver and mountain resorts revived in newspaper editorial.

January 1, 2009
The Monorail Society celebrates its 20th year.
I personally thank all of you for your support and encouragement. I look forward to many more years of monorail news, mostly good hopefully! With the wonderful membership of TMS, I look forward to improving The Monorail Society in ways I could have never imagined way back when. As many new TMS members remind me when they join... Monorails ROCK!

Kim Pedersen
President/Founder
The Monorail Society