Mission | Concept | Staff and Markets | Operating Display | History
Monorail History
First monorail at Cheshunt England in 1825
Based on a 1821 patent of Henry Palmer and put into service in 1825 in brick yard. It was designed to carry bricks. For the grand opening they attached a carriage making monorail history by also carrying people.
Pictures, unless noted, used with permission of the Monorail Society, recolor work by Karl W. Guenther Jr. & Wilfred Sergeant.
Electrified in the USA
Built on the grounds of the Enos Electric Company in Greenville New Jersey, called the Enos Electric Railway. Build out of light steel construction. It beat the Wuppertal into performance but was never expanded.
Wuppertal 1901 to Present
The Schwebebahn not only moves millions of people but has successfully united two towns, helping them to overcome their former rivalries.
Video cameras supervise the 50,000 passengers who board the train daily.
Pre 1953 Alweg System
This Alweg technology purchased by Bombardier is now the US’s most prolific design. Worlds Fair in Seattle, WA, Disney, US & France, Las Vegas, Japan also has many.
Jacksonville, one of the US’s largest cities as to land mass, has quietly built a smaller version of the above and is constantly examining ways to improve mobility for their residents and visitors.
1958 First dual-track vehicle
Monorail SAFEGE 1958
Funded by Michelin Tire of France, the above prototype was built.
This technology was purchased and has been used in both Japan & Germany.
Shonan Japan 1970
Permission from the Japanese Railway Society (JRS) founded in 1991 in London, England, to promote the knowledge of the railways of Japan.
Since the train runs up in the air about 30 feet high, visibility out of the train windows is rather spectacular.
The view is directed downward compared to bottom supported systems: showing scenery, pedestrians, shopping displays and traffic congestion that is avoided by this trip.
As seen in our video, this technology is ideal for a curving Urban environment.
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