The Monorail Society

What The Monorail Society does

The Monorail Society is an all-volunteer, member-supported non-profit advocacy organization founded in 1989 by Kim A. Pedersen to promote monorail and maglev transit as efficient urban transportation alternatives. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area (Fremont, CA), the organization operates a single informational website (monorails.org) containing over 580 pages of content covering global monorail systems, technical documentation, history, news, and advocacy editorials. Membership is free and open globally, with the organization reporting 7,000+ members across multiple countries.

The organization's core product is its content platform, which covers monorail technologies including ALWEG beam, Safege suspended, and Maglev systems. Revenue is generated through three limited streams: modest website advertising, sales of founder Kim Pedersen's book 'Monorails: Trains of the Future - Now Arriving' and educational DVDs, and member contributions. There are no paid staff; the organization is operated entirely by volunteers including Vice President Keith S. Walls, who oversees technical content following Pedersen's death in January 2017.

The Monorail Society serves three primary audience segments: transit enthusiasts seeking comprehensive monorail information and community connection, urban planners and policymakers researching monorail as a transit option, and students/academics working on transit-related research. The organization's go-to-market is community-led, relying on member engagement, website content, social media (Facebook, YouTube, Flickr), and educational resources rather than direct sales. Distribution is global through digital channels, with no geographic restrictions on membership or content access.

Name

The Monorail Society

Legal name

The Monorail Society

Website

https://monorails.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Monorail Society is a volunteer-run non-profit advocacy organization founded in 1989 that operates monorails.org, providing 580+ pages of monorail and maglev transit information, news, and technical documentation to a global free-membership community of 7,000+ enthusiasts, planners, and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transit Advocacy Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882), Rail Transportation (482)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011)

akta.pro primary industry

Monorail Operators (TLAFAEAF)

Keywords

• Monorail transit advocacy
• Urban transportation education
• Mass transit information
• Maglev transit resources
• Transit enthusiast community

Headquarters

HQ city

Fremont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Website Advertising: Limited website advertising to support operational costs
2. Membership: Free membership program; organization depends on members for support
3. Book and DVD Sales: Sale of promotional materials including Kim Pedersen's book 'Monorails: Trains of the Future - Now Arriving' and educational DVDs about monorail systems

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Monorail Society operates the monorails.org website, a free membership program, and related digital content channels to advocate for monorail and maglev transportation. It provides news, technical documentation, system directories, history, modeling resources, and community engagement to promote monorails as a sustainable urban transit solution. The organization also sells educational materials including books and DVDs about monorail systems worldwide.

Product overview

The Monorail Society operates a single informational website (monorails.org) that serves as the primary platform for promoting monorail transportation. The organization is an all-volunteer advocacy group, not a product company. The website contains educational content about monorail systems worldwide, technical information, news updates, and community resources including collectibles and modeling pages. No commercial software products or services are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monorails.org Website An informational website serving as an all-encompassing resource on monorail technology, featuring over 580 pages of content including news, monorail system directories, technical pages, history, modeling resources, and collectibles information. Targeted at transit enthusiasts, urban planners, students, and educators worldwide.
• The Monorail Society Membership A free membership program that provides members with email updates and access to the global monorail enthusiast community. Open to individuals passionate about monorail and mass transit technology worldwide, with over 7,000 members.
• Monorails: Trains of the Future - Now Arriving (Book) An educational book authored by Kim Pedersen about monorail transit technology and history, sold through the Monorail Store with proceeds supporting the organization. Targeted at transit enthusiasts and general readers interested in monorail technology.
• Educational DVDs about Monorail Systems Educational DVDs about monorail systems sold through the Monorail Store to support the organization's advocacy mission. Targeted at transit enthusiasts and educators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 580 pages of monorail content available
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• International Monorail AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe International Monorail Association facilitated contact between TMS and Daegu officials for the photo essay documentation project. A collaborative relationship between monorail industry organizations.
• Flickr GroupminorOthersOfficial Monorail Society Photo Post Site on Flickr for member-submitted photography

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Public Transportation Association (APTA): The largest North American public transit industry association. APTA is a much broader incumbent covering all transit modes, but is comparable as an advocacy and information organization serving transit professionals and policymakers.
• National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO): An association of major North American cities producing design guidance and policy advocacy for urban streets and transit. Comparable as a transit-focused advocacy and information organization serving urban planners.
• Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP): A global nonprofit promoting sustainable and equitable urban transportation. Comparable as an advocacy organization producing research, technical documentation, and policy guidance for transit modes including elevated systems.

Direct peers

• Transportation for America: A coalition advocating for better transportation policy at federal, state, and local levels. Comparable as an advocacy-driven nonprofit producing research and mobilizing community support for transit alternatives.
• TransitCenter: A foundation focused on improving urban transit through research, advocacy, and partnerships. Comparable as a content-and-advocacy-driven nonprofit targeting transit riders, planners, and policymakers.
• The International Monorail Association: The most direct peer — an industry association dedicated to monorail promotion. Already a documented partner of TMS, the two operate in the same niche of monorail advocacy and global project documentation.
• Streetsblog: An online publication and advocacy platform covering urban transportation, transit, and complete streets. Comparable as a content-first transportation advocacy outlet using web publishing and social media.
• Rail Passengers Association: A member-based advocacy organization promoting rail passenger service in the United States. Highly comparable as a community-led, content-driven rail advocacy nonprofit with member engagement and policy focus.
• Community Transportation Association of America: A national nonprofit advocacy and membership organization supporting community and public transportation. Operates with a similar member-driven advocacy model targeting transit professionals and planners.
• Light Rail Now: An advocacy and informational site promoting light rail and quality transit. Closely comparable in mission and format to TMS — a volunteer-led, content-driven advocacy organization focused on a specific rail transit mode.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/monorailguru
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/monorailsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Monorail Society