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Dear Colleague(s),
I was listening to an interesting podcast during the TEDRadioHour on National Public Radio. The talk was given by a scientist by the name of Astro Teller, the director of Google X laboratories, “defined as a "moonshot" factory for building audacious ideas that can solve concrete problems for millions of people through technology.”
During his talk titled When A Project Fails, Should The Workers Get A Bonus? Mr. Teller says his team awards his employees for seeing the calamity of a project and letting that project fail. By doing this, he believes it empowers the employees to keep their visions big and to keep learning. Their theory is to chase after failure and to run at all the hardest parts of the problems first. Discovering a major flaw in the project can be an asset. You learn from those flaws.
Working on many monorail projects, we have all learned numerous things to help deliver systems that are environmentally and economically sound. Now, I think our projects are similar to moonshots for many communities trying to find the way to get gridlock out of their communities. They require vision and resolve. We need to continue learning and spreading our knowledge to help each other deliver these projects based on the common knowledge.
There is no better chance to learn and reward the curiosity on this technology than this upcoming Monorailex 2016 Conference/Specifications Workshop in Cologne, Germany. The program being prepared includes presentations from operators, vehicle, system and civil designers and contractors, and code related workshops to develop comments on the ASCE 21 documents and performance specifications that can be used on new projects.
We have about a month to make things happen until September 15th. Take on the challenge and come to learn and experience the camaraderie and knowledge among our members, to launch the next moonshot in our communities!
On behalf of the Executive Council,
Carlos Banchik, P.E.
President
International Monorail Association
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Monorail Highlights
Note: The links below are to articles that appear relevant as monorail news. IMA doesn't guarantee accuracy of the articles nor do we endorse the integrity of the associated websites.
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The Hanging Monorail of Chiba, Japan
The Chiba Urban Monorail is a suspended monorail system in Chiba, Japan (near Tokyo). It’s the longest in the world, with a system length of 24.5km/15.2miles. It’s a rare configuration for public transport, with fantastic views of the passing city, a sci-fi glimpse of passing buildings from several stories up, and an unobstructed view of the path ahead.
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Events
Conference/Specifications Workshop
Get Over the Top Performance with Monorail
Cologne, Germany, September 15-18, 2016
Thursday, 9/15
- Welcome Cocktail Reception
Friday, 9/16
- Member's Meeting
- Presentations
- Technical Visit to Skytrain
- Gala Dinner at Rheinterrassen Koln
Saturday, 9/17
- Presentations
- Technical Session / Specifications Workshop
- Guided Sight Seeing Tour with Dinner
Sunday, 9/18
- Technical Session / Specifications Workshop
- End of Conference / Barbeque
- Night Free
Monday, 9/19
- Transfer to Berlin for InnoTrans
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
SAVE US$100 IF YOU REGISTER BY AUGUST 15th!!
Please Note: If you would like to present any relevant information at the conference, please get in contact with Heather Brown and we will see if there is some available space.
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HOTEL REGISTRATION (must register by August 17, 2016)
Please make your hotel reservation as soon as you can. There is another event going on in Cologne at the time of our conference and most of the hotels are either sold out or very expensive. We have reserved rooms at the hotel below. If you have any questions, please reach out to Heather Brown.
NOTE: We will have a bus taking us to and from the hotel to the conference.
Savoy Hotel Cologne
Turiner Strasse 9
50688 Cologne
Germany
Tel: +49 221 1623 0
Email: info@savoy.de
Single-Room: 168 EUR / Night
Double-Room: 194 EUR / Night
Including Breakfast, WLAN, SPA
Code-Word*: “Monorailex 2016”
*NOTE: To make a reservation, please use the phone number above or contact the hotel via email. The discounted hotel rooms will not be available online.
The City of Cologne imposes a “tax for promotion and advancement of culture”. This tax only has to be paid by tourists. As delegates of this conference, you are freed from this tax as this is a business event. Please complete the form below and send it to the hotel during the reservation.
Work-Related Accommodation Form |
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Worth Considering
The Monorail Society
- How many times people have inquired you about things they have read at www.monorails.org?
- How many times have we referred people to look into the Monorail Society’s website www.monorails.org?
- How many times have you sent information to Mr. Kim Pedersen, the Society President, related to projects you have worked on, or projects you have seen?
- How many times have you been able to point with pride to colleagues, friends and family, projects you have been involved displayed at the website?
If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, this might be a good time to support the labor of the Society by becoming a member and better yet if you can, donate to it if you have not done that to date. It is through the support of all of us that this Society can continue to thrive and be there when we need it, it is only fair. By the way, have you seen the beautiful book Mr. Pedersen created?
UITP - International Association of Public Transport
As a passionate champion of sustainable urban mobility, UITP is internationally recognized for its work in advancing the development of this critical policy agenda. UITP has a long history to its name, and is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all sustainable transport modes.
They are working to enhance quality of life and economic well-being by supporting and promoting sustainable transport in urban areas worldwide.
ATRA - Advanced Transit Association
The Advanced Transit Association (ATRA) is an international association of active and retired transportation professionals, engineers, architects, urban planners, students, educators, and enthusiasts that promote the consideration of advanced transit options. They do not endorse any particular company or system, rather they strive to serve as an objective information resource to help decision makers navigate the often complex issues surrounding transportation choices particularly as it pertains to new technology.
Fundamentally, advanced transit is the transportation of people (and goods) in a way that is superior to conventional transit. It seeks to improve transit by applying some, or all, of the following techniques:
- Using small vehicles accommodating people traveling to one, or very few, destination stations
- Locating numerous stations on sidings (offline) so walking distances are short and vehicles not destined there can pass by without stopping
- Running the vehicles on a network of dedicated guideways linking all stations and separated from pedestrians and other traffic thus enhancing safety and alleviating surface congestion
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