The Monorail - An All-In-One Windows 95 Computer! (Retrospective)

[@LGR]

【ＭＯＮＯＲＡＩＬ】 These things are just neat, and it's nice to see the base model. Shame that the display is so poor, otherwise I'd have my Model 133 in use more often, as it's just a fun system to use due to the form factor and tanklike metal case. The liquified rubbery nastiness inside though, _yikes._ Looking forward to that recovery disc image 👍

[@TomGreen99]

_GREETINGS_

[@bruceiscool05]

G R E E T I N G S !

[@livefreeprintguns]

I just got done watching your joystick doohickey video!

[@jaiden051]

Greetings!

[@SeekingTheTriple]

I knew you'd be here. Didn't even have to look.

[@andresbravo2003]

After LGR a few years later... Michael MJD finally uploaded a retrospective video. I would say that I enjoyed watching Both LGR and Michael MJD Videos because it's a labor of love.

[@KanawhaCountyWX]

But no late 90s dialup wank bank??? No deal.

[@baerthe]

Would love to see Clint and Michael do some sort of collab 👌

[@peterdevreter]

Mwaha, LGR had a pornorail :P

[@jusun2009]

BBISHOPCCM made a video too way before LGR did. So Michael is the third person to introduce this monster throughly on KZbin.

[@lenardhester]

This was the first computer I ever bought for myself. For the life of me I could not remember what the thing was called. I am so glad I stumbled across this video!

[@KC8EWU]

Best part is the stamping dies used too make the cases were built in Walker, Michigan! I worked there near 14 years when the shop folded.

[@JoCaTen]

90s-2000s tech never cease to amaze. I love it.

[@adews7204]

I was always quite fond of this computer with its unique design ever since I’ve seen LGR’s video. It was interesting seeing the internals, and seeing it getting repaired. Fantastic job on the video!

[@millsyinnz]

Amazing how domain names can point to totally different sites over the years.

[@CEO100able]

Now that's quite as fantastic as classic iMac models!

[@Hawk1966]

I think they should have pushed this at small and medium sized businesses. The compactness the difficulty for users to poke around inside. They'd look great lining desks or sitting in cubicles, take up way less space. For the average cubicle warrior this is more than powerful enough. Yeah, great it's got appeal on the home market but I think the business idea would have been better.

[@raptors222222]

This seems like it would be a perfect computer for the office Cheap, compact, manageability handled by the company. Woinder if they tried marketing to government agencies and light corporate offices.

[@kens32052]

Most of ours were converted into time clocks in the manufacturing building.

[@brentsummers7377]

By 1996 beige boxes were very common & people had worked out that replacing or adding parts was pretty easy. Compaq's all in one designs were a lot more practical even though they used a CRT monitor.

[@MikeStavola]

I bought a knockoff of one of these for my mom in the late 90s. The Win9x era of AIO computers were universally junk. The case started cracking and losing little bits out of the bottom within a year.

[@GroupNebula563]

I MUST SEE IT

[@kens32052]

The Monorails were made out of metal so they held up pretty well.

[@MikeStavola]

@@GroupNebula563 it was junked before 2002

[@InsanityPrevails]

Ah MJD... The only place on KZbin where nothing ever goes smoothly 😅

[@CutieFakeKirby]

Lol, you're right

[@MickeyMousePark]

And that is one of the great things about a MJD video :)

[@gluttonousmaximus9048]

@@mirrorcatz Well, with gadgets dug up from random people's storage or a warehouse after who knows how long, you can't be so sure. I mean, I bought 5 used Game Boy units for curiosity purposes within one year, and after part failures and damages and mishaps and oversights, I only managed to put together 2 working ones.

[@aaroncarson]

@@gluttonousmaximus9048 Managing to get 2 is definitely an achievement 😛

[@Krst22ify]

You've never been on the car side of KZbin clearly

[@Nabeelco]

They should have leaned into the Kiosk / PoS market. Added a touch screen, doubled the price, and sold it to big box stores as a total solution for setting up cash registers and whatnot.

[@da_roachdogjr]

I think those PoS things came years after, I'm not sure though.

[@Nabeelco]

@@da_roachdogjr That's my point, they could have cornered that market.

[@AJ-po6up]

God those 90s LCDs were the stuff from nightmares, always hated them, CRTs were soo much better.

[@Plasmacore_V]

You don't like motion blur?

[@datenkrake7504]

man did u saw one of the hacker movies where you thought the LCDs was a Projector? its to funny shiit i search today for this but you cant find!!!!

[@JeSuisUnePatate]

I'd try to find an active 10.4 screen to fit inside this awesome computer ! I know it's probably not worth it but I'd do anyway. 😇 Great job & vid !

[@hugosimoes5119]

I was thinking about the same. It deserves a better lcd. There should be a better lcd out there even from a dead laptop.

[@Velo1010]

I think the one advantage of the Monorail over a tower is space. It has a small footprint. Something that you can set up in a tight space.

[@meligarcia]

Good to see you review this thing. I first saw LGR do it!

[@ashleysuvs5187]

I absolutely love that you have subtitles on your videos, I usually watch a lot of videos at night with earplugs in trying to get sleep and it’s a major help :) just wanted to thank you since a lot of bigger channels don’t bother with it

[@MichaelMJD]

I'm glad you find them useful!

[@TheFlushentity]

Fantastic piece of retro history, thank you for the upload.

[@freeyourmind9751]

Interesting Video, i never heard about the monorail-PC before. But i'm even more impressed about your dis- and reassembling skills, i could not do that in 100 years!

[@NoahClevinger]

I’d love to see more retrospectives from you in the future, Michael! They’re always so well-made.

[@MichaelMJD]

Thank you Noah!

[@ptzzz]

I appreciate the use of more graphics (like on the portion about the box and shipping in this video) on your recent videos. Had to double check when I saw "retrospective" on the title that it was a MichaelMJD video since I tend to associate it with LGR.

[@rhydiangalindo8939]

got confused too they're so similar The Monorail: $999 All-In-One Windows PC from 1996! vs The Monorail - An All-In-One Windows 95 Computer!

[@ptzzz]

@@rhydiangalindo8939 Agreed. And funny that LGR just commented on this MichaelMJD vid.

[@MarcoGPUtuber]

I think this PC needs a touch up. Maybe a Taiwanese Mandarin copy of Windows 95 would suffice? :P

[@DaciaSandero_1.5DCi]

LOL

[@Mislav1]

Great video MJD! It would be cool if you could make windows server editions upgrade saga (similar to windows 1.0 - 7 and NT upgrade saga). So windows NT 3.1 - 3.5 - 3.51 - 4.0 - 2000 - 2003 R2 and 2008 R2 server editions.

[@soundspark]

2008 would be the end of the line for 32-bit.

[@Grason20]

@@soundspark you can use a modern 64 bit pc and start by installing windows NT3.1

[@jacobsekela8691]

When I saw this pop up I was instantly reminded of LGR's Monorail video. Please do more Retrospective/History videos!

[@bortverde]

I knew i have seen it before somewhere

[@kens32052]

We had a few hundred of these back in the late 90s where I worked. I now wish I should have saved a few lol. We had to break the seal and open them up to add a 3com NIC. This really brings back memories...sigh.

[@drygnfyre]

Rubber reversion is a big issue with virtually any product that was made in the late 90s/early 00s. I've got several still usable USB sticks from that era, but their soft outer casing is melting and getting sticky. Seems after about 20 years, it starts to revert. It's why most newer products are aluminum or some other metal, so the issue won't happen in the future.

[@qlum]

While not perfect, the rubbery coating can be cleaned off with alcohol, requires a bit of rubbing but works quite well. Especially since those coatings can sometimes disintegrate after just a few years, when the product is otherwise still good / relevant.

[@stevethepocket]

And if it hasn't gone sticky yet, attempting to clean it with alcohol can apparently make it happen. Found that out when I tried to clean a pair of cheap bluetooth headphones I found at a rummage sale. They're busted anyway so it was no big loss, but a lesson learned.

[@qlum]

@@stevethepocket The alcohol disolves the layer so that can happen, if you continue using it it will rub off completely.

[@MishraArtificer]

I have a few Dane-Elec 1GB USB flash drives from around 2007 that are doing that...

[@meetoo594]

I have one of those laptop/tablet hybrids whose case started getting tacky after less than a year from new and was unusable within 2 years. Bought the thing from Lidl (European wallmart type store). Had no idea manufacturers were still using whatever horrid material it is that degrades back to oil so quickly. I guess its cheap, although the laptop most certainly wasnt.

[@thag_simmons]

WOW that's a cool case design. makes me wonder where they got the inspiration from, because just looking at this thing is firing all the little designer's neurons in my brain :0

[@KC8EWU]

The best part is the tooling for case was built at the former Progressive Die & Automation, Walker, Michigan. If shop didn't close in 2003 I probably would be there yet.

[@MattePurple1]

I was just re-watching LGRs video on the Monorail and then this popped up. How serendipitous. Great video as always.

[@agentburningbutters3655]

Never before I knew that all in ones existed in the 90s!

[@Pupp3tCl0wn]

Alternative title: "I tried to install the ethernet card but everything goes wrong". Classic Michael MJD video

[@kens32052]

We had to use low-profile 3com cards. Also where the card connected to the Monorail had to be bent 90 degrees to fit.

[@lucasvidz9488]

@@kens32052 Damn you worked there?

[@Yarumasi]

When I first saw it, I assumed it would be for applicable settings like, a bank display? maybe a car mounted setup (you know, like those tvs you hook into for car trips). But it wasnt even aiming at these things which really sucked. I even thought monorail would be like a supplier of train computers passengers would use, but apparently not.

[@drewjackson3858]

It's fun to step into the mind of the designers. This is the kind of thing you'd see in 2001 or the original Battlestar. People must have geeked the heck out when they saw it. And those big plus and minus signs...I'm geeking the heck out...

[@RadikAlice]

Never heard of it, but it sure is still a winner in the aesthetics department. So I think that counts for something

[@kens32052]

The case was all metal. I'm sure today something like this would be made of plastic.

[@RadikAlice]

@@kens32052 True, and not just plastic. Crappy, cheap plastic at that

[@nickynikos]

Monorail! Monorail! Monorail!

[@SQKILL2]

You, my dude, are doing the work I couldn't do because of my f****** shaking hands and for that, I admire you

[@bilboswagg3nz827]

I've noticed an increase in the quality of your videos recently. Keep up the good work!

[@stephanieiwaniuk6088]

Thank you for the awesome video Michael! I know you are busy moving so I really appreciate the upload. Have a great weekend!

[@robertoXCX]

I remember WAY back when i first noticed you had a Monorail keyboard. Congratulations on completing the set!

[@robertoXCX]

I also have to wonder, would an LCD swap be a viable option for this machine? Or would that put too much strain onto the PSU and other hardware? Because personally, I just couldn't handle a passive matrix display 🤔

[@TheGadusi]

I purchased several of these for our public library and they were always a conversation starter.

[@JemaKnight]

Well sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona-fide, electrified, six-car monorail!

[@MishraArtificer]

SO glad someone else remembered that one...

[@PaperlessWriter]

So cool that you'll now make that rare ISO available for anyone that needs it. Also, love your content so thanks for all the work you do to keep this channel running:)

[@basti4655]

The quality of your videos is just incredible! This was so interesting i forgot to drink from my beer in those 13 ½ minutes lol.

[@dintyshideaway9505]

I was working at Gateway 2000 in Kansas City when this was released, (that is also where it was built, at a tool and dye company). At the time our average unit price was over $3000, and our gross margin was over 25%. This was important because it proved a company could make, market, ship, and support a computer with less than a $250 profit. The Monorail immediately changed the entire industry, and redefined what a desktop computer was. Great video!

[@KC8EWU]

What a coincidence! I worked at the former tool and die shop that built the dies for the Monorail Computers in Walker, Michigan. Shop is long closed, along with a bunch of others in a market correction that killed some others that were in really good shape at the time.

[@helloitsme4139]

When I hear monorail, I think of that Simpson’s episode. Monorail, Monorail, Monorail !

[@dovix]

Your upload just cheered up my day

[@CCharlesHahn]

I remember these so well from when they were new, I thought they were super exotic at the time for their form factor. I also picked up 2-3 of those keyboards at a swap meet for cheap around '97-98 and still have them.

[@cptcrogge]

I got a few weeks ago a Toshiba 740CDT and love the active matrix display, even shooters are playable on this laptop from 1997. The best part is that it has an Yamaha OPL3 soundchip which makes it perfect for DOS games.

[@JARVIS1187]

First thing I think of, when I hear the word "monorail", is the episode of the Simpsons :D Great video! :)

[@Nexy9]

Love this channel, lots of nostalgia from the Costco software section growing up

[@ollieduracell]

You and LGR are for my old skool geeking. And a video from both of you in the same day

[@KerbalHub]

Ah, yes, the 1996 iMac Pro 1 inch Retina Pro display

[@PrebleStreetRecords]

I'm so glad this video popped up, I've had one of these kicking around for years, but it was de-badged so I could never find any information on it, my unit was rigged up as a kiosk at some point. I think I'll have to take some time and see if I can get it running, I tried rigging it up with an ISA ethernet card but ran into the fitment issue you talked about.

[@williamnessanbaum7464]

Hello Mike! The unique form factor of this machine reminds me of Windows NT based systems from a company named PAR Systems. PAR made equipment for the retailers Point-of-Sales market. These PAR systems were used in the 90's at Loews Theatres, Loews Cineplex and the short-lived Sony Theatres... If this Monorail had a touchscreen, I could easily picture it being used for selling tickets and food from the concessions stands.

[@rgbok5453]

For the curious: $999 dollars then is equal about $1790 today

[@BilisNegra]

Computery stuff was really pricey back then. This, in contrast, is a great time to buy cheap ass hardware (even more considering the used market now that computers don't go obsolete so quick as they used to)... and a bad one to buy most anything else, I guess...

[@DaciaSandero_1.5DCi]

my man just rickrolled me with a ruler lol nah zero hate, this channel deserves a million.

[@dwarakkrishna8639]

Damn, I can't believe I'm so early to your video. I try my best and today I'm lucky, yes sir. Been your fan for a while (and I wouldn't mind something free hehe ;)) I got into retro stuff due to you so THANK YOU for that. Really got me thinking of stuff before. Love your dedication to this and other videos lmao mad!

[@MansBestFriend_]

After watching the intro I just realized 2013 is almost 10 years ago, thanks Michael for making me feel old

[@paulstubbs7678]

That PC has to win the award for the largest bezel ever.

[@CoreyDeWalt]

I loved this video. This would have been a pretty cool PC if they could have implemented an active matrix display... I am super excited for the next video on this machine!

[@Iggykoop]

Let's just appreciate that Michael made a meme just for it to be on screen for like 3 seconds. lmao.

[@Cooe.]

Normal users didn't give a shit about "expandability". Only tech geeks thought about that crap. See the G3 iMac's MASSIVE success. That's not why this thing didn't sell.

[@Xpurple]

Hah! I had one of these for years. Got it on sale at a Circuit City for a song. I took it home, installed an Ethernet card and FreeBSD. It was a great little machine for it's time. Though, I did have a bit of trouble getting X11 to work on it. Much hair pulling.

[@IroAoYaMaDa]

As a PC gamer I really find the late 90s and early 2000s tech ultimately fascinating, that's why even myself I had so much heart to still have our old home PC with AMD Duron 1600 which was ultimately crappy single core CPU, but still delivered its purpose! And that thing sure is pretty cool in terms of it being probably the very first Windows AIO PCs (correct me if I'm wrong). The modern Windows AIO computers are probably something I might have as a daily PC for paying bills, watching KZbin or doing something very basic on Excel, but boy were the old Windows AIO PCs so appealing, so convenient and probably in some cases, sexy!

[@yaboijuanito1460]

Wow this is a interesting video. Nice video and keep up the great work!👍

[@kilajuy]

i just love this channel omg

[@steingat]

Well, sir, there's nothing on earth Like a genuine, bona fide Electrified, six-car monorail

[@lucasvidz9488]

They went from all-in-one computer to wishlist app. What a transformation

[@yourdonefor4454]

7:46 "I just said SCREW it, and busted out the soldering iron" 😂😂😂

[@I.____.....__...__]

- I got a beige Monorail PS/2 keyboard with multimedia keys in 1997. There's no corresponding computer to go with it. 🤷 - 6:00 Louis Rossmann has mentioned the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act many times during his Right-to-Repair fight. - 6:01 I read an article in the late 90s about how they bought a computer from a mom-and-pop shop that came HOT-GLUED shut with a warranty-void-if-removed sticker. They opened it found it had cheaper inferior parts from what they'd paid for. 😒 - 6:03 Companies violate laws all the time. SSD prices spiked by $50 at the start of the year (before the WD factory probelm 😒), and just last week, they jacked them up another $10 specifically so they could put them on "sale" and say it's $30 off instead of $20 (which is still $30 more than it was before they artificially raised the price). ALL of the computer shops and sites did this together at the same time. They ALL violated FTC §233.1 together… and got away with it (as usual). 😠 - 6:11 It could've been worse, they could have been pinned torx. 🤷 - 7:54 I usually just use needle-nose pliers to deal with IDE pin problems like that; you can (gently) pull them forward.

[@johnathantheitguy]

Man I wish that these computers were still a thing today! That look would’ve been so cool!

[@diegoct30]

Great Video MJD

[@michaelsasylum]

Nice use of the Toshiba Satellite, I had one of those too, a Satellite Pro 430CDT.

[@RemyJustice97]

Stop sending me down cool rabbit-holes it's 1 am 😭😭 (I got here through the cards from your Desktop Architect video...)

[@chrism869]

Man seriously this is the coolest pc ever , very sufficient in my eyes

[@richcolour]

Well sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car monorail. What'd I say?

[@djsherz]

Is there a chance the track could bend?

[@blucklightfoxartinnovation9357]

great video michael mjd great channel well done keep up the good job

[@Persanity]

A Monorail PC was my very first computer! I loved it.

[@Bebsi42069]

this wasn't just a video, this was a tech documentary

[@dave4shmups]

I started college in the Fall of 1996 and one of my roommates got a Monorail PC at the beginning of 1997.

[@haiau7045]

Damn it I wish my Goodwill had things like these. Mine just has clothes and old plates.

[@CatIsBack25]

Oh yes I remember these, I've sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook... and by gum, it put them on the map!

[@tourmaline07]

Seems like a neat idea for a PC , but one which was about 5 years ahead of its time - a larger screen , say at least 13" and ideally 15" would have made this a completely different product entirely. Might have allowed for more scope for expansion such as a sound and small videocard. Look at the iMacs which are doing so well now with a similar all in one idea. I'd have liked to see a seperatel video of you disassembling this and putting it together and fixing the melted gunk/corrosion to find out more about how it was put together!

[@K9arcade]

Enjoyed the video, this machine is just so charming

[@sburton015]

I remember when I had a similarly priced desktop at around the same time. What I had was an AST computer with a 486dx2 66 MHz cpu with 8 mb of ram and a 540 mb hard drive and ran Windows 95. That I remember we bought in February of 1997.

[@WickedGamerCollector]

Love these awesome unique pc builds.

[@gerald8573]

"totally real footage of the development team" had me in tears xD

[@TomGreen99]

_I hear those things are awfully loud._

[@RomanBellic]

It flies as softly as a cloud

[@audiocrush]

The shape of this machine kind of reminds me of the headrests in old car seats that have that rectangular hole in the middle :D

[@SICresinwrks]

What kind of rubber did they use to melt like that. Gotta be one of the weirdest things ive seen

[@luckybear8283]

Great video and a very interesting look back! Personally, I actually prefer the beige aesthetic; not only for its obvious nostalgic value but i find it an extremely calming colour and very conducive to productivity. To reach their own.

[@warbass5274]

It’s *to each their own* fucking dumb ass

[@tamoghnapal6619]

This was ultimately the inspiration for AIO PCs we see in schools and offices nowadays...

[@blainepalmerza]

Awesome video, Michael!

[@PhilipMurphy8Extra]

With a name like a Monorail for a Windows 95 computer, This story should be a interesting one and it looks like a unique design too.

[@davecrupel2817]

A mobile wishlist app... What a long, _long_ fall from grace...

[@markianclark9645]

Thanks for the informative video...on the Monorail All in One...as I'm across the 'Pond' I've never heard of this brand before...quite ahead of its time in design in my opinion...and I've just acquired an All in One myself a lot newer of course...got a load of Towers and Laptops and a couple of Shuttles but now have an unusual Cielo...from ex retail use...very heavy solid Alloy base...not your usual plastic...released around first quarter 2014 from what I've discovered about it...I think this one's mid 2014...2Ghz Bay Trail processor...comes in at least 2 variations...this one has a 24volt USB with extra port for plug in accessories..like card reader etc...other variant has 2x 12v USB added...will be testing it over the coming weeks and months...very niche product as my mate calls it...

[@livefreeprintguns]

Not gonna lie that keyboard looks low-key 🔥

[@Thedownliner2015]

I had that problem with an IDE bent pin once and tried to bend it back but it broke so I used a cut down paperclip and bingo. Never had a problem again! Just a little DIY tip if you don't have a soldering iron to hand or are not confident enough to do it yourself :)

[@marksmith9566]

This could have been a winner if it could have supported three regular sized ISA cards. It would have had the LCD panel push all the way to the left and the floppy relocated. As you point out the upgrade hostile case is the killer problem.

[@offrails]

All you need to do now is set the startup sound to say "Please stand clear of the doors, por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas", because nothing screams 90s computing like a customized desktop theme