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Nov 29, 2009
Analysis

Cables As Ferries?

Post by admin

One great advantage of ferry technology is that it can carry not only people, but cars too.  The great problem with ferries, however, is the time and money involved in using them.

Look at the Washington State Ferry Service, for example.  Here’s a ridiculously expensive transportation option that offers the convenience of required reservations and wait times of up to 60 minutes upon arrival at the terminal.  Even walk-on passengers are told to be there a minimum of 15 minutes prior to boarding.

Could Cable-Propelled Transit handle that job?  It’s been shown to cross water, but can it carry cars?

Check this out:

In Bratislava, Slovakia Doppelmayr has outfitted a Volkswagen factory with a CPT system capable of moving cars.

To do this for a large scale ferry service would be complicated, no doubt, but what the video above demonstrates is that with a little ingenuity and creativity, Cable is capable of a whole lot of things.

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2 Comments

  • Washingtonian says:

    Unfortunately, the washington ferry system covers many more miles so a gondola/funitel would be completely cost prohibitive.

    • Steven Dale says:

      I’d spend some time looking at those numbers closer. To replace the system, Washington State recently announced it would cost $6 billion USD. There’s more than enough money there to use cable in some specific areas.

      Could you use cable to connect the San Juan Islands to Seattle? No. But you could connect the San Juan Islands to each other and then use the ferry to connect back to Seattle. Those islands and areas closer to Seattle would be fairly simple to connect. Bainbridge Island, Bermerton, etc.

      I would never suggest replacing the ferry system as a whole, but as a complementary system to defray some of the costs away from a total replacement of the system.

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