Earlier this summer, we wanted to introduce a new segment to the Gondola Project called: Ask Tino.
The purpose of this feature is to allow readers to ask technical cable car questions. In turn, Tino Imhäuser, the Gondola Project’s veteran ropeway technician will personally help answer any of your inquiries.
So to kick this off we’ve received our first Ask Tino question:
Tino Imhäuser, Cable Car Technician and World-Renowned Ropeway Extraordinaire!
Q: What is limiting the speed of Gondolas and Trams? Is it weight on the line, spacing of towers, physics of the cable?
A: We can not separate gondolas and trams with this question since they are both cable-hauled systems. The technical response to this question is, unfortunately, beyond the scope of this discussion here.
In general, speed limits in cable-drawn passenger transportation systems have not been reached yet. Currently, all ropeway manufacturers are already working on concepts and designs to increase speeds.
With that said, existing line speeds in CPT today mostly meet the needs and wants that derive from the market. Development efforts and the associated costs to push speeds higher are very costly and the number of necessary personnel (cable car development specialists) to accomplish this task are limited. So if and when the demand for faster systems increase, manufacturers will offer the appropriate solutions.
Nevertheless, the cost / benefit ratio, the length of a system, the number of stations, the distances between the stations and physical factors will largely determine the speed limits for a cable-hauled system.
Got a technical question about ropeways you want answered? Send your questions to gondola (at) creativeurbanprojects (dot) com with “Ask Tino” in the subject heading.
1 Comment
For detachable gondolas stations will get larger with increasing speed. The maximum acceleration is set be legal limits. Technically busses and trains could accelerate faster but are limited in acceleration for safety reasons. Gondolas can only accelerate in station thus higher speeds will make stations longer.
For gondolas and aerial tramway the mast will also get larger. Especially the roller batteries and the support of the supporting cable. If not the cabins would sway to much when crossing a mast. Many aerial tramways will lower the speed for passing mast.
Cable propelled trains whether with steel wheels or air cushion can reach up to 50km/h. I don’t think higher speeds are cost effective. With higher speeds an other solution than CPT will become more attractive.
Using belts instead of cables could be a solution for higher speed but this would need a major design change for the whole system.