- South Africa’s Table Mountain Cableway celebrated 90 years last week. In the article “LOOK: Table Mountain’s Cableway glorius 90-year ride,” the author recounts the vision and efforts needed to make the cable cars opening in 1929 a reality. Located in Cape Town, the cable car sees about 29 million visitors a year.
- In Manila, the Baguio City government is studying proposals for a cable car system and monorail. The cable car system would connect Baguio with the town of Pugo, La Union, in an effort to ease traffic congestion. Recently, Gondola Project staff were in Manila, speaking at the Asian Development Bank Urban Transit Forum, to discuss transit solutions offered by urban aerial cable systems.
- In September, we reported firefighters were practicing rescues for the then, soon-to-open, Disney World gondola. Crews put those emergency skills to work last Saturday night as one line of the Skyliner aerial cable car experienced unexpected downtime and passengers had to be rescued from the air. The Skyliner is closed while Disney looks into the incident; it is not yet known when it will reopen.
- A group in Africa is studying a cable car project that would span the Bourgereg River, connecting the two cities of Rabat and Sale in Morocco. Data is currently being collected to launch a preliminary feasibility study. The group, Africa 50, is an infrastructure investment platform made up of approximately 28 governments and multiple banks.
- The thawing of the permafrost has forced the closure of the Fiescheralp-Eggishorn aerial tramway in southern Switzerland. Terrain changes were discovered last week, so operations were halted immediately as a preventative measure. The plan is to reopen in December for the winter season.