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Fansipan Cable Car
28
Sep
Sep
2016
Photo of the Week: Fansipan Legend
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11
Feb
Feb
2016
Where Could World’s Longest 3S Gondola Take You?
6.3km, 42 city blocks or 57 football fields. That’s how long the record setting 3S Fansipan Legend gondola is. It might not sound like a lot at first but there’s many places you can connect to with that length.
In no particular order, here’s 6 different places in 6 different cities we can link up with the Fanispan Legend’s distance and the time it takes to travel that line.
1. From Hoboken, New Jersey to Williamsburg in Brooklyn (6.3km/3.9mi — 12.4 minutes)
2. Across the entirety of Chicago’s lakefront (6.3 km/3.9mi — 12.4 minutes)
3. From the Miami Central Business District to Miami Beach (5.8km/3.6mi — 11.4 minutes)
4. From Downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay x2! (3.2km/2.0mi — 6.2 minutes)
5. From Los Angeles International Airport to Venice Beach (6.3km/3.6mi — 12.4 minutes)
6. From La Défense to Eiffel Tower (6.3km/3.6mi — 12.4 minutes)
These of course, are just for fun. But in all seriousness, as Cable Propelled Transit technology continues to evolve, the opportunities for helping enhance urban transport are endless.
If you had 6.3km of cable cars, what would you connect and why? Let us know in the comments below.
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02
Feb
Feb
2016
World Record Setting Gondola Opens: Fansipan Legend (Cable Car)
Just yesterday we wrote a post of the massive changes happening in the Vietnam and the ropeway industry. And today it appears that the Fansipan Legend (cable car) finally made its maiden voyage! Despite its remote location, pictures and posts of the cable car are already sprouting up on social media.
After a 2+ year wait, dignitaries and guests were invited to experience what is currently the world’s longest 3S cable car (until the Hòn Thơm–Phú Quốc Ropeway opens) and the world’s highest elevation change for a 3S (1410m).
While some still have concerns over the cable cars impact on the environment, the gondola has undoubtedly opened up natural scenery that was once available only to an exclusive minority. From what was previously an exhausting 2 day hike, visitors of all ages and mobility levels, can now partake in an exciting 15 minute aerial journey to the roof of Indochina.
For more coverage of this groundbreaking event, click here.
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01
Feb
Feb
2016
New Heavyweight Ropeway Champ: Vietnam
Ha Long Bay’s new cable car will break two records: Tallest tower and largest cabins. Image from Cap Treo Ha Long.
The world of ropeways is being completely flipped upside down as we know it. In the past, ask someone about cable cars and they’d likely think of the snowy alpine peaks of Switzerland/Austria/France — or perhaps more recently, the rugged urban terrain of South America. However, in the near future, Vietnam may become the mecca of ropeways.
In fact, next to Bolivia, Vietnam may be one of the most cable car crazed nation in the world and the country is in the midst of a massive ropeway construction boom.
It’s difficult to say exactly how many systems are in the planning/construction phase, but it appears there are three record-breaking cable cars currently underway. And this doesn’t include the headline-making ropeway that was proposed for the world’s largest cave, Sơn Đoòng.
Amongst the flurry of activity, here’s a recap of some of the most impressive cable car projects.
188.8m tower recently completed. Image by Cap Treo Ha Long.
1. Tallest Ropeway Tower and Biggest Ropeway Cabin: Queen Cable Car (Cáp Treo Nữ Hoàng Hạ Long)
Scheduled to open this year, the Cáp Treo Nữ Hoàng (directly translated to Cable Car Queen) will single-handedly break two records. Its 230-passenger cabins will be the largest while its 188.8m tower will be the tallest.
Previously, these records belonged to the double decker cabins found in the Vanoise Express (200 persons) and the 113.6m tall tower on Gletscherbahn Kaprun 3 in Austria.
This aerial tram system is part of a larger development project (includes an aquarium, giant ferris wheel, and waterpark) aimed to boost tourism in Ha Long Bay.
2. Longest 3S Gondola: Hòn Thơm – Phú Quốc Ropeway
3S Alignment. Image from Doppelmayr.
At 7.9km (4.9mi) in length, the Hòn Thơm – Phú Quốc Ropeway will be the world’s longest 3S cable car. Seventy 30-passenger cabins operating at a maximum speed of 8.5m/s will result in a line capacity of 3,500 pphpd. This Doppelmayr-built system, broke ground last September and is scheduled to open in early 2017. It will also feature towers that are 160m in height! This itself is quite impressive but somewhat pales in comparison to the 188.8m record-setting towers in Ha Long Bay.
3. Biggest Difference in Elevation Between Terminals (3S): Fansipan Cable Car
Fansipan cable car terminal site. Image by Kham Pa.
Once the 6.3km (3.9mi) Fanispan Cable Car opens, it will set a new world record for the biggest height difference for a 3S gondola. It will travel to the roof of Indochina from its base station (1604m) to its top station (3014m) for a total elevation gain of 1410m!
This breaks the previous record (1251m) set by the 3S Pardatschgrat in Ischgl, Austria. At a cost of approximately US$200 million, it is may also be one of the most expensive cable cars ever built.
Summary
With these three projects, cable car manufacturers have once again demonstrated their ability to adapt, advance and meet the changing needs of their clients. If the projects in Vietnam are a sign of things to come, readers should expect to see even bigger and badder ropeways in the future.
Want more? Purchase Cable Car Confidential: The Essential Guide to Cable Cars, Urban Gondolas & Cable Propelled Transit and start learning about the world's fastest growing transportation technologies.
