The Gondola Project

18
Nov

2022

WEEKLY ROUNDUP: BRITISH COLUMBIA’S MOUNTAINS ARE A MUST-SEE WITH THE SEA TO SKY GONDOLA BEING A MUST-DO

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British Columbia’s Sea to Sky Gondola, Image by Nicholas Chu

The reopening of the Dursey Cable Car has been delayed due to a part that needs to be sourced. The original deadline for the replacement of the two towers was at the end of the month but has been postponed until January of 2023. Unfortunately the delay is additionally impacting the islanders and farmers due to the rough weather which has impacted ferry services. See a related Weekly Roundup here.
Ropeway systems are becoming the solution to improve transit networks in hilly terrain and inaccessible areas in India. Conventional modes of transportation have multiple technical challenges. In dense and congested cities there is a need for safe, innovative, and economical modes of transportation. India’s Prime Minister has acknowledged the issues in many of their cities and has awarded eight projects in 2022-23.
British Columbia’s mountains have ranked among the world’s 50 best places. The Sea to Sky Gondola is considered one of the must-do experiences to take in the British Columbia mountains. The gondola allows visitors to ride to the top of the mountain and hike the Stawamus Chief. To learn more about the Sea to Sky Gondola checkout some of our posts here.

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11
Nov

2022

Weekly Roundup: Base to Base Gondola opening!

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Snowbird’s second tram cabin is almost ready after an installation accident during the summer. When installation began, one of the two cabins was dropped, requiring it to be replaced and causing a project delay. The new cabin has been installed, and final installation requirements are anticipated to be done this weekend. With both cabins now on the line, crews are working on getting the tram open by November 30. See a related Weekly Roundup here.

The Base to Base Gondola is expected to open November 22. The 2.4-mile system will ascend 3,105 feet to connect two ski areas, Alpine Meadows and Palisades Tahoe. This will be the first gondola to utilize fully automated cabin parking. This means that with the push of a button, it will take 20 minutes to store 96 cabins. See a related Weekly Roundup here.

Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) released over 13,000 comments over the Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola. After UDOT announced the gondola to be the preferred alternative, there was a 45-day public comment period, which generated 13,443 comments. UDOT is currently reviewing the comments to finalize the project. UDOT still needs to find funding for the project, so there is a phased plan to mitigate traffic until funding is secured. See a related Weekly Roundup here.

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.

Uncategorized / Weekly Roundup

28
Oct

2022

Weekly Roundup: An Indonesian National Park Moves Forward with Cable Car Construction

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Mount Rinjani, Indonesia’s National Park is expected to be the site of a new cable car.
Photo credit: Hariyantos92, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Construction of the proposed cable car in Mount Rinjani National Park in Indonesia is expected to begin December of this year. The exact station locations are still being determined, but the cable car will be between 10-15 kilometers connecting the community forest area in Karangsidmen Village to either the base of Mount Rinjani or not far from the Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani (TNGR) area. The local government and villages support the project in hopes of uplifting in the local economy. The project is expected to cost Rp100 billion ($6.5 million USD) and is being financed by Chinese investors.

The Shinhotaka Ropeway is the only two-level aerial tram in Japan. The system is located in the Northern Alps which gives visitors spectacular views, especially at night. The tram operator likes to welcome guests to the “starry skies express” because of the unimpeded views of the skies. Just in the last week the newly renovated “Itadakinomori” viewing area was opened.

The Sljeme cable car in Zagreb, Croatia reopened. The system replaced chairlift chairs with monocable detachable gondola (MDG) cabins. Guests access the cable car at the lower station at the end of Gračanska cesta and ride up the mountain to the peak in six-person cabins. At the peak guests find more than just ski slopes, but also year-round cafés and restaurants.

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.

21
Oct

2022

Weekly Roundup: Hong Kong’s Iconic Funicular Reopens After Complete Overhaul!

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Hong Kong’s Funicular: Peak Tram, Photo from Wikimedia, By Filzstift, (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The draft environmental impact review (EIR) for the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (LA ART) has been released. The LA ART is a proposed 1.2-mile 3S system connecting Dodger Stadium with Union Station. The project is estimated to cost $125-million and could be operational by 2026. Construction is estimated to take 25 months to complete. The fare will match the Metro fare, but to ease congestion during games the fare is free with a ticket to a Dodger game. See a previous Weekly Roundup here. SCJ Alliance is part of this project.
The Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) final public comment period for the Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola project has closed. UDOT is sorting through thousands of comments, but a rough poll of 801 residents suggests 43% approve of UDOT’s decision that the gondola is the best transit alternative meanwhile 32% disapprove. The alternatives were the gondola and an enhanced bus system, both of which are controversial and cost over $500 million. The gondola is designed to carry 35 people up the canyon every 2 minutes. See a related Weekly Roundup here.
Eaglecrest Ski Area’s new gondola has arrived in Juneau. The $2.5 million project includes the purchase of the used pulsed gondola, transportation of the equipment, and initial design. Design work is currently on track, with the design accommodating 4 groups of 3 cabins each. The major modification between the original system from Austria and the new design is a mid-station. A request for proposals (RFP) for the construction is expected to be posted in January. See a previous Weekly Roundup here. SCJ Alliance is part of this project.
The iconic funicular in Hong Kong reopens after a complete overhaul. The rebuild started at the end of 2018. The original system opened in 1888 becoming one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area. The capacity of the new funicular increased by 75% with the cabin capacity going from 120 to 210 passengers. The overhaul included everything from the track foundations to the modernization of the stations to an entire upgrade of the ropeway technology.

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.

14
Oct

2022

Weekly Roundup: Alyeska Aerial Tram provides spectacular views all year round

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Alyeska Resort Hotel - Girdwood Alaska — Looking at the Ayeska Resort Hotel in Girdwood, Alaska from the Alyeska Aerial Tram, Photo by C Watts , (CC BY 2.0)

What better way to see fall foliage than from above in an aerial tram. The Alyeska Aerial Tram in Alaska has spectacular views all year round. The system takes you to the top of Mount Alyeska where there is food, views, and trails. The system rises 3,869 feet at 26 miles per hour.
The annual evacuation training for the Portland Tram was done without an issue. The Portland Bureau of Transportation worked with Oregon Health & Science University and Portland Fire & Rescue to create and practice an evacuation plan. Although it is not required to do an annual training evacuation, the authorities responsible for the evacuation do it to be prepared in case of an emergency.
The haul rope for the Santo Domingo Line 2 cable car is being installed. A light cable is used to pull the haul rope over the tower tops and to the stations. The system will be integrated into the Santo Domingo transportation network, SIT Santo Domingo. The system has four stations: Alcarrizos Station, Las Toronjas Station, Puente Blanco Station and Los Americanos Station. See a related Weekly Roundup here. Also, check out the Gondola Projects coverage on Line 1 here.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is reopening Monday after being closed for a month. The system was closed for annual maintenance. The maintenance included the replacement of tower sheaves (pulley wheels), the replacement of the dome windows in both tramcars, and comprehensive mechanical and electrical testing.
The haul rope is being spliced for the new Base to Base Gondola. The Base to Base Gondola is going to connect the Palisades and Alpine in Lake Tahoe which would result in the third-largest ski resort in North America by acreage. See a related Weekly Roundup here.

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.

07
Oct

2022

Weekly Roundup: New Lines

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Cablebús in Mexico City, pictured, is getting a third line with a connection to the Tren Interurbano.
Photo Credit: Gobierno de la Ciudad de México, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Cablebús Línea 3 project has been awarded to Doppelmayr. The system is designed to be 5.42-kilometers connecting the districts of Los Pinos and Vasco de Quiroga in Mexico City. This third line of the Cablebús system will have six stations with a connection to the Tren Interurbano train. Preparations for construction have begun, however, there is no information on when it is expected to be completed.

The Soviet era Odessa Cable Car has been providing accessibility to the Otrada Beach in Odessa, Ukraine, since 1971. Access to the beaches in Odessa is typically very steep and, in some areas, does not allow motor vehicles. The six-minute ride in the two-person, open-air gondola cabin provides an easy connection from downtown to the beach.

The new Thunder 3.0 lift at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is nearing completion. This detachable quad chairlift is replacing the 1994 Thunder lift which replaced the original Thunder- a two-seater chairlift. This new Leitner-Poma chairlift will be a 3.6-minute ride, cutting guests’ wait time and overall ride time.

Whistler Blackcomb in Vancouver, Canada announced two new high-speed chairlifts for 2023. The two new lifts were originally supposed to be installed at Park City Mountain Resort for the 2022-23 winter season, but residents successfully appealed to the Planning Commission, and installation plans were halted. The owner of both Whistler and Park City, Vail Resorts, decided to ship everything to Whistler and will have the lifts up by the 2023-24 winter season. The new lifts are high-speed eight-pack and six-pack which will replace two high-speed quad chairlifts at Whistler Blackcomb.

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.

30
Sep

2022

Weekly Roundup: History of Table Mountain Aerial Cableway

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Table Mountain Aerial Cableway in 1929 (Photo by Wikimedia , public domain photo)

The Little Cottonwood Canyon traffic mitigation plan selected the gondola as the preferred alternative and is exploring adding a toll to both Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and other state transportation agencies are currently studying alternative toll methods to mitigate the existing traffic congestion and future traffic volumes. As of now no decision has been made, but the toll cost would be directly intertwined with the gondola and public transit fares. See a related Weekly Roundup here.
The city of Cebu in the Philippines has a proposed cable car that will be presented at the first mobility submit. The project is called the Aerial Ropeway Transit (ART) which is intended to connect downtown to the hinterlands to help mitigate traffic in these areas. Similar to Singapore, the cable car is expected to give the city a sense of modernization and boost tourism. This is not the first time a cable car has been proposed in Cebu; one was also considered in 1997, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
The history of the beloved South Africa cable car, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, has been well documented via photography, from its inception in 1929 til modern times. With locals and tourists fond of this system, there are great pictures of every generation of the tram. The tram has been accident free since opening, even with its first cabin having minimal safety requirements, allowing doors being able to open at any time along the ride. By 1958, the second generation was able to move 23 passengers up the mountain in 8 minutes. Today’s generation has a rotating cabin that moves 65 passengers in 5 minutes. These incredible images show the evolution of the tram technology over the almost 100 years it has been in operation.

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.

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