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Jul 23, 2015
Photo of the Week

Photo of the Week: Zao Ropeway (Sancho Line)

About: Built in 2003, the Zao Ropeway (Sancho Line) is a 1.8km funitel system in Yamagata, Japan. This cable car is a popular attraction for skiers, sightseers and hikers travelling from Juhyō-Kōgen to Zaō-Jizō-Sanchō. A statue of deity Zao Jizoson shares the space at the summit of Mt. Jizo with a restaurant — addressing visitors’...

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Jul 20, 2015
Engineering, Innovations, New Ideas, Oddities

Ropeways for Waves Have Dudes Everywhere “Like Totally Stoked!”

Surfing is not just for beach boys and Internet users any more. Using LEITNER Ropeway’s DirectDrive technology, Wavegarden has partnered with the South Tyrolean company to design a system that creates the world’s longest artificial surfing wave. Consider the confluence: mountain technology bringing ocean shore culture inland. The system generates continuous waves with ropeway technology...

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Jul 17, 2015
Weekly Roundup

Weekly Roundup: Urban Cable Car in Samut Prakan & Snow Day in La Paz

— —— A quick look at some of the things that happened this week in the world of urban gondolas, cable cars and cable propelled transit: Urban Cable Car Crossing Chao Phraya (Samut Prakan, Thailand) A US$11.7 million cable car is being planned for Samut Prakan, the province 29km south of Bangkok. The cable car...

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Jul 16, 2015
Photo of the Week

Photo of the Week: Dubrovnik Cable Car

About: In just 4 minutes, the Dubrovnik Cable Car travels a length of 778m, transporting sightseers to the top of Srđ Hill (405m asl). The city had an older cable car built in 1969 until it was disabled during the Croatian War of Independence in the ‘90s. Luckily for today’s tourists though, the system was restored...

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Jul 13, 2015
Public Transit, Questions, Research & Development, Thoughts, Urban Planning & Design

Private Gondola Transport: A Sign of Things to Come?

Ropeways are built for many reasons: skiing, sightseeing, amusement, public transport, and private transport. Yes, that’s right private transport. It’s actually more common than you might think. We’ve reported examples on the Gondola project before – like the Kriens funicular, Terra del Mar funicular, and of course, some of the rich and famous have their...

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Jul 10, 2015
Weekly Roundup

Weekly Roundup: La Paz Welcomes Pope; Germany to Build Tallest Cable Car Tower

A quick look at some of the things that happened this week in the world of urban gondolas, cable cars and cable propelled transit: Pope in La Paz (Bolivia) The entire country of Bolivia welcomes the Holy Father as he tours the country. To ensure security, it seems that the entire Red Line was closed for...

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Jul 09, 2015
Photo of the Week

Photo of the Week: Teleférico do Funchal

About: The Teleférico Funchal-Monte is a 3.2km-long tourist cable car on the lovely island of Madeira, Portugal. Passengers are whisked from the bottom station in Almirante Reis Garden (in historic Funchal) to the top one in Monte. There, they enjoy they magnificent views and can visit the various attractions including the Museum of Precious Stones,...

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Jul 06, 2015
History, Infrastructure, Research Issues

Why Doesn’t the Industry Keep Better Records?

Ropeway systems have continually demonstrated their ability to adapt to strange new environments. From the mighty rivers of rural China to the stacked vertical density of New York, it seems nothing is insurmountable. No doubt this flexibility is a main reason why we see more and more of urban gondolas being proposed and built. And...

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Jul 03, 2015
Weekly Roundup

Weekly Roundup: Prefab Wooden Cable Car Station; Paris and Kolkata May Study Urban Ropeway

A quick look at some of the things that happened this week in the world of urban gondolas, cable cars and cable propelled transit: Cable Car Proposed to Solve Last Mile Problem at Large Railway Stations (Paris, France) It’s only a 1km between Paris’s Gare de Lyon (90,000,000 annual passengers) and the Gare d’Austerlitz (30,000,000...

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Jul 02, 2015
Photo of the Week

Photo of the Week: Teleférico de Madrid

Photographer: Photo by Flickr user PP Madrid. About: The Teleférico de Madrid has delighted passengers for nearly 50 years. Built by the now defunct Von Roll cable car manufacturer, it takes riders on a 2.5km journey at maximum heights of 40m. Visitors get a fantastic view of Casa de Campo and Parque del Oeste. Every...

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