Posts Tagged: Cabrio

03
Jul

2012

Gondola Boom

Giorgio sends along a link to SF’s 40 minute look at the “Seilbahnen Boom” (“Gondola Boom”) that’s occurring worldwide.

Now granted, the video is in Swiss German, which will limit its appeal to some, but it’s still got some rather breathtaking images – including the report’s correspondent hosting the segment from atop the newly-opened Stanserhorn Cabrio.

Take a look:


Einstein vom 28.06.2012



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29
Jun

2012

Weekly Roundup: Commonwealth, Cable Cars, & the Cabrio Convertible

A quick look at some of the things that happened this week in the world of cable cars, urban gondolas, and cable propelled transit:

The Cabrio is the world's first open-air, double-decker cable car. Now you can ride up to the Stanserhorn on a sun deck.

  • The Cabrio, Switzerland’s newest cable car, is the world’s first double-decker, open-air cable car. We’ve mentioned this system before (here and here and here) and I’m sure we will again in the very, very near future.
  • Also, opening on the same day, the Emirates Air Line is now up and running. At the launch, London’s Mayor said: ‘Get on this cable car immediately. It’s beautiful, worth every penny and a stunning piece of engineering.’
  • The private-sector sightseeing Sea to Sky Gondola project has been approved. The system will pass across the Stawamus Chief Provincial Park in British Columbia and could open as early as July 2013.
  • 39 tourists were trapped in cable cars for 40 minutes in Xiamen, China most likely due to a rainstorm-triggered power failure.
  • Approval for a cable car to the summit of Mt Wellington in the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, is gaining traction among city council. The head campaigner for the project, Adrian Bold, has been actively pursuing the project for years. He even started a facebook campaign.
  • A Drakensberg Cable Car could soon be part of KwaZulu-Natal’s uKhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Park, as a detailed feasibility study for the project will be underway shortly. Initial reports indicate the that the potential 3 km, 3-station system will include a summit station in Lesotho — 3x higher than the one on Table Mountain, also in South Africa.


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01
May

2012

BMW Limo Gondola

Over the last two decades the ropeway industry has been dominated by two major groups: Doppelmayr and Leitner-Poma. And during those last two decades, one could reasonably argue that Doppelmayr has spent far more time and attention on cabin design than their rival – to a point where Leitner cabin design has been a little bit staid and conservative.

After all, the list of customized cabin designs under Doppelmayr’s belt is impressive: The Urban Concept cabins in Koblenz ; the 5 Star VIP gondola in Singapore; Finland’s Sauna Gondola; the Cabrio; etc. Leitner, on the other hand, hasn’t dabbled in custom cabins nearly as much.

But that might be about to change . . .

At the recent SAM International Trade Fair in Grenoble, LEITNER ropeways unveiled the BMW Individual by Leitner cabin. It’s a standard SIGMA Diamond cabin (standard to most Leitner systems) but it’s interior is outfitted “with the style and luxury of (a) BMW 7-series limousine.”

Now granted this isn’t an operational gondola system, only a display. But it could indicate a shift in Leitners thinking. Things like the BMW Individual may not be a practical application of design but the potential value such design represents is huge. Not only do things like this attract attention, but they allow a company to demonstrate their ability to tailor their products to any market – a defining feature in an industry long characterized by pre-fabrication.

It’s certainly worth taking a look:

Image via Leitner.

Image via Leitner.

Image via Leitner.



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