How do you find out about something if you don’t know what to call it? Easy: You don’t.
For the longest time, cable had no clear name and that made research efforts next to impossible. As I’ve pointed out, the sheer volume of terms used to describe Cable-Propelled Transit (CPT) was preposterous and none conformed to standard naming conventions. Let me explain . . .
Most transit technology has a naming scheme with three major components:
First, a technical term of three words, the last of which is almost always ‘transit.’
Second, a three letter acronym derived from the first three letters of their technical designator.
Third, a range of colloquial terms used to describe the technology commonly.
Heavy Rail Transit = HRT = Subway, Metro, Underground
Light Rail Transit = LRT = Streetcar, Trolly, Tram
Bus Rapid Transit = BRT = Bus, Busway
So in the interest of simplicity, let’s follow that lead:
Cable-Propelled Transit = CPT = Gondola, Cable Car
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