#Engineering

Jan 18, 2010
Analysis, Bicycles, Oddities, Urban Planning & Design

Kolelinia

I was recently sent a link to the fascinating Kolelinia aerial cable support system for bicycles. While not cable propelled, per se, it clearly uses cables and is well worth exploring. Created by architect Martin Angelov, the Kolelinia allows cyclists to travel in mid-air above the line of traffic. Cyclists follow narrow u-shaped furrows supported...

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Jan 06, 2010
Analysis, Case Studies, Chicago Cable Cars, History, Thoughts, Urban Planning & Design

January 28th, 1882

January 28th, 1882 is one of (if not the) most important dates in Cable Transit history. On that blustery winter day, C.B. Holmes opened the first cable car in Chicago. It was the first time cable was shown to be economical in such a snowy, icy, windy environment. It was also the first known instance...

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Dec 20, 2009
Analysis, Grip Module, Research Issues, Urban Planning & Design

Grip Module, Lesson 2: Detachable Grips

It’s important to recognize that the term used to describe a Detachable Grip is detachable not attachable. Detachable grips are attached to a cable with heavy, industrial springs providing the pressure necessary to create the grip’s vice-like hold. Until a constant, targeted, external and specially-designed force is applied to pry open the grip, the grip’s hold is (for all...

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Dec 07, 2009
Analysis, Cincinnati, Funiculars, History, Oddities, Uncategorized, Urban Planning & Design

Cincinnati Funiculars

Way back in the day (we’re talking 1872 here) Cincinnati, Ohio was clustered at the base of several small mountains. As the city grew and expanded up the sides of the mountain city officials had a problem: How were people and goods to be moved up and down the mountains? This was, of course, before...

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Nov 05, 2009
Basic Lessons, Ngong Ping 360, Research Issues

The Basics

Sometimes people want to answer complex questions when most people looking for answers just want the basics. When I first began this work, there was one really basic question about Cable-Propelled Transit (CPT) that dogged me and no one could answer it.  It was a question that also dogged the think tank that first sponsored...

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