Posts Tagged: Urban Gondolas

06
Mar

2012

Dual Mode Gondolas – Hook and Anchor

Over the past week and half, we’ve discussed two hybrid/dual-mode transit technologies – AutoTram and DMVs. To build on this topic, I was contemplating if such a concept could apply to Cable Propelled Transit (CPT). I asked myself: what if a gondola cabin could be both propelled from above and below?

Well, I decided to whip something up quickly today to demonstrate my design concept. If you’ll pardon my photoshop skills and the crude images, I’d like to briefly showcase a purely conceptual CPT idea, the Hook and Anchor (patent pending, but of course).

A vehicle that can travel both terrestrially and aerially can be advantageous in a city context. Image by Nicholas Chu, CUP Projects.

Imagine a detachable grip vehicle/cabin with the capability to “anchor” itself like a cable liner/cable car, but also have the ability to “hook” itself like a gondola. Would this idea solve some of complicated alignment and visual privacy issues often found in cities?

It is difficult to say at this time because this idea is so raw. But under the right circumstances, this theoretical configuration may mitigate some of the complex land use and settlement patterns seen in urban environments.

For example, this design may enable vehicles to manoeuvre themselves around complex turns and spaces in “anchor” mode but also soar above topographical (natural and man-made) challenges in “hook” mode. See hypothetical usage and illustration below.

In theory, a vehicle in "hook" mode can glide above urban obstacles such as intersections. Image by Nicholas Chu, CUP Projects.

Now I’m not an engineer, so I am unsure if this concept is technologically feasible. But I hope that this post and the ones preceding it, can help spur and initiate a conversation and discussion on how “simple” (I use that term loosely) technological innovations/changes can help us rethink transportation in cities.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on such a concept. Possible? Impossible? Insane? Sane? Feel free to be brutally honest.



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.

Innovations / Questions / Thought Experiments / Thoughts
16
Comments
16
Feb

2012

Media Reaction to Calgary Gondola

Urban gondolas are gaining traction in Calgary, Canada. Image by Flickr user stephenccwu.

Yesterday, in collaboration with Centre City Talk, Steven Dale gave an presentation on urban gondolas and their applicability in Calgary, Canada. Steven was interviewed by CBC’s Dan Irvine on Calgary Eyeopener. If you’re interested in listening to the podcast and hear what Steven had to say, please click here (Urban gondola discussion starts at 15:08).

After the interview, CUP was featured on several major news publications. The following list is a compilation of some of the media’s reaction to the CPT (Cable Propelled Transit) idea:

Urban gondola news clip starts at 2:41.

 

As part of our journey to educate people about cable technology, if you have some time and see any misconceptions about urban gondolas in the comments section, we’d love to have to you pitch in and help correct any misunderstandings!

Thanks!



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.

Calgary Gondola / Proposals & Concepts
2
Comments
24
Jan

2012

Urban Gondolas in Makkah Favoured

Makkah. Image by Flickr User Hamza Hydri.

According to Arab News, urban gondolas now appear to be the favoured transit technology for solving the severe transport problems in Makkah.

Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, governor of Makkah, reviewed the CPT research report (completed at the Center of Excellence for Haj and Umrah Research) and is expected to forward it to the Follow-up Committee of Public Transport in Makkah and the Holy Sites to further investigate the feasibility of aerial ropeways.

Furthermore, the governor was briefed on the findings from the  the “Suspended Transportation and Crowd Control” workshop that was organized by the University of Toronto.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated as more information comes out.

 

 



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.

Makkah
0
Comments
19
Dec

2011

World Class Alpine Resorts Near City = Urban Gondolas?

Since the Gondola Project’s inception two years ago, reception (for the most part) has been overwhelmingly positive with interest in gondola transit rising dramatically. (Thanks again everyone! Keep the emails/comments coming!).

Peak 2 Peak - Whister. Image by Flickr User roaming-the-planet.

While there’s more work to be done, we’ve managed to successfully help bridge the knowledge gap between the institutions of city/transportation planning and urban gondolas.

If we just look within the Great White North alone, half of Canada’s largest metropolitan areas, are in or reported to be in the preliminary stages of planning a gondola system. That’s Vancouver (Burnaby), Calgary and Montreal (Laval).

Rendering of Laval CPT. Image via City of Laval.

In my opinion, this accomplishment is incredible. Two years ago, as compared to today, CPT was a fringe, misunderstood and relatively obscure technology in the North American transit world. Not so much anymore.

But this leads me to ask: What’s the biggest Canadian city that’s currently suffering from the worst congestion but yet to even remotely contemplate CPT?

You guessed it – Toronto.

While lampooning public transit in Hogtown is a favourite pastime amongst Torontonians, I do think they are doing great things in the city (i.e. Spadina Subway Extension, Eglinton Crosstown LRT etc.).

So instead of hating on the city that I love, I asked: Why is cable being implemented in other Canadian cities but not in Toronto?

As I’m currently preparing to go skiing in Whistler this week, I’ve had an epiphany. There’s a crucial factor existent in Vancouver (Burnaby), Calgary and Montreal (Laval) that’s missing in Toronto.

Can you guys think of it?

Can't wait to hit the slopes! Whistler, British Columbia. Image by Flickr User jsigharas.

World-class ski resorts!

Let’s see: Calgary has Lake Louise; Vancouver has Whistler and Montreal has Mont Tremblant.

And Toronto has Blue Moun… nevermind.

I’m sure there’s more to this revelation than alpine facilities, but it’s probably the most straightforward answer. In fact, this surprising fact may not be surprising at all.

Civil Engineers/part-time cable aficionados in the 1980’s, Bondada and Neumann, already found that planners more familiar with cable technology were more likely to rate it higher on a scale of 1 to 10. The question, then, is if mere familiarity with the technology in a ski resort setting is enough to cause planners to consider the technology more seriously. Bondada and Neumann, unfortunately, never addressed that question.

Anyways . . .  happy skiing everyone!



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.

Calgary Gondola / Laval / Peak 2 Peak / Vancouver/Burnaby Gondola
3
Comments
29
Oct

2010

The Pace Of Innovation

Let’s consider the innovations the Cable Propelled Transit industry has developed, proven and/or popularized in the last 15 years:

  1. The 3S
  2. Corner turning
  3. Intermediary stations
  4. Full integration with other transit modes
  5. The Reintroduction of bottom-supported Cable Cars and Mini-Metros
  6. The Hybrid Funicular
  7. Heated Gondolas
  8. Air-Conditioned Gondolas
  9. Operability in winds above 100 km/hr (the Funitel)
  10. The Urban Concept vehicle

The Light Rail Industry? Well they’re still touting their “low floor” innovation and not much else.

Is that comparison fair? Probably not. After all, things like heating, a/c, intermediary stops and corner turning are all standard for LRT. The point, however is this:  Cable’s caught up. Cable may not be there yet, but they’re very, very, very close.

I think it important for everyone to realize that the urban market is very new for the cable industry. It’s easy to say things like “how hard could it be to fix that problem!?” I do it all the time. But a degree of “forgiveness” needs to occur. We’ve thought all these things through from an urban perspective, but the industry hasn’t – yet. That’s changing rapidly and I’m certain we’ll being to see major innovations occurring over the next decade.

That’s not to let the cable industry off the hook. They’ve got to be aggressive, diligent and pro-active. If the industry wants to be transit – as opposed to ski lifts – they’re going to have pull out all the stops and devote time, energy and money to make this technology the best they can. Simply calling a ski lift “transit” (or “CPT”) won’t cut it.

It’s got to be transit.

Better yet: Instead of just catching up to standard transit modes, now’s the time to eclipse them. Lap them. Beat them at their own game. Currently, cable is an Insurgent Technology, but now it’s time for the industry to get their game face on.



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.

Capabilities & Competencies
0
Comments
25
Oct

2010

5 Things The Cable Industry Could Do (To Improve Their Chances In The Urban Market)

  1. Decrease Dwell Times – Current dwell times can reach up to 60 seconds for cable systems. Engineers I’ve talked to, however, have said that 3S dwell times can be reduced to 20 seconds. 20 seconds is far more palatable from a transit planning perspective and should become a more standard feature of cable systems.
  2. Increase Capacity – Despite the fact that cable is more than capable of handling the moderate capacities witnessed by most of the world’s LRT systems, there is still a perception out there that cable just can’t handle that many people. Maybe it’s a psychological issue. What would happen if the industry were able to eclipse the 10,000 pphpd barrier?
  3. Make Air-Conditioned and Heated Cabins Standard – While available, they aren’t common. Meanwhile, air-conditioning and heating in transit systems is practically standard nowadays. It isn’t a frill, it’s a necessity. All urban gondola systems should be equipped with these systems.
  4. Gather Safety Stats – Most of the evidence of gondola’s and cable’s safety is anecdotal. Ironically, so too are most people’s concern about cable’s safety. A comprehensive study should be undertaken by the industry to actually gather the numbers and report on the technology’s excellent safety record.
  5. Plan For Expandability – Due to a lack of foresight, systems like the Medellin Metrocable and the Funivia del Renon suffer from over-crowding at peak times. This isn’t the fault of the technology, rather it was the fault of the planning and execution. Systems should be designed such that they can be expanded quickly, easily and cheaply in the future with minimal disruption. This would be a good back-stop against inevitable human forecasting errors.

I’m sure there are others. What do you all think?



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.

Capabilities & Competencies
17
Comments
22
Oct

2010

The 7 Most Important Aerial Cable Systems In The World (For Various Reasons)

Others might disagree with my selection, but if you’re new to the world of Cable Propelled Transit (CPT) and Urban Gondolas, these are the 7 aerial systems you need to know about:

Read more



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.

Caracas Metrocable / Constantine Telepherique / Funivia del Renon / Medellin MetroCable / Portland Aerial Tram / Roosevelt Island Tram
12
Comments