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Carriage
The carriage contains 24 wheels and supports the cabin on the
track ropes on which it rides.
There is one carriage per cabin.
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Hanger
Pins
Seen here are the hanger pins which attach the cabin hanger to the rolling carriage.
These pins are capable of measuring and displaying the cabin payload.
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Cabin Hanger
The cabin hanger attaches the carriage to the cabin. It also contains a ladder and inspection platform for the maintenance crew to work on
the towers, slack carriers, and carriages.
The cabin hanger is 34 feet long.
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Main
Drive Gear Box-pre installation
Just prior to installation, the main drive gear box and coupling to the main drive
wheel are pictured in this view. The 1100Hp DC drive motor provides the input power to this unit.
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Main
haul rope drive wheel
The haul rope, or cable, is pulled by this wheel, in turn moving the cars.
This drive wheel is located at the Valley Station.
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Wheel
Cable Wraps
The wheel pictured here allows two cable wraps around the main drive wheel for adequate friction to pull the cables.
It also provides braking once the cabin is in dock.
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Cable
A detail shot of the 40mm compacted hauling cable. Both cabins are attached to this cable which spans the distance from the Valley Station to the mountain.
It is 13,100 ft long and weighs 4.22 lbs.
per foot.
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Bull
Wheels
Shown just prior to installation are the bull wheels which guide the haul rope in and out of the buildings and to the main drive wheel.
There are two of these wheels at the Mountain station that help suspend the haul rope counterweight.
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Track
Rope Counter-weight
Seen at the bottom of the well, is the track rope counter-weight
which keeps tension on the track cables as the cars travel between towers.
It weighs approx 120 tons.
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Rescue
Drive Counterweight
The rescue drive counterweight provides a method to lower the cars
to the Valley Station with the use of gravity only.
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Scissor
Lift
The scissor lift, pictured here, is used to attach water tanks or heavy freight and equipment to the
underside of the cabins.
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Concrete
Pour
This view shows the forms used for a 130yd concrete pour to secure additional steel structure during the remodel.
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Docking
Brake Hydraulics
The hydraulic system, which is adjacent to the main drive wheel, controls the docking
brake used as the cars come into the stations.
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| TECHNICAL FACTS |
| Elevation of lower terminal (Valley Station): |
2,643ft |
806m ASL |
| Elevation of upper terminal (Mountain Station): |
8,516ft |
2597m ASL |
| Difference of elevation: |
5,873ft |
1,791m |
| Actual length traveled along cables: |
12,780ft |
3,895m |
| Average gradient: |
26 degrees |
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| Maximum
gradient: |
42 degrees |
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| Number of intermediate towers: |
5 |
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| The first tower is the tallest at approximately |
227ft |
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| Car
dimensions: |
8ft high inside |
18ft in diameter |
| Weight (carriage, hanger and cabin)
empty: |
22,000lb |
10,000kg |
| Weight (carriage, hanger and cabin)
loaded: |
13,600lb |
6,200kg |
| Total
weight: |
35,600lb |
16,200kg |
| Capacity of each car: Approx. 80 passengers plus 1 car operator |
| Maximum existing traveling speed:
1,970 linear feet per minute. |
21 mph |
10
m/sec |
| Maximum future traveling speed:
2,165 linear feet per minute. |
24 mph |
11
m/sec |
| Maximum possible traveling speed while passing towers:
1,575 linear feet per minute |
18 mph |
8
m/sec |
| System of electric drive:
3 Phase Regenerative D.C. SCR |
| Maximum output of DC hoist motor: |
1,100 HP |
1,350 KW |
| Continuous output: |
675 HP |
855 KW |
Number and size of cables:
- 2 x 2 tension to track ropes of 3 inches / 75mm diameter
- 2 x 2 stationary track cables of 1-7/8 inches / 47.5mm diameter
- 1 lower hauling rope of 1-9/16 inches / 40mm diameter
- 1 upper counter rope of 1-3/4 inches / 45mm diameter
- 1 auxiliary rope of 15/16 inches / 24mm diameter
- 1 telephone rope of 5/8 inches / 16.2mm diameter, with a fiber optic core.
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| The cable span and number of slack rope carriers: |
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Valley Station to Tower 1 (1 slack carrier) |
1,148ft |
349m |
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Tower 1 to Tower 2 ( 5 slack carriers) |
3,280ft |
1,000m |
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Tower 2 to Tower 3 (4 slack carriers) |
3,225ft |
983m |
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Tower 3 to Tower 4 (4 slack carriers) |
3,455ft |
1,053m |
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Tower 4 to Tower 5 (1 slack carrier) |
968ft |
295m |
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Tower 5 to Mt. Station (no slack carrier) |
695ft |
212m |
| Individual
Tower Heights: |
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Tower 1 |
227ft |
69.1m |
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Tower 2 |
146ft |
44.4m |
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Tower 3 |
83ft |
25.3m |
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Tower 4 |
65ft |
19.8m |
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Tower 5 |
68ft |
20.6m |
| FACT:
Each pair of track cables is tensioned by counterweights at the
Valley Station, weighing in excess of 120 tons each. |
| FACT:
The haul and counter ropes are tensioned by a counterweight at the Mountain Station weighing 67 tons. |
FACT:
Other rotating trams in the world:
Mt. Titlis, Engelberg, Switzerland
Operates winter and summer
Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa
Operates year round
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Palm Springs
Aerial Tramway © copyright 2001-2002 all rights reserved |
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