Aerial Technologies

8/9/2019 Aerial Technologies

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AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION

With most traditional transit technologies, there is little consideration about the

variations within that technology. A bus is a bus; a streetcar is a streetcar; and a

subway is a subway. Sure, theres variation between suppliers and models, but

those diferences are negligible compared to the overall technologies themselves.

Thats one o the real competitive advantages traditional transit technologies

possess over cable !nderstanding them is simple, and that ma"es them highly

attractive to time#constrained planners, policy#ma"ers and politicians.

$able is not so simple. While the basic concept behind all the modes remains the

same %a vehicle propelled by a moving cable&, the variations between the modes

tend to cause conusion. 'eyond the ( ma)or amilies o $able#*ropelled Transit

%+ondola, Aerial Tram, unicular, $able $ar&, there e-ists a wide range o cable

transit modes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

The "ey to cable is understanding the strengths and wea"nesses o each respective

mode and then matching the right mode to the right environment. ts "ind o li"e

pairing wine with ood /ouve got to "now the subtleties to do it right.

0ver the coming months, ll describe these modes and give appropriate e-amples

%probably one per wee"&. 'ut to begin with, lets )ust get an idea o how many

diferent modes there are

1onocable 2etachable +ondola %12+&

'icable 2etachable +ondola %'2+&

unitel

*ulsed +ondola

3S

unicular

Traditional unicular

$incinnati unicular

4ybrid unicular

Aerial Tram

unior

$able $ar
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1ini1etro

$able 5iner

$able 5ner Shuttle

There are other modes, too, but these are the ma)or ones. 5i"e said; its )ust not aseasy as 6a bus is a bus.7

AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 2: MDG1onocable 2etachable +ondolas %12+& are li"ely the most common $*T system youll encounter as

their low cost has made them an attractive addition to public transit systems in the developing world.

Systems li"e theMedellin MetroCable, Telecabine de Constantineand CaracasMetrocableall

use 12+ technology.

$haracteri8ed by a detachable gripwhich allows or intermediary stations and corner turning,

12+s utili8e a single cable %hence, monocable& or bothpropulsionand support. This means that

the cable that pulls the vehicles is also the cable that supports the vehicle.

MDG Stats:

1a-imum Speed 99 "m:hr.

1a-imum $apacity 3, persons per hour per direction.

? persons.

$ost @? = 9 million %!S& : "ilometre.

12+s sufer rom a relatively low capacity %though still comparable to many urban tram routes& and

given their single cable are prone to stoppages due to winds in e-cess o ? "m:hr. 12+s are thereore

most useul in calm wind environments with low capacity needs.

As the investment is uite low compared to other technologies, 12+s are e-cellent 6starter7 systems

or cities intrigued by the technology but uestion its efectiveness. A short, low#capacity eeder line,

or e-ample, would be a Bne place or cities to e-periment with 12+ technology.

AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 3: BDG

Note: This post was updated on a! "#, $#11% These &e'isions &e(e)t the most )u&&ent and a'ai*a+*e

now*ed-e we ha'e +ut do not -ua&antee the 'a*idit! o. the )*aims made% As a*wa!s, it/s +est to use

the in.o&mation )ontained he&ein as a -uide%

'icable 2etachable +ondolas %'2+& are a less common orm o gondola thanMonocables (MDG).

0riginally, '2+s were a superior technology to the 12+, but advancements in 12+ technology have

rendered the '2+ obsolete in all but the most speciBc o situations.

The diference between 12+ and '2+ is straightorward. Whereas 1onocable systems are both

propelled and suspended by the same cable, 'icable systems provide those two separate unctions

with two separate cables.

0ne cable is stationary and doesnt move. ts this cable that gives the gondola support. This cable

acts much li"e a rail would or a traditional transit vehicle. A wheeled bogey attached to the gripping

mechanism o the gondola runs along this cable much as trains wheels would run along rails.
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The second cable is not stationary. t runs in a loop and is powered by bullwheels at the terminals. The

gondola grips attach and detach rom this moving cable, thereby providing propulsion.

BDG STATS: 1a-imum Speed 9C "m:hr %revised upwards rom 9( "m:hr&.

1a-imum $apacity D(, pphpd %revised downwards rom E, pphpd&.

C.

Wind Stability 0perational in winds up to C "m:hr.

1a-imum Span 'etween Towers !p to >, meters %conditional on capacity&.

$ost @>? = 9? million %!S& : "ilometre. %estimate&.

While 'icable systems are more e-pensive than 1onocable systems, this added cost is not really

)ustiBed. The only two real advantages o a 'icable as compared to an 12+ are as ollows

'icables can travel at greater ma-imum speeds than the 12+. This speed premium, however,

amounts to only ?.( "m:hr.

5onger spans without need o intermediary stations. 5i"e above, this premium is modest.

Whereas an 12+ can span C meters without need o an intermediary tower, the '2+ can span

>, meters.

These modest advantages are ofset by the ollowing

4igher capital cost

5arger station si8e

5arger tower proBle.

'ecause o their higher capital costs as compared to an 12+, with little real advantage, 'icables are

increasingly becoming an abandoned technology in the cable transit world.

AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 4: FUNITEL

1y absolute, all#time avorite aerial cable technology is a little#"nown conBguration called The unitel.The technology was originally created by Lift Engineering, Inc. an American company %that

merciully no longer e-ists& with one o the worst saety records in the industry. While the concept

behind the unitel was ingenious, the engineering wasnt. t wasnt until *oma:5eitner and

2oppelmayr:+araventa got their hands on the concept and rewor"ed it that the unitel truly came into

its own.

ts now one o the saest, astest, most high#capacity aerial cable technologies in e-istence. And it

loo"s antasticF

5i"e BDGtechnology, the unitel uses two cables or support and propulsion. 4owever, unli"e the '2+,

both cables in a unitel are in motion. youll recall, in a '2+ conBguration one cable is stationary and

used orsupportwhereas a second, moving cable is used or propulsion. Got so with a unitel. n a

unitel conBguration, +othcables are used or +oth support andpropulsion. or anyone whos been

ollowing The +ondola *ro)ect, youll recogni8e immediately that this is very much li"e a

traditional MDGsystem.

Gow or the conusing part 1odern unitels only use one cable. While it appea&sthat a unitel system

uses two separate cables, in reality one single, double#looped cable creates the efect. n some

literature, the unitel is actually reerred to as the 251 or 2ouble#5ooped 1onocable.
http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/03/19/technologies-module-4-funitel/http://www.coloradoskihistory.com/chairlift/yan1.htmlhttp://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/01/technologies-module-3-bdg/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/01/24/technologies-module-2-mdg/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/03/19/technologies-module-4-funitel/http://www.coloradoskihistory.com/chairlift/yan1.htmlhttp://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/01/technologies-module-3-bdg/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/01/24/technologies-module-2-mdg/


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A single, double-looped cable creates two sets of parallel ropes running in opposite directions.

5i"e most advanced $able *ropelled Transit systems, the unitel is a detachabletechnology. The

system uses a pair o grips that suspend the vehicles +etweeneach pair o cables. This uniue design

allows or e-treme wind stability and saety. unitels can operate in the most inclement weather

conditions and wind speeds o over > "m:hr. 5i"e other detachable systems, intermediate stations

and corner#turning are easily implemented. 1a-imum spans between towers, while not as long as

those associated with the 3S, are still impressive at >, metres.

The Galzigbahn in St. Anton am Alberg in Austria. The Funitel technology used allows for extremely long spans as well as safe

operation in high wind and snow conditions. Image by Steven Dale.

Funitel Stats:

1a-imum Speed 9C "m:hr.

1a-imum $apacity (, #?, persons per hour per direction.

1a-imum ? = @3 million %!S& per "ilometre %appro-imate&.

1a-imum Span 'etween Towers !p to > "m.

2espite the obvious strengths o the unitel, one o the most appealing aspects o the technology is

the loo" o it. 1ost aerial cable systems dangle rom their cable, giving them a sometimes comical,

aw"ward loo". Hven admit that when tal"ing about cable as transit, its hard to ta"e a gondola

seriously. ts my opinion that much o that is due to the appearance o the vehicles.
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1ost gondolas are asymmetrical, lan"y ob)ects that loo" not unli"e ornaments on a $hristmas tree.

Theres no ront, no hood, no .a)eto the vehicle. They dont *ooli"e any "ind o vehicle we "now or

are amiliar with. ts a psychological issue o design that thin" implicitly holds the technology bac".

As a colleague o mine once said The! 0ust *oo too -oo.!%

Thats why love the unitel so much.

The unitel is compact, stoc"y and purposeul with more than its air share o mo-y. t doesnt )ust

hang around. t doesnt dangle. The unitels dual grip provides visual balance and symmetry to the

vehicles and eliminates the )un"y#loo"ing grip arm that characteri8es all other gondola technologies.

The elimination o this arm lowers the proBle o the vehicle, ma"ing it slic"er, slee"er and aggressive. t

loo"s and eels li"e a sprinter crouched down ready to dash towards the Bnish line. The unitel moves

with an aggressive purpose as i to say 6dont bother me now, ve got things to do.7 t

)ust *oos and .ee*s right.

or cable to truly ma"e in#roads into urban transit, vehicle design and aesthetics is going to becoming

very important, very uic"ly. The industry has already established that they have a technology that is

competitive %i not superior& to traditional orms o transit and the technology is advancing at a rapid

pace. The engineering is beyond repute. The real uestion then is, can the industry design

vehicles that have a pleasurable aesthetic that matches their engineering prowess.

The unitel is one o the Brst steps towards that answer.

The innovative Funitel offers top ride comfort thanks to pneumatic suspension in a modern,

ergonomic design. This very special ropeway system has a signature design feature: the double

configuration of one continuous rope loop to give four rope lines two parallel haul ropes on the

uphill side and two on the downhill side. This prevents wind-induced side swing of the cabins and

ensures optimal wind stability. As a result, Funitel systems can operate at wind speeds of up to !!

km"h. #ery long rope spans are mastered with ease. The specially designed pneumatic suspension

of the cabins ensures e$ceptional ride comfort at all times, even at a drive speed of % m"s.

The combination of cutting-edge technology and individual customer wishes provides the foundation

for the design and construction of every Funitel installation. &epending on the model, the ample

cabins provide space for up to '( passengers )including up to * seats+. The panoramic windows in

#-resistant, tinted polycarbonate provide passengers with a uniue all-round view.

The Funitel at a glance

Transport capacity up to (,!!! passengers per hour and direction

Functional, fle$ible parking facilities to suit reuirements

arrier-free access

/aintenance-friendly


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All parts and euipment comply with 0 directives )102+

he funitel is a fast, detachable-grip gondola that offers a comfortable ride and high wind stability. The

most obvious characteristic of funitel cabins are their short, double arms, which provide stability in

winds up to 100 km/h.

Maybe the most intersting aspect of the funitel is that it runs along a single, dual-loop cable which

gives off the illusion of two cables. This set up makes functionality high but adds to construction and

maintenance costs, as well as increased space re!uirements.

"unitels are not typically found in cities.

Major Characteristics:

Grip:A unitel cabin has our detachable gripsthat are attached by two arms. The detachability

means cabins can detach rom the cable and slow down or boarding and alighting when in a station.

Cables:A unitel conBguration consists o a single dual#loop cable %see diagram below& which provides

bothsupportandpropulsion.

peed:About C.? m:s, which is eual to 9C "m:h.

Capacit!:+enerally cabins hold between 9#3 passengers. This amounts to around 3,9#(,

people per hour per direction.

To"ers:unitel towers are airly large as they must accomodate the ull width o the dual arm cabins.

They can be either cylindrical or lattice structures.
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target=_blank One type of funitel dual loop set up.

Multiple funitel configurations

The Dual Loop:There are multiple conBgurations or the unitel but they all achieve the same efect

o 6doubling up7 a single cable. 'ecause there is only one cable, each segment o the cable moves at

an identical speed which means both arms o the cabins also move at the same speed. This "eeps

cabins aligned and eliminates small speed discrepancies that could otherwise occur.

The Volkswagen plant in Bratislava uses a custom funitel to transport new cars.

The Car #unitel:0ne uniue and intriguing use o a unitel system can be ound in Slova"ia attheBratisla$a %ol&s"agen plant. nstead o cabins, the system was outBtted with custom designed

car carriers, which transport new cars between the manuacturing plant and test trac"s. The entire

system is (39m long and can move >,> cars per day.

#nd a few funitel systems that have appeared on the site in the past$
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The +al8igbahn tation

The 4a"one'ope"a!

AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 5: AERIAL TRAMS

Aerial Trams are the granddaddies o cable transit. Theyre big, theyre aggressive and what they do,

they do really well. *roblem is, they cant do much. Theyre a completely antiuated technology due to

their lac" odetachabilit!.

5i"e BDGorsystems, Aerial Trams use one or two stationary ropes orsupportwhile a second or

third moving rope provides the propulsion. 'ut unli"e '2+ and 3S systems the Aerial Trams gripis

B-ed and cannot be decoupled rom the propulsion rope during operations. This means

that cornersare all but impossible in an Aerial Tram conBguration and intermediary stations are

limited to single mid#points along the line. These mid#stations are incredibly rare.

This has created conusion amongst many. ve seen high#level research reports that have stated

uneuivocally that cable transit systems are not capable o turning corners. This is no doubt due to a

conusion between +ondola and Aerial Tram technology. *roblem is, the act that Aerial Trams cannotturn corners gets e-trapolated to mean that all cable transit cannot turn corners, a act which is

demonstrably alse. So lets set the record straight

n almost all cable transit systems, corners and intermediary stations are simple to implement. The

lone e-ception is with an Aerial Tram whereby corners and intermediary stations are all but impossible.

2o not ma"e the mista"e o assuming that the speciBc limitations o Aerial Trams euate to a limitation

o cable technology in general.

A simplified diagram comparing how detachable Gondolas and Aerial Trams operate: (Top) Small vehicles in a gondola system

constantly circulate. (Bottom) Larger Aerial Tram vehicles shuttle back and forth.
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This lac" o detachability points to another ailing o Aerial Tram technology. 'ecause vehicles cannot

circulate throughout a system as in a +ondola#type situation, vehicles must shuttle bac"#and#orth.

This means that only two vehicles are possible and each vehicle is dependent upon the other. Got until

each vehicle is ready to depart can either vehicle move. The only solution to this problem is a 2ual

Shuttle conBguration that uses two separate rope loops which allow each vehicle to move

independently o the other

In a Dual Shuttle configuration, Aerial Tram vehicles can operate independently of one another. This adds additional cost to the

system, but improves capacity and operational benefits.

This solution increases the cost o the system, but provides a marginal increase in capacity and

decreases wait times. t also would allow or intermediary stations as each vehicle operates

independently. urthermore, a 2ual Shuttle allows the system to operate 9( hours per day as one line

can be ta"en out o service at a time or maintenance while the other continues to operate. Similarly,

in the event o the mechanical ailure o one line, the other line can still be operational.

The shuttle#based nature o Aerial Trams means that capacity and wait times are directly proportional

to the length o the system. The longer the system, the longer the wait times between vehicles and

ultimately, the lower the capacity. 'ecause o these limitations, Aerial Trams compensate with

incredibly large cabins o up to 9 people, by ar the largest o all aerial cable transit systems.

This compensation only goes so ar, however. Aerial Trams can really only move 9, pphpdand such

capacity would be possible only in the shortest o systems. 2etachable gondola systems, however, can

move up to E,.

ronically, despite having the greatest number o limitations, Aerial Trams are some o the most

e-pensive cable technologies around. This owes to the massive si8e o the inrastructure needed tocarry three cables as well as increased station si8es.

Aerial Tram Stats:

1a-imum Speed* &+hr.

1a-imum System $apacity 9, pphpd.

= ? million %!S2& : "ilometre.
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So when then should you choose an Aerial Tram over other cable transit systemsI Go where. At least

none that can thin" o. There is no beneBt to Aerial Trams that other cable systems dont also possess

without the large number o limitations that come with Aerial Trams.

The one potential beneBt o Aerial Trams can see is that o privacy concerns and visual pollution.

Jather than seeing a small gondola Ky overhead every >#3 seconds, one sees a single vehicle every

?#> minutes. That alone, in my opinion is the only beneBt o the technology but is ofset by the

overwhelming number o limitations.

The advent o detachable systems rendered Aerial Trams obsolete, but people have held onto them

due to some bi8arre connection to the past. or e-ample, the @9? million rebuild of the 'oose$elt

Island Tra+%which is going on right now& is replacing the old Aerial Tram with a new 2ual Shuttle

conBguration, a deBnite improvement over the original.

Jeplacing the Joosevelt sland Tram with a gondola system, however, would have provided a greater

level o service at a cheaper price. As per my understanding, that alternative was never considered,

li"ely because o the Trams iconic status. Were the Joosevelt sland lin" conceived and built today, it

li"ely wouldve been a 3S system.

The debate thats going on right now about Aerial Trams is this s it technologically easible to

combine the high#capacity vehicles o an Aerial Tram with the detachable capabilities o other

systemsI so, a dramatic increase in system capacity could be reali8ed. Such an increase could allow

aerial cable systems to carry passenger loads approaching that o subways and metros but at a

uarter o the cost.

That would be a game changer the li"es o which the cable industry has never seen.

AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 6: PULSED GONDOLAS

*ulsed +ondolas are a semi#rare subset o the $*T universe and generally not appropriate or mass

transit installations. 1ost were built in the mid to late 9th century, and its uncommon to Bnd pulsed

systems built nowadays.

*ulsed +ondolas behave with trains o gondolas moving together in pac"s %or Lpulses& in either

an MDGor BDGconBguration. This would seem li"e an intriguing concept at Brst, e-cept or one

problem As ar as "now, all *ulsed +ondolas are non-detachable. This lac" o detachability

translates into slow speeds, long wait times, and low capacity. t also means that corner-turningis

airly impossible %though not entirely&.

/ou can see in the video below how a pulsed system operates in stations. Gotice how not only do the

vehicles slow down, but so does the bullwheel itsel. n other words, or people to board and alight a

*ulsed +ondola system, all vehicles must be stopped at the same time or this orm o the technology

to unction

'ecause o their lac" o detachability, *ulsed +ondolas are very cost#efective. This, suspect, is why

some places still opt to build these systems rather than others. all you reuire is a point#to#point

system with no intermediary stops and a system capacity below ? pphpdthen maybe a *ulsed

+ondola is or you. 0therwise, loo" elsewhere.

There is one uestion worth pondering, however 5ets consider advanced aerial systems

li"e#unitelsor systems. These systems can move upwards o E, pphpd. s there a way to use

the *ulsed +ondola concept o vehicle trains and remi- that with a more contemporary detachable

systemI
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11/13

$urrently such a version o the technology doesnt e-ist, but i it )ou*dbe developed saely and cost#

efectively, cable systems could double or triple line capacities. Such an increase would ma"e them

competitive with virtually all standard transit technologies, metros and subways included. As cable

vehicles themselves are uite cheap compared to systems as a whole, the small marginal increase in

cost would more than )ustiy the large marginal increase in capacity.

or another video o a *ulsed +ondola system, chec" out this past post on the po&ane #alls

&!ride.

AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 7: 3S

0ne o the rarest and most e-citing %at least rom an urban perspective& o all aerial cable systems is

the 3S.

The term 3S derives rom the phrases d&eiSei*eor d&eiSei* in +erman which translate directly toth&ee

&opesor th&ee &opein Hnglish. The term is used because 3S systems use two supportcables and a

one single propulsioncable %or Lropes as it is commonly used&. This is a little bit tric"y and conusing,

however, because there e-ist .erial Tra+sthat also use two support ropes and one single propulsion

rope. So what givesI4eres what gives The diference between an Aerial Tram and a 3S system all boils down to

detachabilit!. Whereas Aerial Trams are e-clusively shuttle#based in nature %and are thereore not

detachable&, 3S systems are )ontinuous*! )i&)u*atin- deta)ha+*e s!stems%This ma"es a huge

diference.

While both systems have outstanding wind tolerances e-ceeding > "m:hr, and both can operate at

speeds up to D3 "m:hr, the 3Ss detachability allows or LT/Mwait times and ma-imum capacities up

to si- times higher than an Aerial Tram %up to a current ma-imum o E, pphpd&. Corneringand

intermediary stations are also possible with 3S, something Aerial Trams are not = or all intents and

purposes = capable o.

ts best to thin" o a 3S as a hybrid o a +ondola system and an Aerial Tram system. With vehicle si8es

o up to 3?#( people, theyre much larger than standard +ondolas, but more compact than Aerial

Trams. n act, some reerences to 3S demonstrate that some view the technology as nothing more

than a high#capacityBDGsystem %well save this bi8arre matter or another days post&.

The most captivating o all the 3Ss eatures is its ability to span huge distances without towers. n the

case o the0histler-Blac&co+b 1ea&21ea&, that 3S system spans a 3 "ilometer long mountain

valley without a single intermediary tower. To do this, however, reuires signiBcant sag %or Lbelly& in

the ropes as well as massive tower inrastructure. This is appropriate or comple- crossings in

mountain settings, but not in an urban environment where more closely set, lo"er pro3letowers

would be necessary.

The 3S can be on the pricey side, costing between @>#3 million %!S2& per "ilometer depending on

capacity and stations. The *ea"9*ea" came in at around @>9 million per "ilometer or a (.E "m long

system, but that is based on a 9,? pphpd capacity, (M second wait times and only two stations. A

$*T version o a 3S system would li"ely cost 9 = 3 times that, but that would include all civil wor",

intermediary stations and capacities o (#E,.

+iven that s"i resorts rarely have the capacity needs that a 3S can ofer, they are a very rare system in

the cable universe. That might change as urban settings loo" towards $*T and reuire high speed,

high#capacity systems. $urrently, however, only three 3S systems e-ist in the world and all are located

in resort settings %though the Jittners lower terminal is located in suburban 'o8en:'ol8ano&
http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/09/spokane-falls-skyride/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/09/spokane-falls-skyride/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/09/spokane-falls-skyride/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/06/16/aerial-technologies-lesson-7-3s/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/04/24/technologies-module-5-aerial-trams/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/12/20/551/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/24/lt1m-wait-times/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/19/pphpd/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/01/03/grip-module-lesson-4-corners/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/01/03/grip-module-lesson-4-corners/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/01/technologies-module-3-bdg/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/01/technologies-module-3-bdg/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/01/technologies-module-3-bdg/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/05/the-peak-2-peak-part-1/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/05/the-peak-2-peak-part-1/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/05/05/low-profile-urban-gondolas/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/09/spokane-falls-skyride/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/09/spokane-falls-skyride/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/06/16/aerial-technologies-lesson-7-3s/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/04/24/technologies-module-5-aerial-trams/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/12/20/551/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/24/lt1m-wait-times/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/19/pphpd/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/01/03/grip-module-lesson-4-corners/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/01/technologies-module-3-bdg/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/05/the-peak-2-peak-part-1/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/05/05/low-profile-urban-gondolas/


12/13

AERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LESSON 8: FUNIFORThe last aerial cable technology worth mentioning is the unior. 5i"e the , uniors are very rare

beasts. 0nly around a hal do8en e-ist, and are all located in northern taly %or whatever strange

reason&.

n essence, the unior is nothing more than a usion o a #uniteland an .erial Tra+. ts dual grip

mechanism allows or a short grip arm and a more stoc"y, yet purposeul appearance. t doesnt

appear to dangle li"e other aerial systems. 5i"e an Aerial Tram, however, it lac"s the

unitelsdetachabilit!.This means longer than normal wait times and lower capacity. t also means

intermediary stations are very diNcult and the technology is best used or point#to#point applications.

5i"e most Aerial Trams, a unior runs on a parallel set osupportropes, though the pair are spaced

wider apart than standard Aerial Trams.

What distinguishes a unior rom an Aerial Tram is that each o the two cabins operate separately. As

opposed to an Aerial Tram, a uniorspropulsionrope is not returned to the opposite direction or use

by the other vehicle. nstead, each cabin uses its own set o bullwheels, engines and propulsion ropes.

%Thats why when you see pictures o a unior, each direction appears to use ( separate ropes; two or

support, one or propulsionp*us the return part o the propulsion loop.& This allows a unior three

distinct advantages over an Aerial Tram>. As cabins operate independently o each other, higher capacity can be reali8ed through

reduced wait times.

9. ntermediary stations become possible in locations other than the e-act mid#point.

3. n the event that one line shuts down due to emergency and or maintenance, the other line

can still operate. /es, that means that capacity is reduced by hal, but at least the system is still in

operation.

(. evacuation o a vehicle is necessary, the second vehicle can be used. uniors can be

euipped with bridging euipment allowing passengers to move rom the disabled vehicle over to the

other operational line.

These advantages, however, are ofset by a couple o negatives

>. Towers are necessarily larger and sturdier in order to carry the e-tra load.

9. 2oubling o engines and propulsion ropes causes a signiBcant increase in cost.

one were choosing between an Aerial Tram and a unior in an urban environment, it would be best

to opt or the unior. The added capacity, reduced travel times, maintenance potential and evac

procedures ma"es it an obviously superior choice. /es, its more e-pensive, but on balance worth it.

Why, ater all, do you thin" Gew /or" opted to rebuild the 'oose$elt Island Tra+as a uniorI +iven

that the terminals were already built, the @9? million !S2 price tag that came with this rebuild made

the choice easy.
http://gondolaproject.com/2010/06/26/aerial-technologies-lesson-8-funifor/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/06/16/aerial-technologies-lesson-7-3s/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/03/19/technologies-module-4-funitel/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/03/19/technologies-module-4-funitel/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/04/24/technologies-module-5-aerial-trams/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/12/20/551/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/12/20/551/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/12/20/551/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/04/roosevelt-island-tram/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/06/26/aerial-technologies-lesson-8-funifor/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/06/16/aerial-technologies-lesson-7-3s/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/03/19/technologies-module-4-funitel/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/04/24/technologies-module-5-aerial-trams/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/12/20/551/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/17/basic-lesson-4-support/http://gondolaproject.com/2009/11/20/basic-lesson-5-propulsion/http://gondolaproject.com/2010/02/04/roosevelt-island-tram/


13/13

The Roosevelt Island Tram Redesign.Image from The Roosevelt Islander blog.

In .ai&ness to the manu.a)tu&e&Sigmaone di'ision o. the 2oma3Leitne& -&oup4, this is not st&i)t*!3

speain- a 5uni.o&% 5uni.o& 6 the wo&d 6 is a t&adema&ed name o. the DoppelmayrGaraventa

Group.Si-ma/s desi-n, howe'e&, )*ea&*! )aptu&es a** that a 5uni.o& is%4
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