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Gondola lift

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Tochal gondola lift carry tourists and skiers to Tochal mountain,Tehran, Iran.

A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, often called a cable car, which consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in the terminal, which is connected to an engine or electric motor.

Contents

[edit] Types

In some systems the passenger cabins, which can hold between four and 16 people, are connected to the cable by means of spring-loaded grips. These grips allow the cabin to be detached from the moving cable and slowed down in the terminals, to allow passengers to board and disembark. Doors are almost always automatic and controlled by a lever on the roof or on the undercarriage that is pushed up or down. Cabins are driven through the terminals either by rotating tires, or by a chain system. To be accelerated to and decelerated from line speed, cabins are driven along by progressively faster (or slower) rotating tires until they reach line or terminal speed. Gondola lifts can have intermediate stops that allow for uploading and downloading on the lift. Examples of a lift with three stops instead of the standard two are the Village Gondola and the Excalibur Gondolas at Whistler, while an example of a lift with four terminals is the Plattieres Gondola at Meribel.

In other systems the cable is slowed down intermittently to allow passengers to disembark and embark the cabins at stations, and to allow people in the cars along the route to take photographs. A system like this, or when a train of gondolas in a row stops at a station is called a pulse gondola because the lift stops to load usually three cabins at a terminal and then starts up again. It stops over and over to do this.

Another type of gondola lift is the bi-cable gondola, which has one other stationary cable, besides the main haul rope, that helps support the cabins. Examples of this type of lift include the Cable Car in Singapore and the Sulphur Mountain Gondola in Banff, Canada. There are also tri-cable gondolas that have two stationary cables that support the cabins. They differ from aerial tramways in that the latter consist only of one or two usually larger cabins, moving up and down, not circulating.

Open-air gondolas, or cabriolet as commonly called, are fairly uncommon and are quite primitive because they are exposed to the elements. Their cabins are usually hollow cylinder, open from chest height up, with a floor and a cover on the top. They are usually used as village gondolas and for short distances. An example of these is the Cabriolet at Mont Tremblant Resort, in Quebec. Open-air gondolas can also come in a style similar to a pulse gondola, like the Village Gondola at Panorama Ski Resort, British Columbia.

The passenger component of a Ferris wheel is also called a gondola.

[edit] Gondola Lifts around the world

[edit] Albania

[edit] Andorra

  • "La Massana" in Pal's sector (Vallnord ski resort)
  • "Els Orriols" in Arinsal's sector (Vallnord ski resort)
  • "Soldeu" in Soldeu's sector (Grandvalira ski resort)
  • "Tarter" in Tarter's sector (Grandvalira ski resort)
  • "Canillo" in Canillo's sector (Grandvalira ski resort)

[edit] Australia

† Note: Horse Hill is a combined lift. A combined lift is where a small amount of gondolas are added onto a cable currently used by a datachable chairlift.

[edit] Argentina

[edit] Bulgaria

Image:Gondola lift lucerne 2006.03.18.jpg

[edit] Canada

[edit] Chile

[edit] China

[edit] Colombia

[edit] Croatia

  • Zagreb, 4.01km line from the city to the top of the mount Sljeme

[edit] Hong Kong

[edit] India

[edit] Indonesia

  • Ancol Jakarta Bay City, Jakarta
  • Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta
  • Taman Safari Indonesia, Cisarua

[edit] Iran

Iran's Tochal gondola lift: The French (Poma) built gondolas that carry tourists and skiers to Tochal mountain, Iran.
  • Dizin ski resort on the north mountains of Tehran at Gajereh region includes three gondola lifts.The lowest point of the region is 2650 m, while its highest point is 3600m above the sea level.[1]
  • The Tochal gondola lift (Tele-cabin) which starts from the metropolitan Tehran and ends in the Tochal Ski Resort at 3900m. It has 7 stations and is one of the longest and most scenic in the world. A modern ski hotel hosts the skiers at the end of the lift.
  • Namakabrud gondola lift in Mazandaran Province in northern Iran. It cuts through a lush forest and connects one of the highest summits in the region to the villa city on the coast of the Caspian Sea. [2]

[edit] Israel

[edit] Malaysia

[edit] New Zealand

[edit] Norway

[edit] Pakistan

Owned and operated by Parks Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd. gives a breathtaking ride though the Murree Hills. Promises one of the most scenic views in Pakistan. Located at 50 minutes drive from Zero Point, Islamabad.

  • Hanna Lake Chair-lift, Quetta

Now closed.

One of the rare Chairlifts in the world installed in a city of plains over a man made lake and a man made mini mountain in Safari Park Karachi. Excellent views of the city.

[edit] Singapore

[edit] South Africa

  • Cape Town - Table Mountain Cableway to summit of Table Mountain.

[edit] Spain

[edit] Sweden

  • Branäs - Ski lift.
  • Åre - Olympiagondolen - Ski lift.

[edit] Switzerland

As this country has a lot of mountains, the cable cars are very widely used.

[edit] United Kingdom

Image:Gondola car 20060409.jpg

The term cable car is used in the United Kingdom.

[edit] United States

Ski Resort Gondolas in the United States

Other Gondolas in the United States

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

de:Gondelbahn fa:تله‌کابین fr:Télécabine id:Gondola lift

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