Mechanisms
Detachable gondola
Machines · Ropeways
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How can people step calmly into a cable car when the rope it hangs from never stops moving?
A gondola lift has one long loop of steel rope that runs non-stop up the mountain and back down. Each cabin clamps onto the rope to travel fast on the line. In the stations it lets go, and rolling tyres slow it to walking pace so people can get on and off.
A detachable monocable gondola uses one endless haul rope, driven by friction at a bull wheel, both to carry and to pull its cabins. Each cabin clamps the rope with a spring-loaded grip on the line and releases it in the terminals, where tyres slow it to walking pace for boarding while the rope keeps running at full speed.
Key facts
- Line speed
- up to ≈ 6 m/s
- Boarding speed in terminals
- ≈ 0.25–0.3 m/s
- Typical cabin
- 8–10 seats
- Capacity
- ≈ 1,500–4,000 people/h each way
- Haul rope diameter
- ≈ 40–60 mm
- Bull wheel diameter (model)
- 6 m = rope gauge
Parts you can explore (12)
- Terrain
- Haul rope
- Drive terminal
- Return terminal
- Drive bull wheel
- Return bull wheel
- Drive motor & gearbox
- Tensioning system
- Towers
- Sheave trains
- Cabins
- Detachable grips
In the 3D model
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