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Feb 03, 2018
Infrastructure, Installations, Research Issues, Trieste–Opicina tramway

Hybrid Transport — Trieste Opicina Tramway Funicular

Before the widespread adoption of automobiles, cities around the world had little choice but to develop creative ways to move people around. Near the turn of the twentieth century, when urban areas began to industrialize and innovations flourished, streetcar systems began to grow and expand. However, one of the main challenges faced by rail vehicles...

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Oct 13, 2017
Questions, Research Issues, Thoughts

Being Feasible

Years ago, a colleague once remarked to me that feasibility analysis is nothing more than complex marketing — a tool used to advocate for that which has already been decided upon. It’s a comment that stuck with me over the years and has recently taken on new relevance to me. As we’ve repeatedly pointed out...

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Jul 12, 2016
Research Issues, Site Issues and Updates

WORLD MAP UPDATE: Proposals and Ropeways Added

Given the recent flurry of activity within the urban cable car sector, we took time to update the world map. For a larger version of map, click on the upper right hand corner of the map below or click here. — — PROPOSALS ADDED Albany, New York (July 2016) Busan, South Korea (May 2016) Chicago Skyline, Illinois (May...

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Jan 14, 2016
Analysis, Hamilton, Research Issues, Urban Planning & Design

Hamilton Gondola — We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know

NOTE: An earlier version of this post originally appeared on December 4th, 2009 (yup, that’s over 7 years ago, kids). At that time, the report “City of Hamilton Higher Order Transit Network Strategy” was available online. Unfortunately, it is no longer available.  Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know and that’s really nobody’s fault....

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Nov 17, 2015
Research Issues, Thoughts

Bumblebees Can’t Fly

There exists an almost century-old anecdote about a German aerodynamicist and a bumblebee. Over dinner, the aerodynamicist remarked to a biologist that – according to his calculations and the accepted theory of the day – a bumblebee was incapable of flight. This, of course, wasn’t true. Bumblebees could fly (still do, I believe) and it didn’t...

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Nov 16, 2015
Research Issues, Safety

Are Gondolas and Cable Cars Safe?

Perhaps the most common question we’re asked about Urban Gondolas and Cable Propelled Transit is the safety question. Namely, are they safe? And while anecdotally we’ve always known them to be a remarkably safe technology, gathering clear statistical proof has been very difficult. Most countries don’t have readily available access to numbers on this and...

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Jul 06, 2015
History, Infrastructure, Research Issues

Why Doesn’t the Industry Keep Better Records?

Ropeway systems have continually demonstrated their ability to adapt to strange new environments. From the mighty rivers of rural China to the stacked vertical density of New York, it seems nothing is insurmountable. No doubt this flexibility is a main reason why we see more and more of urban gondolas being proposed and built. And...

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Feb 17, 2015
Questions, Research Issues, Thoughts

Assessing Intangibles in Transport Planning — Recreation, Chocolates & Proposals

As far as most transportation planners are concerned, urban transit systems should be evaluated based on major “function-related” items only (i.e. level of service, capacity, travel times, speeds, costs and etc). Such an analysis is appropriate in transit applications if the only objective is to move users from point A to point B in the...

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Nov 08, 2012
Design Considerations, Marketing Issues, Research Issues

World’s Cutest Transit Vehicle: Hello Kitty Tram & Transit Ridership/Marketing

Over the years at the Gondola Project, we’ve probably seen some of the world’s most awesome-looking and unconventional transit vehicle designs. However, when it comes down to the world’ most kawaii (Japanese for cute) mode of transport, the Hello Kitty Trams seen around the world is by far the clear winner (I challenge you to find a...

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Oct 11, 2012
Medellin MetroCable, Research Issues

Reducing Violence by Transforming Neighborhoods: A Natural Experiment in Medellín, Colombia

The American Journal of Epidemiology recently published a report, Reducing violence by transforming neighborhoods: a natural experiment in Medellín, Colombia, which examines the effects of “neighbourhood level interventions”. In this research paper, the “intervention” studied was the implementation of the Metrocable Line K in 2004. The paper looks at 25 neighbourhoods that were serviced by the...

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