A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal, which is typically connected to an engine or electric motor. It is often considered a continuous system since it features a haul rope which continuously moves and circulates around two terminal stations. In contrast, an aerial tramway operates solely with fixed grips and simply shuttles back and forth between two end terminals.
Gondola lift at the Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany
Patriatta pulsed gondola lift in Murree, Pakistan
The London Cable Car over River Thames
The Mi Teleférico cable car system in La Paz, Bolivia, used for mass transportation purposes, is both the longest and highest urban cable car network in the world.
Cable transport is a broad class of transport modes that have cables. They transport passengers and goods, often in vehicles called cable cars. The cable may be driven or passive, and items may be moved by pulling, sliding, sailing, or by drives within the object being moved on cableways. The use of pulleys and balancing of loads moving up and down are common elements of cable transport. They are often used in mountainous areas where cable haulage can overcome large differences in elevation.
Cable car at Zell am See in the Austrian Alps
The Portland Aerial Tram
An aerial tramway used in mining, at the Shenandoah-Dives Mill in Silverton, Colorado
A gravity incline in use in 1955 at Llechwedd quarry in Wales. Empty wagons are arriving at the top of the incline – the winding drum is in the shed in the background