Mount Roberts Tramway
Encyclopedia
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
located just south of downtown Juneau in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. In operation since 1996, the tram makes a six-minute ascent of 3,819-foot (1,164 m) Mount Roberts from the cruise ship docks (just feet above sea level) to a height of about 1,800 feet (550 m), making it one of the most vertical tramways in the world. A restaurant, theater, nature center and retail shops are located at the top of the tramway, as well as connections to trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s leading both up and down the mountain. One trail up the mountain leads to a large cross.
The tramway was conceived by John Heiser in 1994. Heiser, partnered with Bruce Booher, Marc Bond, Kevin Branson and Ron Greisen, formed Mount Roberts Development Corporation (MRDC). MRDC designed the facility, acquired the necessary land and rights-of-way, and obtained permits. Following the preliminary stages, MRDC partnered with Goldbelt, Inc., the ANCSA corporation for Alaska Natives in and from Juneau, to finance, construct and operate the venture. MRDC managed the partnership and oversaw construction of the tramway. The tram opened for limited operation in September 1996 and the grand opening was held in May 1997. MRDC sold its partnership interest to Goldbelt the following year.
The Mount Roberts Tramway is one of Southeast Alaska's most popular tourist attractions, with around 200,000 visitors each summer.
The tram has two 60-passenger cabins, capable of a maximum uphill capacity of 1050 people per hour. Maximum speed is 2000 feet per minute or 10.2 meters per second. This type of tram is known as a double-reversible or "jig-back". Both cabins are coupled to a common haul rope and they move in unison, one up and one down.
The main drive system is a 600 hp 500V DC GE electric motor. The full time back up system is two 360 hp Cummins diesel engines with a hydro static drive. Both systems are coupled to a common gearbox
The haul rope is 7,875 feet (2400m) of 35mm solid core cable. The cable has a breaking strength of 172,230 lb. The haul cable operates at 30,050 lb (15 tons)tension per side. The cabins ride on 2 each 50 mm double locking coil track ropes. Each cable is 3526 ft (1075 m) long with a breaking strength of 616,700 lbs. All cables were manufactured by Fatzer of Switzerland.