I don't see SkyTrains with attendants either ;)

Yes you can. There's two way - one is to add or take off cabins as needed, the second is to speed up or slow the tow cable. Ski areas do this all the time, depending on demand.

Thanks didn't know that cars could be removed on the fly, I imagine they would require to remove ones from opposite ends at the same time to maintain balance, still it would lead to uneven wait times it's not like you could removed 4 cars and the rest would space themselves out automatically not to mention storage space would need to be huge. As for turning down the speed that would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it? That would be like reducing skytrain capacity by slowing down the trains. :haha:

Still think this thing will be dependent on safety requirements, could see CUPE trying to mandate an attendant per cabin. This is a different beast then unmanned skytrain cars. What does Portland do?

There is a tram attendant... but they only have two vehicles shuttling people up and down the hill. It's quite a different scenario with this project.

Why would you remove trams on the fly? I doubt it changes the cost by much to have the max capacity. If there is a huge demand in the future, buy more gondolas and change the spacing.

Who cares if there are a few empty trams during the off-peak.

If it's really a big issue, have LED lights on the front of each tram indicating whether it's "open" or not, though I don't know why you'd deliberately reduce capacity.

the cost to operate one would be the same whether it's full or empty, and it would require the same number of operators too, unless there are attendants with their white gloves trying to jam more people into the cabs during peak hrs

That's my agruement that you probably wouldn't, so you'd most likely be running max capacity at all time. It would probably still cost less then the current buses but would be a bit of overkill.
I would still like to know what safety regulations would require as far as attendant goes.
Would they allow bikes as well? I know SFU is really popular for mountain biking.

Right now, the 145 bus run every 15 minutes after 6:15.
The 143 runs every 20 minutes.

So, off-peak... there isn't huge demand.

However, I'm sure it would all even out.

Although "slowing" down the system sounds silly, if there are cost-savings with running it at 80% speed, it may be able to do that, rather than taking off cars (and where would you store them, anyhow)

As for bikes, the article mentioned that flip-up seats would provide universal access for bikes and wheelchairs.

Why would they have an attendant in each car?? I have never heard of a gondola like that. I imagine they would need a few people at each station but it would probably be less people than the number of bus drivers they currently have.

Some Gondolas at ski resorts have racks on the outside to hold bikes. It seems that this would make more sense since it would allow for more capacity inside.

wow guys seriously calm down... the study was only meant to see if a gondola system would be possible at SFU. the study says that it is possible and lays out the basic details

EVERYTHING is still up in the air from the actual route to technology to the height, speed.... EVERYTHING....

thatbeing said... some of your ideas may be incorporated in....

Have you actually been on a 145 after 6? They are sometimes at crush load when classes get out. I've been on one at 8:30pm and it was completely full (with people not being able to get on).

I would hope the actual route is up in the air ;)

Zing

safety measure should ensure no depressed SFU students jump out of the gondolas =)

lol....i'm pretty sure all they'd have to do is rock the gondola from side to side.

knowing how people behave on the skytrain... i could see that happening

Why use the Gondola, we are going to have several new bridges primed for jumping ;)

As for attendants all we would need is attendants at the top and at the bottom, just like at a ski resort (save for Grouse simply because they are two huge cabins that go back and forth, not many smaller cabins that go in a circle as would be this project). One poster said it best on here, we don't have attendants in every skytrain car!

awesome aerial tramways of the world, via Neatorama
http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Tra...e-World.530109

Gondola would be a waste

Burnaby Now


Wednesday, February 18, 2009


Dear Editor:

Re: Gondola to Simon Fraser University. Why not a covered escalator up "the hill"? Or heating Gaglardi Way and Hastings Street so snow and ice melt? Or maybe more money could be put into clearing the roads during the winter - SFU manages to do a pretty fair job, but halfway down, the City of Burnaby's efforts leave much to be desired. Given the choice between pie-(gondola)in-the-sky and practical solutions, politicians seem to love to waste time, energy and theoretical money.

Brian Pratt, Burnaby

http://www2.canada.com/burnabynow/ne...1-3a83b131f357