Gondola lift facts for kids
A gondola lift is a type of public transport system. It uses cabins that are attached to a moving cable. This cable travels between two stations. Big motors at the stations move the cable around. Tall towers lift the cable high above the ground.
Gondola lifts are a bit like cable cars. Sometimes people even call them cable cars. But there's a main difference: a gondola lift has many cabins moving at the same time. A cable car usually has just one or two large cabins. Gondola cabins usually slow down when they reach a station. This makes it easy for people to get on or off safely.
Most gondola lifts are found in skiing resorts. They help tourists travel up and down mountains.
How Safe Are Gondola Lifts?
Gondola lifts are very safe! In fact, they are much safer than traveling by car. For every 100 million miles traveled, gondola lifts have far fewer accidents than cars.
Even though they are very safe, sometimes accidents can happen. Here are a few examples of past incidents:
- In 1979, at the Texas State Fair, strong winds caused some gondola cars to crash. One person sadly died, and 17 others were hurt.
- In 1983, a large oil rig hit the cable of the Singapore Cable Car. This caused two cabins to fall into the sea, and seven people died.
- In 2005, in Austria, a heavy concrete block accidentally fell from a helicopter onto a gondola lift. Nine people died, and ten were injured. Many people had to be rescued from the lift.
- In 2006, in Scotland, two gondola cars bumped into each other. Five people were injured, including a young child. Luckily, no one died. The lift was fixed and soon reopened.
- Also in 2006, during a test run in Hong Kong, two gondolas crashed. About 200 volunteers were stuck high up for several hours.
- In 2008, in Canada, a tower supporting a gondola lift collapsed. Ten people were injured, but not seriously. Others were left stuck on the lift.
- In 2019, someone cut the cable of the Sea to Sky Gondola in Canada. No one was hurt, but the cabins crashed to the ground. The attraction had to close for repairs.
These incidents are very rare. Gondola lifts are designed with many safety features to keep everyone safe.
Related Ways to Travel
Images for kids
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Patriatta pulsed gondola lift in Murree, Pakistan
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The London Cable Car over River Thames
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The Mi Teleférico cable car system in La Paz, Bolivia. It's used for mass transportation and is the longest and highest urban cable car network in the world.
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La télécabine d'Arrondaz in Valfréjus, France
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Inside a gondola at Killington Ski Resort, Vermont
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A classic 1960s 4-seater gondola lift in Emmetten, Switzerland.
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Inside a gondola lift station. Gondolas detach from the line, travel through the building, and then reattach to the next section.
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Tochal mountain telecabine in Tehran Province at 3,800 meters elevation
See also
In Spanish: Telecabina para niños
