1The Magic of the Moving Cable
Unlike a car or a bus, a cable car doesn't carry a heavy engine inside it. Instead, the power comes from a massive motor located at a fixed station on the ground. This motor turns a giant pulley that pulls a continuous loop of braided steel cable. These cables are incredibly thick—often up to 50 millimetres in diameter—and are made of hundreds of individual steel wires twisted together for maximum strength. Because the cabins are light, they can glide effortlessly over valleys and steep cliffs where a normal train or car would simply get stuck!
2Clamping On for the Ride
Have you ever wondered how the cabin stays attached to the moving rope? Every cable car has a high-tech "grip" or clamp on top. In many modern systems, these are "detachable grips." This means that when a cabin enters a station, the clamp actually opens up and lets go of the fast-moving cable so the cabin can slow down for passengers to get on safely. As the cabin leaves the station, the clamp snaps back onto the cable with enough force to hold the weight of an entire elephant! This mechanism allows the cable to keep moving at a steady speed of about 15 to 20 miles per hour while cabins come and go.
3Safety in the Skies
Engineers take safety very seriously when building these sky-high pathways. Cable car systems are packed with sensors that monitor the weather and the machinery every second. There are wind gauges called anemometers on the support towers; if the wind gets too strong, the system automatically slows down. There are also "limit switches" that check to make sure the cable is sitting perfectly in its tracks. With backup diesel engines and secondary braking systems ready to jump into action, cable cars are actually one of the safest and most eco-friendly ways to travel through some of the world’s most difficult terrain.
