The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs, California, is the world's largest rotating air route. It opened in September 1963 as a way to get from the Coachella Valley floor to the relatively close peak of San Jacinto Peak and built on the rocky Chino Canyon. Prior to its construction, the only way to the top of the mountain was to climb several hours from Idyllwild.
Video Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Rute
The twelve-and-a-half minute journey begins at Valley Station (coordinates: 33,8372 Â ° N 116,6142 Â ° W / 33.8372; -116.6142 ) at 2.643Ã, ft (806 m) and forward the mountain face northernmost North America through five life zones (biomes) on its way to the Mountain Station (coordinates: 33,8130 Â ° N 116.6385 Â ° W / 33.8130; -116.6385 ) at 8,516 ft (2596 m) above sea level. Tourists start in the Sonoran Desert and arrive in the alpine forest.
The floor of an 18-foot-diameter (5.5 m) tram-car rotates continuously, making two complete revolutions throughout the duration of the trip so passengers can look in any direction without moving. With a maximum capacity of 80 passengers, this is the largest of the three rotating air trams in the world. Other air trams "Rotair" are located in Cape Town, South Africa and Titlis, Switzerland.
Passengers get off at Mountain Station in the alpine wilderness of Long Valley and Mount San Jacinto State Park. The air can reach 40 Â ° F (22 Â ° C) cooler at the top than in the desert. Visitors can walk along nature trails or play in the snow during the winter months. Ascent to other countries can be done with permission from U.S. Forest Service. There are two restaurants on the summit, one of which specializes in fine cuisine. Both stations have a gift shop specializing in Aerial Tramway related items as well as educative toys. The video presentation of historical attractions continues to play in the theater at Mountain Station. It is manufactured by KESQ-TV Palm Springs TV stations with voiceover provided by Palm Springs radio personnel.
The landscape at the top can stretch north for over 200 miles (320 km) on a sunny day, all the way to Mount Charleston north of Las Vegas, Nevada. Landscape to the east and west can stretch as far as 75 mi (121 km). Salton Sea in California is clearly visible in the southeast.
As in 1963, the only way up the mountain to send supplies and water was through the air-tram itself. Inventory is loaded into the passenger area before the opening of the attraction while fresh water is pumped into the storage tank on the belly of the car.
The original aerial-tram cars are now on a static screen near the entrance to Valley Station.
Maps Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
History
Air Tram was first proposed by electrical engineer Francis F. Crocker during a 1935 trip to Banning, California, with The Desert Sun of the newspaper publisher Carl Barkow. During a hot day, Crocker's view fell to the top of Mount San Jacinto as high as 10,804 feet (3,293 m) to the east. Crocker then proposed to build an air tram on the face of Chino Canyon, an idea called one of the newspapers "Crocker's Folly."
Toward the end of the decade, Crocker named the co-manager of Palm Springs Desert Inn, O. Earl Coffman, to head the construction committee.
Both World War II and the Korean War suspended the project. Construction began in 1960. The unprecedented use of helicopters in the construction of four of the five tram aerial towers helped the Palm Springs Aerial Railway gain a reputation as a major engineering feat. Opened in September 1963.
In 1963, an aerial tram stuck for 13 ½ hours due to electrical problems in the control room.
On September 16, 1967, the first episode of the TV show Mannix was broadcast by tram as a scene in the show. On October 2, 1971, an episode of Mission Impossible (Season 6: 3 "The Tram"), was filmed on the streetcar, first aired. In the fall of 1966, two episodes of I Spy were filmed in Palm Springs, one of which included footage of the tram (Season 2: 1), and the other included a brief discussion of trams (Season 2: 8). The Columbo episode "Short Fuse" shows the tram line as the scene of the climax scene at the end of the event where the killer is revealed. The fourth and final "The Wrecking Crew" (1969) film contains the action scenes filmed on a tram station featuring actors Dean Martin, Sharon Tate & amp; Nancy Kwan. The 1974 TV movie Skyway to Death, shown at ABC Film of the Week, has an outside scene filmed on the streetcar.
In June 1984, a tram-air car headed to the mountain when a bolt of shock absorbers snapped, causing a 30-pound (14 kg) metal cut to crash through a Plexiglas window along the roof of the car. Tram passenger Elaine Tseko from Ontario, California, was struck by the cut and died as a result of the injury.
In September 1984, during routine maintenance, additional cables jerked and wrapped around the main cable line. The Desert Sun newspaper reported that if the damaged cable is not pinned under the main cable, a rescue car with tram workers in it can descend the mountain to a lower tram station. "Without obstacles," said the state investigator, "the two men will not be with us today."
In 1985, flash floods buried vehicles parked in the Station Valley parking lot in the mud and ripped about three quarters of a mile from Tramway Road. The tethered passengers must be flown from the area.
In 2000, original cars in the air were replaced by new slow-moving cars, offering 360 ° panoramic views of the panoramic Chino Canyon and desert valley floors.
In October 2003, a steel cable broke out and caused a mechanical failure causing more than fifty tram customers to hang in the air and a hundred passengers stranded at the Mountain Station for 4 ½ hours. During the crisis, the tram attendant searched for a rescue helicopter but could not find it. The obstruction is removed by the tram operator without maintenance training, using Leatherman's borrowed utility knife. The Desert Sun later reported that the cable inspector had found a break in the rescue line almost two hours before the incident occurred.
Animal park
In the late 1960s, The Tramway Animal Park, now dead, is owned and operated by Animal Behavior Laboratories of Los Angeles. It is located on 10 acres (40,000 m 2 ) land rented from Mt. San Jacinto Winter Garden Authority. Some parks include a gated area for deer that are allowed to roam along the Chino Canyon. In addition to deer, the park features a benign deer, a parrot, two dolphins named Buttons and Beau, apes, and various species of primates (including "Suzie, the show chimp"). The animals are regularly scheduled.
Station Architecture
Both tram stations are designed by famous medieval modern architects. The Valley Station, completed in 1963, was designed by Albert Frey and Robson C. Chambers. The Mountain Station, built in 1961, was designed by architect E. Stewart Williams. In addition, a special Tramway Gas Station at the foot of Tramway Road was designed by Frey and Chambers.
See also
References
Further reading
- Landells, James (2012). We Can Do It: Palm Springs Air Tram Line Construction . San Jacinto, CA: Kevin & amp; Andrea Walker. OCLCÃ, 861235282.
- Niemann, Greg (2006). "24: The Real Cable Car to the Stars". The legend of Palm Springs: the creation of desert oases . San Diego, CA: Sunbelt Publications. p.Ã, 286. ISBNÃ, 978-0-932653-74-1. OCLCÃ, 61211290. Ã, (here for Table of Contents)
- Scott, A. W. (2013) [1997]. Above All: The Story of Palm Springs Air Tramway (Revised ed.). Palm Springs, CA: Western Resorts Publications. ISBNÃ, 1-56274-678-2.
- Wheeler, George O. (1963). Geo. O. Wheeler 50 tram drawing . Palm Springs, CA: Wheeler of the Wheeler Desert. pp.Ã, 63. OCLCÃ, 11998031
External links
- Official website
- Palm Springs tourism webpage for Santa Rosa & amp; San Jacinto Mountains
- Howser, Huell (January 8, 1997). "Mount San Jacinto - Gold California (804)". California Gold . Chapman University Archives Huell Howser.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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