Sandia Peak Tramway: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

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Sandia Peak Tramway

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	Topics Sandia Peak Tramway Topic Home The Sandia Peak Tramway, located adjacent to AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States.... , New MexicoNew Mexico New Mexico is a southwestern state in the United States of America.... , USAUnited States Summary The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... , is the world's longest passenger aerial tramwayAerial tramway An aerial tramway is a type of aerial lift, often called a cable car or ropeway, and sometimes incorrectly refer... . It also has the world's third longest single spanSpan (architecture) Span is a section between two intermediate supports, e.g.... . It stretches from the Northeast edge of the city to the crestline of the Sandia MountainsSandia Mountains The Sandia Mountains are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the northeast of the c... . History Bell Engineering of LucerneLucerne Lucerne is a city in central Switzerland with a population of 60,274, capital of the Canton of Lucerne.... , SwitzerlandSwitzerland Overview Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked Alpine country in Central Europe.... , constructed the tramway in what they considered their most difficult tramway construction project, primarily because of the steep and rocky terrain. Entering service on May 7, 1966, the tram makes 10,500 trips per year. The tram is a type known as a "double reversible jigback aerial tramway," where "jigback" means that as one tram car is ascending, the other is descending. Its two cars are capable of carrying 55 passengers each and have numerous safety and backup systems, such as multiple emergency braking systems and a grounding system that ensures the safety of passengers in the event of a lightning strike. New tram cars were installed in 1986, and new track cables in 1997. Description With a total diagonal distance of the Sandia Peak Tram is the longest aerial tram in the world. The tramway ascends the steep western side of the highest portion of the Sandia Mountains, passing close to dramatic cliffCliff In geography, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure.... s and pinnaclePinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards us... s, from a base elevation of to a top elevation of . A trip up the mountain takes fifteen minutes to ascend , and the normal operating speed of the tram is 12 miles per hour (19 kilometers per hour). Approximately four "flights" leave every hour from the base and top departure stations. The view from the tram includes all of Albuquerque and roughly 11,000 square miles (28,000 square kilometers) of the New Mexico countryside. The tramway has just two support towers. The first tower, which is tall, is situated at an elevation of above sea level and built as an inclined tower with an inclination angle of 18 degrees. The second, just tall, is situated at the end of a major spur of the mountains at an elevation of and was built by helicopter aid. The longest span is between the second tower and the top terminal. This span is the third longest clear tramway span in the world, at a length of . Mid-span, the cables are above the mountainside. This span passes over Domingo Baca Canyon, part of which is referred to as TWATwa The Twa are a pygmy people, of short stature, who were the oldest recorded inhabitants of the Great Lakes region of central ... Canyon. This is the site of the crash of TWA Flight 260TWA Flight 260 TWA Flight 260 crashed into the Sandia Mountains.... on February 19, 1955, in which the lives of all 16 passengers and crew were lost. While much of the wreckage was removed during construction of the tramway, some still remains on the canyon floor and may be visible to riders of the tram. Activities on top At the top of Sandia Peak there are many year-round recreational options. The High Finance Restaurant is directly adjacent to the top tram terminal and offers scenic views. Many Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service The USDA Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's national f... trails offer recreational hikingHiking Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery.... , backpackingBackpacking (wilderness) Summary Backpacking combines hiking and camping in a single trip.... and nature hikes to visitors. Additionally, the tram terminal is located at the top of Sandia Peak Ski AreaSandia Peak Ski Area Sandia Peak Ski Area is New Mexico's oldest ski area with 200 acres of skiable area, a vertical drop of 1700 ft and 7 lifts.... which is on the opposite side of the mountain from the tramway and the city. SkiingSkiing Summary Skiing is the activity of gliding over snow using skis , with metal edges, strapped to the feet with ski bindings.... is available in the wintertime, and during the summer over 26 miles (42 kilometres) of mountain bikingMountain biking Mountain biking usually refers to the sport of riding bicycles possessing particular design characteristics off-road, althou... trails are available. External links about this tramway, mountain and Albuquerque