No Double Decker For New Roosevelt Island Tram, But Modernization Town Hall Meeting Video Now On Web

You Tube video of Poma double decker Vanoise Express aerial tramway

For those unable to attend or wishing to review the October 2 Roosevelt Island Tramway Modernization Town Hall meeting, RIOC has made available an online web cast of the proceeding. During the meeting the two competing bidders, current operator Dopplemayr and Roosevelt Island newcomer Leitner- Poma of America, made presentations to the audience. The Poma presentation was certainly more entertaining with examples of double decker and continuous motion trams thought I am sure that the respective "wow" factor of each presentation will not be conclusive in determining the winning bidder. The Poma bid did cost approximately $10 million less than Dopplemayr's bid which could be a deciding factor assuming all other considerations are equal.

Another factor to consider may be this from the June 14, 2008 Ski Rebel Magazine. The double decker Vanoise Express:

... is to re-open on 20th December 2008 a year after the famous lift’s unexpected closure due to safety concerns.

... According to the Les Arcs website, some fibres on the original cable coating were found to have broken during a routine inspection last November. That lead to the immediate closure of the cable-car’s operation for the season....

Dopplemayr has experienced cable problems of a different sort with the Roosevelt Island Tram as well. From January 12, 2002 Main Street WIRE:

The Tram has been shut down since November 24, when American Tramways began a major repair and maintenance project. The work was nearly finished during the week of December 16 when the company’s technicians committed one of the nightmarish mistakes of the aerial Tramway and ski-lift industry: In connecting a new haul rope to the Tram cabin assemblies, they trimmed the excess cable too much, leaving it a little over eight feet short of the length necessary to allow both cabins to dock in their proper places.

Several days after the Town Hall meeting I inquired of RIOC President Steve Shane:

Now that RIOC has received two competing bids on the Roosevelt Island Tram modernization project, met with the potential companies, discussed the various alternatives with your experts and consultants as well as conducted a public hearing on the matter, can you provide the community with an update on the progress made and plans for how the project is to proceed. Also, I was wondering if you thought the suggestion made by one of the residents at the Public hearing concerning replacing the Trams one at a time so that one of the trams would be able to operate during the Modernization Project was feasible.

RIOC President Steve Shane replied:

As soon as we have reached a conclusion and finalized the bid proposals (they are still being negotiated as to details), will have something to present to the Board at the 10/23 meeting.
Not feasible to replace one side of the Tram at a time, as there is currently a jig-back system. As soon as one side is down, the whole thing is down (see justification for doing the dual haul system). Yes, the new system could be installed, one side at a time, but with great expense, duplication of effort and no apparent gain in economy of operation.

The September 27, Main Street WIRE has complete coverage of the Tram Modernization project.

You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Tram