It's Brutally Hot On The Roosevelt Island Tram - Can Industrial Strength Fans Help Cool Off The Sweating Passengers?

Image Of Outdoor Industrial Fan From Global Industrial

Roosevelt Island resident Todd Williams sends in a suggestion for cooling down the Roosevelt Island Tram on brutally hot days:

Because it is dangerously hot in the tram on warmer days (in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if someone passes out on the tram one day), I have suggested to a couple of the operators and to one of the guys in the control station that they place some industrial strength fans at the tram station to blow air through the tram while it is stationary and people are waiting inside. This will help remove some stale air and keep people a little cooler before it takes off. They could easily turn it off while the tram is in motion and turn it back on when it docks. The tram folks seemed to like the idea and suggested that I write or tell RIOC. I'm not sure how to do that, but I knew that you are good at getting the word out about stuff. No worries if I'm harping on an old issue that has already been discussed to death. But it sure seems like a good idea to me that wouldn't be too expensive.

Last summer, a reader asked why no air conditioning on the Roosevelt Island Tram.

I just realized last week that the Tram does not have A/C because we were sweating buckets. Do you know why they did not decide to add A/C to the new Tram? Was it just a matter of cost?

I replied:
I think it was a function of cost as well as the limited time of the trip - approximately 4 minutes

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Director (or perhaps former Director?) Jonathan Kalkin answers the reader's question:

Really has to do with weight and the amount of passengers we would have to lose each trip. The new tram with an AC unit would have held less people and the battery to charge the AC wouldn't have enough time to charge at the station. However, I noticed that they haven't opened up all the windows when I was on it. All windows should be open which should really cool it down. I took pictures, sent it to Ops, and they are talking with the Tram team to make sure they open all the windows.

 Would Mr. Williams suggestion of an industrial strength fan make a difference?