News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

allgiggles

allgiggles

Well-Known Member
ABQ said:
The answer to the how portion would be, I assume, cutting the rope, removing a portion and then splicing the remainder together.

Splicing example:

Click to expand...


I remember watching that video before but that's a new rope...not an adjustment to an existing rope, correct???


tractor tipper said:
If I remember correctly the original splice is undone, rope shortened then respliced. Best too have one splice per rope.
Click to expand...

That was what I was trying to figure out...I don't imagine they can just cut a section out and resplice it back together somehow...but I wasn't sure if a rope can be "unspliced". And if it can, how is that done? Does dropping the rope allow enough slack that with the proper tools, the individual pieces can be separated/loosened thus "releasing" the original splice? (General questions, not directed at anyone -- just kind of thinking out loud.) It's all fascinating to me.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
allgiggles said:
That was what I was trying to figure out...I don't imagine they can just cut a section out and resplice it back together somehow...but I wasn't sure if a rope can be "unspliced".
Click to expand...

Yes, they basically unwind the prior splice... adjust the cable length.. and redo the splice. The splice is not some fusion, it's an intertwining of the cable that remains the two pieces.. just held together with friction.
 
carolina_yankee

carolina_yankee

Well-Known Member
flynnibus said:
Yes, they basically unwind the prior splice... adjust the cable length.. and redo the splice. The splice is not some fusion, it's an intertwining of the cable that remains the two pieces.. just held together with friction.
Click to expand...

I know that's how it works. I know it's safe. Now I suddenly feel like I'm going to be thinking about hand-spliced cable as I travel over alligator-infested waters desperate for a cold beverage to cool down my core temp on my way from Riviera to Epcot! Physics is weird.
 
allgiggles

allgiggles

Well-Known Member
flynnibus said:
Yes, they basically unwind the prior splice... adjust the cable length.. and redo the splice. The splice is not some fusion, it's an intertwining of the cable that remains the two pieces.. just held together with friction.
Click to expand...

Thank you...so I had the basic concept right.
 
Incomudro

Incomudro

Well-Known Member
larryz said:
Scary to think that the cable may have stretched so much during testing with empty gondolas.

How much will it stretch when you start loading the gondolas with Disney-sized guests? And their scooters/strollers/backpacks/suitcases?
Click to expand...

They probably stretch to a certain degree, then don't stretch much more.
Getting the stretch out seems to be what much of the testing is about.
 
Monorail_Orange

Monorail_Orange

Well-Known Member
I'm very pleased with the installation of the Skyliner as an alternative mass transit system. It's not the monorail, but it's a welcome and needed add to the mix, while moving to eliminate some of the bus magical motorcoach routes. The need to change lines at the CBR hub seems to be a smart move to me. Yes, it doesn't push the envelope or innovate, but it employs the K.I.S.S. method instead, making the system more stable, reliable, and potentially durable, at very little convenience cost to riders.
 
starri42

starri42

Well-Known Member
NelsonRD said:
I view this as a band aid approach for using a gondola as a mass transportation system, it fails in my opinion for the lack of scalability, convenience, and attractiveness.
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Attractiveness is subjective, but considering how quickly the entire project came together (they've been working on it for how long? Two years?), it's very scalable. If there's not a line running to Disney Springs in the next 5-10 years, I'll be surprised.

Contrast that with a monorail spur. The cost for that per mile would be astronomical and would probably take five times as long to build.
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
starri42 said:
Attractiveness is subjective, but considering how quickly the entire project came together (they've been working on it for how long? Two years?), it's very scalable. If there's not a line running to Disney Springs in the next 5-10 years, I'll be surprised.

Contrast that with a monorail spur. The cost for that per mile would be astronomical and would probably take five times as long to build.
Click to expand...
While the Gondola system did come together quickly, I am not so sure they could not expand the monorail if they wanted too...It would still be more reliable overall...Cities all over the world have added elevated transport trains...and it didn't cost them a billion dollars per mile.
 
starri42

starri42

Well-Known Member
Bocabear said:
Cities all over the world have added elevated transport trains...and it didn't cost them a billion dollars per mile.
Click to expand...
No, but those cities generally issue bonds when they they need to pay less than a billion dollars a mile. They're not paying for it out of their own coffers and hurting their stock price.

I'm not saying a monorail extension or some kind of other light rail system wouldn't be really cool, I just don't think it's economically feasible. And again, the time thing is a huge factor.
 
chrisirmo

chrisirmo

Member
danlb_2000 said:
The challenge with expanding is that since it's a point to point system, you run the risk of having to make multiple line changes to get between points. Having to change lines once isn't a big problem, but having to make multiple line changes would start to get inefficient. The other problem is that none of the existing stations have an easy way to add more lines to them.
Click to expand...
I think a second station across Generation Gap Bridge from the current station would be a perfect addition to connect to Animal Kingdom. With a turn station just south of Hourglass Lake you'd pass directly over Blizzard Beach (perfectly on theme!). That gives CBR, Pop and AoA access to a third theme park, with a maximum of one transfer (when coming from CBR).

Guests coming from Boardwalk, Beach and Yacht Clubs would face two transfers, but it's really not ideal for them anyway as you'd be looking at ~30 minutes in travel time when a bus is likely faster.
 
Monorail_Orange

Monorail_Orange

Well-Known Member
danlb_2000 said:
The challenge with expanding is that since it's a point to point system, you run the risk of having to make multiple line changes to get between points. Having to change lines once isn't a big problem, but having to make multiple line changes would start to get inefficient. The other problem is that none of the existing stations have an easy way to add more lines to them.
Click to expand...
I agree with you on both points. Any "expansion" would come in the form of an additional system, unlikely to be directly connected to what's currently in place.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
Whilst technically feasible, with 23 resorts, 4 main parks, 2 water parks, 2 mini-golf courses and Disney Springs, that’s 32 different end points.

Just how many bus routes would that involve?

Technically possible, realistically improbable.

But I agree, infinitely more possible than any other form of transport.
 

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