From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.

Varieties in which the vehicle is suspended from a cable:

• An aerial tramway consists of a cabin suspended from a cable, pulled by another cable.
• A gondola lift consists of a loop of cable that is strung between two or more stations, usually over intermediate supporting towers, from which cars are suspended.
• A ropeway conveyor is a subtype of gondola lift, from which containers for goods rather than passenger cars are suspended.
• In an aerial lift transport, gondolas or open chairs are hauled above the ground by means of a cable.

Varieties in which the vehicle rests on rails or a road:

• A system to haul trains along streets, see Cable car (railway)
• The particular cable car system in operation in San Francisco, California, see San Francisco cable car system
• A funicular consists of a pair of railway cars that alternately ascend and descend an inclined right-of-way, attached to a common cable.
• A cable railway uses a cable or rope to haul trains.

See also

• Cable ferry
• Cableway
• Reaction ferry
• Ski lift
• Transporter bridge
• Zip-line