How do enormous cable cars carry people safely over mountains, valleys, and steep terrain?

In Engineering Insights S2 E91, we explore the engineering behind ski lifts and aerial ropeway systems — from the cables and towers to the drive systems, grip mechanisms, braking systems, and safety features that keep passengers moving above the ground.

Aerial ropeways may look simple from below, but the engineering is anything but.

We examine how engineers determine cable tension, tower spacing, passenger capacity, wind loads, and the forces created as cabins and chairs move along the route.

At the heart of the system is the rope. Depending on the design, a ropeway may use separate haul and support ropes or a single circulating cable. Large sheaves guide the cable around the system while powerful drive machinery kee ...