Aerial Tramway Cologne

The Aerial Tramway Cologne is the only cableway that runs across the Rhine in Cologne, Germany. 13.7 million people rode the tramway from 1957 to 2004 without an accident; and in 2004, it carried 288,500 passengers. It is considered to be Cologne's safest means of transport. Starting in 2004, the tramway ran at night for special occasions. Cologne Aerial Ropeway Company ltd. operates the tramway, and has been a subsidiary of Cologne Transport Enterprises since 1998.

History

On April 26, 1957, the Rhine express course was created for the opening of the Bundesgartenschau; it connected the exhibition sites in close proximity to the Cologne Zoological Garden. In 1963, Federal President Theodor Heuss and Federal Chancellor and former Cologne mayer Konrad Adenauer dismantled the express course because it stood in the way of support for the new zoological bridge.

The course was reopened after many discussions, but the route was changed in response to irritated drivers who did not want the aerial ropeway over the bridge. The suspension tower was easily turned and the support was shifted to a deep station lying in the Rhine park. The aerial ropeway crosses the thermal bath, "Claudius hot spring," built in the Rhine park. The new extended Rhine express course was opened August 22, 1966.

Specifications

*The Aerial Tramway Cologne is in operation daily April through October.
*50 cabs can carry up to 2000 persons per hour.
*The distance covered length: 935 meters
*Diameters/carrying capacity of the cable:
**Carrying rope: 45 millimeters/230,280 kg
**Hauling cable: 22 millimeters/30,000 kg