Portland Aerial Tram

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Yesterday I went on a tour of the Portland Aerial Tram with the Structural Engineers Association of Oregon (SEAO) Young Members Forum.

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The tram has been open for over 2 years, but this was my first time riding it.

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It makes an average of 170 trips each day, transporting 4,000 people.

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The elevation change from the base station to the upper terminal is 500 ft; the horizontal distance is 3,300 ft.

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In normal conditions the tram travel speed is 22mph, making the trip about 3 minutes.
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The tram project used 1,250 tons of steel and 450 tons of concrete to build.

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The haul cable, which is what makes the tram move, goes through the big wheels, seen above, and connects to the 27 ton counterweight located below the upper terminal.

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The track cables are anchored at both ends. They are not easily adjustable, so the cables are able to sag slightly on hot days, and are more taut on cold days.

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The lower terminal houses the mechanical equipment, which consists of the main drive engine as well as 2 back up drives.
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