Author Topic: Old and new cable cars  (Read 2529 times)

Offline Roger B

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Old and new cable cars
« on: July 20, 2017, 07:47:10 PM »
We visited the Stanserhorn near Luzern last weekend. It used to be served by a three section funicular railway. The top two sections were burnt down in 1970 and replaced by a cable car. This was replaced in 2012 by the first open top cable car. The original lower section still operates and the drive section of the old top section has been preserved.
« Last Edit: July 21, 2017, 12:39:42 PM by Roger B »
Best regards

Roger

Offline crueby

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Re: Old and new cable cars
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2017, 08:04:31 PM »
Wow - what a view!  Never seen a cable car that let you out on the roof like that, nice!

And are those gear teeth on the big wheel really wood? Hope Switzerland has no termites...!

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Old and new cable cars
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2017, 10:26:13 PM »
Sure looks like wood!! I suppose it's easier to replace one tooth at a time as needed on that large a gear.

Bill

Offline Roger B

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Re: Old and new cable cars
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2017, 09:19:17 AM »
They are indeed wooden teeth in the big gears. This was apparently quite common in the past, often using applewood. I would think that they would significantly reduce the noise and could be easily replaced without having to haul a big gear up a mountain  ::) 
Best regards

Roger

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Old and new cable cars
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2017, 12:12:03 PM »
Wooden gears seem to last well here in NZ, there is one large bevel gear on the turbine at our museum at Homebush in Canterbury. The turbine, and driven parts were installed in 1878, and very little has been required as repairs since. the gears run quite quietly, a low rumble at 120 rpm.   Ian S C
« Last Edit: July 21, 2017, 12:16:52 PM by Ian S C »

Offline RayW

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Re: Old and new cable cars
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2017, 12:28:45 PM »
Cast iron gear wheels with inserted wooden teeth (often apple wood) were used extensively in windmills for several reasons. In the event of a tooth wearing out or breaking, it was a simple matter to replace it with a new one. Wooden teeth prevented the risk of fire or explosion, a real danger in the dusty atmosphere of a mill. They were also quieter in operation than all cast iron gears, although windmills were still pretty noisy places when operating.
Ray

Offline crueby

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Re: Old and new cable cars
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2017, 12:41:27 PM »
Fascinating. Apple wood is quite hard and stable, I've used apple wood cut from crooks where the branches come out from the trunk for angle brackets on boats, very strong stuff. Being in an area sith lots of orchards it was easy to get, at least till lots of them were cleared for housing tracts!

 

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