Recently, a male tourist fell from a high-altitude cable car while riding at the Leishan Scenic Area in Daye City, Huangshi, Hubei Province, and unfortunately passed away on the way to the hospital.
In recent years, cable car accidents have occurred frequently. While we sigh in sorrow, we can't help but ask: who is ultimately responsible for these frequent incidents? Is it a momentary oversight by the scenic area? Or special weather conditions? The safety of cable cars has always been controversial. Whether due to subjective or objective reasons, the construction and technology behind them are worth discussing today.
A cable car is a transportation vehicle that uses a steel cable suspended in mid-air to support and pull passenger or cargo cabins. Some are enclosed cabins suspended beneath the cable, commonly seen in scenic areas; others are open aerial chairs, often found in ski resorts. Though the setup is simple, these devices must carry dozens of people hundreds of meters above the ground, often exposed to external interference. A single lapse in maintenance can lead to fatal consequences. Just within scenic areas, numerous accidents have already occurred due to electrical issues or improper inspections—not to mention disasters caused by external interference.
At the root of the issue, the frequent accidents with cable cars stem from a lack of optimal safety measures. So, when it comes to safety, shouldn’t we learn more from foreign technologies? For example, elevators—which are increasingly being used as both transportation and sightseeing tools (especially vertical lifts)—such as Germany’s Fish Tank Elevator, the United States’ Gateway Arch Elevator, and China’s Zhangjiajie Bailong Elevator. These have all successfully combined transport and sightseeing. Notably, the Bailong Elevator has operated for 13 years without a single accident.
So how does the Bailong Elevator achieve such high safety? Elevator construction and technology incorporate multiple layers of protection. Of course, accidents do happen, but they are rare and usually occur when automatic safeguards are disabled. Otherwise, elevators generally operate safely. Elevators typically have at least four or more load-bearing steel cables and follow fixed track routes, which allows for the design of various safety features. First, there's the traction machine’s electromagnetic damping for deceleration and stopping; second, the traction machine’s brake calipers; third, emergency track-mounted safety clamps; and fourth, shock absorbers designed to prevent impact upon landing. Moreover, if elevator doors are not fully closed or the car isn’t level with the floor, the elevator will automatically enter a protected state and will not operate (except during maintenance). However, such protections are simply not feasible for cable cars.
Given their construction and technology, it is recommended that more domestic scenic areas adopt elevators as a means of transport. This would ensure safety while saving tourists time and offering them stunning ascending views. Why not give it a try?