From the Isère ski slopes to Manhattan! Owned by the Italian industrialist Michael Seeber, via his holding company HTI BV, the French group Poma inaugurated on Tuesday the new aerial tramway in New York City, produced in partnership with the Italian company Leitner, also owned by HTI BV. “This is France’s second donation to the city”, jokes Philippe André, export director of the group.
This 960-meter-long cable car crosses the East River to link Roosevelt Island to Manhattan. A three-minute ride that offers unique views, including the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Each of the two cabins can carry 110 passengers, for a capacity of 1,500 people per hour in both directions. “This is the first time that a French company has built cabins of this size,” said a manager of the subcontractor in charge of their manufacture.
These two cabins operate independently of each other, to meet the requirements of safety and optimization of the service. Safer but also more comfortable, because they are installed on wide tracks, offering a spacing of more than 4 meters between the two cables. This device guarantees better stability, while the East River is swept daily by strong gusts of wind, while saving time in the entry and exit phases.
Launched in 1976, this aerial tramway was only a temporary solution, while waiting for the metro to serve Roosevelt Island. Thirty years later, although the metro line F was built, it was still operational. But getting older. In 2006, several dozen passengers found themselves stranded for more than ten hours. Two other incidents will follow before the authorities decide on its renovation. The call for tenders, launched in summer 2008, was won by Poma.
Originally specializing in ski lifts, the group has diversified in recent years into urban transport, for example building mini-metros in several major airports. This $ 25 million project, accompanied by a five-year operation and maintenance contract, began not without difficulty in March 2010. “It took nine months, not many people believed it was possible,” rejoices Philipe André. He is a standard bearer who will promote our know-how “. This Tuesday, nothing could spoil the party, not even the rainy weather and the noticed absence of Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York.
