Ropeway Waystation - Postcard from a Solarpunk Future
This is my second, slightly more serious photobash of a ropeway.
Like I said before, I really like the idea that the rural towns in this setting all have some kind of reliable public transit option - the larger ones (or ones conveniently placed) are linked by high speed rail, and others nearby might link to those (and to eachother) with ropeways. Easier/cheaper to set up over rough terrain, great view, and pretty reliable - you always know there’s another car coming.
Given the distances between rural towns, I feel like they might need to run several ropeways to cover the distance. Ideally the terminals (the ends of the ropeway) would be in a town, but sometimes, like here, they may just be up in the mountains, which I think could provide a really cool option for a sort of local community hub in an otherwise fairly inaccessible place. (From a bit of reading about ropeways, my understanding is that the drive is at one end, and the other just has the mechanisms for unhooking and rehooking the cabs, and comms back to the drive - if that’s the case, then the main motors and power supplies would be in the towns at either end, leaving this spot fairly uncluttered). A basic transfer station might just have the two ropeway terminals and perhaps some restrooms, but I feel like really nice ones could be this sort of base camp and waystation for hikers, rock climbers, and other people enjoying the outdoors. It might have some kind of communal dining hall, bathrooms, perhaps even sleeping quarters. People might hike up to this spot for lunch, or start their adventure here. Or, if they’ve been hiking from peak to peak for weeks, they might rest up or even catch a ropeway down into a town to resupply.
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