gravity

Top and D own-station

Do TECHNICAL BRIEF
Platform
FUNCTION The top-station and the down-
station platform are civil foundations which
include housing control pulley, supporting

ropeways
Trolley cable, brake system and other functioning

Brake System
System FUNCTION Trolley is made from the
structures. Both the stations are used as
loading and unloading platforms. The civil
FUNCTION The brake system is used mild steel (MS) pipes with a hanging structure and foundation should be stable
to control the speed of the trolley trolley box for loads. The flexible enough to bear all the impact and operating
during landing at the down platform supporting hanger is connected to load of the system. This can be constructed
by applying force to the handle. It the guide pulley system. Its weight of dry timber, iron beams and concrete
Brake
consists of brake strips connected should be as light as possible with structures depending upon the availability of
with the fixed support at one end approximate value of around 30 kg. raw materials and technology. The concrete
and connected to the brake handle The center of gravity of the trolley construction makes the structure more
at the other end. should be balanced during operating stable which allow the ropeway alignment to Typical Top and Bottom Station
condition. be stable.
Diagram with components &
specifications >> Diagram with components & Diagram with components &
specifications >> specifications >>

Trolley and Trolley Guide Pulley

Brake
Support and
Trolley Guide P
Guide ulley
Pulley Control Wir
Control eR
ire ope
Rope
System
Plan
SPECIFICATIONS
- 6x7 strand steel core F 10-12mm wire rope for
FUNCTION The trolley guide pulley
support cable
system guides and provides
- 6x7 strand jute core F 8-10mm wire rope for
cushioning effect to the support wire
control cable
rope and converts gravitational force
- The factor of safety should be at least 3 or more Control Wire Rope
into kinetic energy. The system
consists of pulley guide and dummy
T = ((( 2 * W + w * L + Ww * L ) * l) / (8 * b)) / Cos where,
pulley attached to the supporting
T = Total load on the cable where,
channel. Between these two pulleys
W = Weight of loaded trolley (kg) L = Total length of the wire rope
the wire rope slides. The ring
Ww = Wind load factor (kg/m2) b = Sagging at mid-way from highest point
connected to the trolley hanger is Elevation
w = specific weight of wire rope (kg/m2) e = Lowest point horizontal distance from highest point
also attached to these pulleys.
= cable inclination with saddle point l = Horizontal distance

>>
LAYOUT DRA
LAYOUT WING OF GRA
DRAWING VITY ROPEW
GRAVITY AY
ROPEWA
L = l [ 1 + 0.5 * { (h / l) } + 8/3 * { ( b / l ) } ] + Lb h = Vertival distance
Diagram with components &
Trolley Guide Pulley b = l*h / (8*e-4*l) Lb = Backstay length at up station and down station
specifications >>

SERVICE PR
SERVICE OVIDERS
PRO 2. For wire rope accessories 4. Installation Support Appropriate Technology Development
Navin Steel Industries Ambika Fabrication and Repairing Pvt. Ltd. and Goods Manufacturing Industries (ATDGM)
1. For wire ropes of ISI standard Dhangu Road, Pathankot 145001, India Bhaktapur, Katunje, Ward No. 9, Sallaghari, Tinkune Balaju Industrial Estate, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Usha Martin Industries Limited Tel: 01893-244690, Fax: 01893-24408 Ph: 977-1-6610353 Balaju, Kathmandu Practical Action Nepal, Pandole Marg, Lazimpat,
14 Princep Street, Calcutta 700 072, India Contact Person: Doordam Thapa Ph: 977-1-4356191 PO Box 15135, Kathmandu Nepal
Tel: 27-2203 3. Design Cell Ph: 9851052853 Contact Person: Shankar Man Shrestha Tel: 977-1-4446015/4434482, Fax: 977-1-4445995, Email: info@practicalaction.org.np
Practical Action Nepal E-mail: shankar@manjee.wlink.com.np
Navin Steel Industries
Dhangu Road, Pathankot 145001, India
PO Box 15135, Pandole Marg, Lazimpat, Kathmandu
Phone: 977-1-4446015/4434482, Fax: 977-1-4445995
Structo Nepal Pvt. Ltd.
P.O. Box: 228, Block No. 27, w w w. p r a c t i c a l a c t i o n . o r g
Tel: 01893-244690, Fax: 01893-24408 Email: info@practicalaction.org.np Patan Industrial Estate, Patan
Ph: 977-1-5521192, Fax: 977-1-5542118
Contact Person: Rajendra Pradhan
 Working Principle and
Practical Action Nepal Design of Gravity Ropeway Cost
N
epal possesses Gravity ropeway is an inexpensive and simple means of transportation. The tentative cost of
extreme geographical It operates basically by gravitational force without the use of external the gravity ropeway
conditions ranging from high
hills and mountains to the flat land
Transport Programme power. The gravity ropeway consists of two trolleys rolling over support
tracks attached to a control cable in the middle which moves in a
traditional flywheel system. When the loaded trolley at the up-station is
system for the inclined
span of 1000m to
pulled downward by the force of gravity, the other trolley at the 1500m ranges from
areas called the terai. Rugged terrains,
bottom-station is pulled up automatically by means of control cable. NRs.7,00,000 to

P
unfavourable weather conditions and ractical Action Nepal commenced Gravity ropeway technology was transferred
8,00,000. The cost
scattered settlements in the hilly and its transport programme in 1998. from Northern India to Nepal by Practical Principally, the goods coming downward from top station has to be
It improved and promoted Action Nepal in collaboration with International primarily depends
Bishaltar Ropeway in Benighat VDC, provided confidence to the villagers to supply thrice as heavy as the load going up from the down station. The sliding
mountainous regions obstruct the innovative transportation systems Center for Integrated Mountain Development upon the local
Hadikhola-Chiraudi Ropeway in Kalleri VDC of their products in larger amounts and to enter down of the trolley and its speed depends upon the angle of elevation
mobility of people, transport of goods such as cable river crossing (ICIMOD). In partnership with ICIMOD and Dhading district, and Torisawara-Bishaltar the competitive market of the cities. Access made by the cables installed with the horizontal ground. topography, angle of
bridges known as tuin, gravity ropeway for hilly private manufacturer/supplier, Practical Action Ropeway in Torisawara VDC of Gorkha district to transportation system and market linkages inclination, the
and services and hinder development
and mountainous regions and bicycle Nepal installed a couple of demonstration with financial support from The European improved their socio-economic status in A flywheel with bearing and bracket is used as a brake to control the ropeway span at
efforts. Although these extreme ambulance/trailer for the terai regions. The ropeways in Marpha and Tukche VDCs of Union, and UK Trusts and Foundations. terms of income, health, education and landing speed of the trolley at the bottom-station. Communication
transport programme seeks to develop, adapt Mustang district to facilitate the transportation inclination between the
conditions create challenges, community awareness. Promotion of this between top and bottom stations is done by tapping the wire rope.
and replicate affordable, accessible and of apples from orchards to the road-heads. The initial study showed that the transportation technology also helped local economy by The operator at the top-station strikes the wire rope with a stick to two stations, and use
interestingly, they provide opportunities appropriate modes of transport, which directly cost of agro based products decreased by at creating employment opportunities and send a wave signal through the wire rope to the operator at the down- of local raw materials
to experiment with context appropriate contributes to the improvement of livelihoods After a successful intervention in Mustang least 50% after being served by gravity supporting the business of the local station. The operator at the down-station then applies the hand brake and construction
of marginal villagers. Practical Action Nepal installed Janagaon- ropeway system. Such encouraging statistics manufacturers and service providers. to control the flywheel.
transportation systems. technology.

Construction of roads is capital-

functions and components of the gravity ropeway

intensive, tedious and time
consuming in a topography that is
harsh and the cost for transporting
construction materials by air is high.
Therefore, the gravity ropeway is a viable
alternative mode of transport. This
system improves accessibility of poor
Top Station Contr
Station ol P
Control ulley
Pulley
people living in the remote areas and FUNCTION Top station control pulley is used to control and guide the control
Transportation

enhances their living standards. wire rope at the top-station. It is supported at the end with two bearings
and the housing is fixed rigidly on the base frame of the platform.
In the 1920s the first major long distance Down S tation
Station
Diagram with components & specifications
Contr ol P
Control ulley
Pulley

>>
ropeway was constructed in Nepal and it
was 22 km long. In 1964 it was
with FFly
ly Wheel Bearing and
improved and extended to 42 km. By
2000 the government and the private FUNCTION Down-station control Housing
pulley with fly wheel is used to FUNCTION Bearing and housing
sector had constructed several ropeways
in Nepal

control and guide the control are used to support and provide
for hydropower stations. The first
wire rope at the down-station. It free movement to the shaft
commercially successful cable car was
is supported at the end with two containing control pulley. For this
established in 1998 by the private sector,
bearings and the housing is fixed purpose SKF Roller bearing No.
with approximate span of 3 km,
rigidly on the base frame of the 6212 with corresponding
connecting Prithivi Highway at Kurintar
platform. The fly wheel is used bearing housing are used.
with Manakamana Temple.
for the smooth motion on the
wire rope. Diagram with components &
SKF Roller Bearing No:6212
specifications >>
Diagram with components &
specifications >> Cast Iron Fly Wheel
Cast Iron Fly Wheel Elevation Cast Iron Fly Wheel Bearing and Housing