Aerial Tramway Carrier Conveyance By Linear Synchronous Motor

In an aerial tramway system that conveys carriers between terminals along a haul rope, in which the carriers (a) detach from the haul rope at one or more detachment points within at least one of the terminals for loading and unloading, and (b) reattach to the haul rope at one or more reattachment points for conveyance to the next terminal, an improvement comprising:

• one or more Linear Synchronous Motors (LSMs) within at least one of the terminals, that move the carriers for at least part of the time that the carriers are detached from the haul rope;
• and
• a plurality of reaction rails, each of the reaction rails associated with one of the carriers and configured for electromagnetic interaction with the one or more LSMs, to move the carriers.

A carrier for an aerial tramway system, comprising:

• one of a chair, a freight carrier, and a gondola, and
• a reaction rail configured for magnetic interaction with a linear synchronous motor of the tramway system, to control movement of the carrier.

A retrofit kit for a carrier of an aerial tramway system, the retrofit kit comprising:

• a reaction rail configured for attachment with the carrier, the reaction rail comprising one of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet for magnetic interaction with a linear synchronous motor of the tramway system, to control movement of the carrier for at least part of the time that the carrier is detached from a haul rope of the tramway system.