A cable car transports people or things in a vehicle that uses a strong cable to pull at a steady speed. Also called aerial lift, aerial tramway, or gondola, these are different from the cable cars associated with San Francisco, which use buried cables to move the car up steep streets.
The world’s longest working cable car is in Sweden and covers 26 miles. Sweden used to operate a 60-mile cable car, but only a 8.2 miles (13.2 km) of it still works today, however this section is the longest passenger cable car in operation currently.
We’re going to make a durable cable car that can travel as long as you have string for it to move along! It’s really a cool and simple project, and you can add cups or berry baskets below to transport cargo. Here’s what you need to do:
Please login or register to read the rest of this content.
Yes! Please email pictures to aurora@superchargedscience.com.
it worked! sooooo cooool! How can i attach a pic of it?
Yes, please use the student facebook group.
Is it possible to share a video of my completed car? I added a remote control and light!
– James
It sounds like the motors are getting bogged down (hard to know without actually SEEING what you are doing). Try using fresh batteries or a different (thinner) string.
Hi, it just stops turning as soon we placed it on the string
What happened exactly – does it catch or just stop turning, or…? Try looking closely at what’s going on and then let me now so I can help.
Hi Aurora, we’ve made the cable car and everything works until we put it on the string?
wow! we loved this robot and it was very simple, thank you!
Yes! Check out the “bumperbot” and see if you can put the two ideas together…
This is working great! Is it possible to make a reverse function?
i really like science!!!! these are awesome experiments
Yes and I bet you can figure that out – send me a picture of it!
Can you use one 3VDC motor?
Do you have any K’nex pieces,the kind with the tubing and connectors, like in their roller coaster track? You could make a tall structure for it to swing around on. If not, try looking at thin tubing that you can support from the bottom so the cable car can rest on the top. Let me know how it goes!
Hi! I loved the cable car and now i want to make a track that can turn and go in a circle and go back the other way like a cable car at a ski hill but i can’t think of anything to make it turn. any idea’s? Sophia 12 yrs old
Like this: https://www.sciencelearningspace2.com/2010/03/robotic-cookie-snatcher/ and I am making another video of how to make a hand with working fingers for Unit 19.
do you know how to make a robot HAND?
Wow – how cool! Make sure you send me a picture so I can post it for other kids to see! Isn’t it amazing how kids can do this stuff on their own?
Lots of fun with several projects today and the cable car was one of them. I did not help my son other than to attach the string between couple of chairs! My son had this running about 30 feet (the house is too small for any further).
Can you send a picture to me? It sounds like there is too much friction in your system if you the motors stop turning when you put the car on the string. What happens if you close the gap between the motor and the glue stick (so there isn’t any motor shaft visible) and try running it? What kind of string are you using? Don’t worry – I am sure we’ll get this working for you!
Aurora,
First, I am loving this science program!!
I have the cable car running, but when I put it on the string it seems out of balance and the motors stop working. I have tried counterbalancing by moving the battery pack and motors as far to the other side as possible. It still will not run on the string. Any advice?
Thanks.
Jack