The cabin floor renewal is finally done. Next time you ride the tram take a moment to notice the new durable, anti-slip surface. Rhino Liner pulled weekend all night sessions to get the job finished. The cabin manufacturer applied the original floor surface in Switzerland. It did well under millions of feet, wheels and paws that imported Portland weather into each cabin, but even with a weekly scrubbing the original surface had finally reached the end of its serviceable life span. What was once light grey became an undefinable shade of tan not found in nature.

Feel free to offer feedback to the cabin attendant next time you are on board.

Splice bridge, each step lifted and inserted into place with a crane

 

Many passengers riding the tram for the first time assume the opposite cabin is traveling much faster than the cabin they are in. It speeds by at midpoint and one wonders why they are stuck in the slow cabin. This is not true. Each cabin is fixed to the same continuous loop of haul rope and travel at the same speed.

The first step onto the bridge

A view from near the top of the bridge

Like any cable, the haul rope stretches over time with use. It needs shortening and splicing. The process is labor intensive and time constrained, usually done over a long weekend when the tram is closed during four consecutive days. One step involves hanging a splicing bridge from the track rope since the haul rope cannot be lowered to the ground. Once the splicer arrives from Austria, the cable is unwound, shortened and spliced back together.

The splicing process is a craft that will never be automated and requires thousands of pounds of rigging and tools, not to mention the bridge itself. The location of the splice on the rope retains 100% strength due to its length being 1200 times the 1.35 inch thickness of the haul rope. The location of the rope splice is found between two sets of eight white bands painted directly onto to the haul rope. Look for the bands at the upper station as the haul rope travels through the yellow deflection sheaves. Listen carefully for a slight change in the sound, which signals the splice traveling through its circuitous route at the upper station.

All ropes used in a passenger carrying capacity are inspected daily for stretch and other criteria to meet strict ANSI code standards set forth for the industry.

From 7:20 to 9:30 a.m., SW Terwilliger Blvd. will be closed from Sam Jackson Park Road to as far south as Capitol Highway.

Last year, TriMet ran Line 8 to the Tram that morning instead of up the hill. The route change started at the bus stop on Columbia (stop 12794, just off 5th Street; see it on a map) and went to mid-block on SW Whitaker, next to the Center for Health & Healing. TriMet transfers were accepted as Tram fare. TriMet has confirmed the same arrangement for this year.

The Tram: After closing an hour and a half early (8 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 15, the Tram will stay closed all three days for scheduled maintenance. Service will resume on Tuesday morning.

The bicycle plaza in front of the Tram—including valet bike parking—will be closed and vacated all three days to make room for the Tram’s maintenance equipment. Be sure to pick up your bike by 7 p.m. on Friday. Over the holiday weekend, self-park your bike in the Center for Health & Healing garage or at the racks next to the building’s windows. Everything will be back in place by Tuesday morning.

Transportation & Parking apologizes for any inconvenience and wishes everyone a happy holiday. Questions? Email parking@ohsu.edu.

Remember: The Tram will close an hour and a half early (8 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 15.

Thanks for your ridership and enthusiasm this past summer, and remember you can still ride on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. See you on Sundays again starting May 19, 2013.

Tram closed

As is typical for Labor Day weekend, the Tram will close all three days for scheduled maintenance. Service will resume on Tuesday morning.

Bike valet and self-park at the Bicycle Plaza (new this year at the foot of the Tram) will also be closed all three days—because the whole works will be temporarily moved to make room for the Tram’s maintenance equipment. Be sure to pick up your bike by 7 p.m. on Friday. Everything will be back in place by Tuesday morning.

Tile Painting, Tram Tours and Timber Joey Will Cap “Get to Know the Tram Month”

Portland, Ore. – June 28, 2012 – This weekend, the fourth consecutive event weekend at the Portland Aerial Tram in June, features a first as Portland Children’s Museum takes its team to the Tram for a slate of activities and a preview of KidsBuild 2012, this summer’s exhibit at the Museum.

A two-day event from 1:00 – 3:00 on Saturday and Sunday, Portland Children’s Museum at the Tram will feature tile painting, admission giveaways and Museum membership raffles facilitated by Museum studio staff. Meanwhile Tram staff will provide families with tours of the inner workings of the Tram, including its engine and control rooms, which consistently captures wonder in children at the Portland Aerial Tram. Tiles finished this weekend will be featured in the KidsBuild 2012 exhibit at the Museum later this summer.

Also joining the festivities on Saturday is Timber Joey, the mascot of the Portland Timbers of the MLS, and a true outdoorsman. He will be giving away Timber gear and will be available for photo opportunities. Following are more details:

WHO: Residents and visitors, with a focus on families with children, who want to experience some of the best of Portland in one place – Portland Children’s Museum, Timber Joey and the Portland Aerial Tram.

WHAT: Portland Children’s Museum at the Tram, the closing weekend of the month-long series of “Get to Know the Tram Month.”

• TILE PAINTING: tiles and glaze provided, will be fired and displayed at Portland Children’s Museum KidsBuild 2012 exhibit later this summer.

• TRAM TOURS: get a unique glimpse into the engine and control rooms from the Portland Aerial Tram operators, Doppelmayr. Tours run every 30 minutes beginning at 1:30 on Saturday and Sunday.

• TIMBER JOEY (Saturday): photo opportunities, Timber giveaways.

• RAFFLE & PARTNERSHIP: attendees can enter to win a year-long membership to Portland Children’s Museum. Paid Tram riders with proof of purchase from June 30 and July 1 will receive two-for-one vouchers to visit the Museum.

• COSTS: all event activities are free, as are Tram rides for children six and under. Tram rides for those seven and over are $4. For complete fare and schedule information, see here.

WHEN: Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Tram Hours — Portland Aerial Tram is open Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is open Sundays from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Fare is $4, children 6 and under are free. For full fare and schedule information, see here.

WHERE: Portland Aerial Tram, 3303 SW Bond Ave. in the South Waterfront District

WHY: To commemorate its five years as an iconic part of the City’s skyline, the Portland Aerial Tram is hosting a series of free, family-friendly festivities that allow Portland citizens to explore the Tram and areas around it. Activities include guided tours of the Tram’s machine and control rooms, walking tours, bicycle rides, art exhibits and classes.

Ongoing updates and further details can be found on the Portland Aerial Tram Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/portlandaerialtram.

ABOUT PORTLAND CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
Portland Children’s Museum is the museum that doesn’t act like a museum. You won’t find any velvet ropes inside, and playing with and touching our exhibits is strongly encouraged. Our main exhibit is the imagination of the children who play here. Every activity from permanent to travelling exhibits is designed to encourage children to play and wonder while they learn about themselves and the world around them. For over 60 years, Portland Children’s Museum has inspired imagination, creativity and the wonder of learning in children and adults by inviting moments of shared discovery. We’re also much more than a museum – we’re home to Opal Public Charter School and the Museum Center for Learning. Located at 4015 SW Canyon Road and online at portlandcm.org.

ABOUT THE PORTLAND AERIAL TRAM
The Tram opened to the public on January 27, 2007. Since then, it has made more than 260,000 trips carrying more than 7 million riders on the popular aerial conveyance. The cabins, named Walt and Jean, travel 3,300 linear feet between the South Waterfront terminal at SW Moody Avenue and SW Gibbs Street and the upper terminal at the Kohler Pavilion on OHSU’s main campus. Traveling at 22 miles per hour, the Tram cabins rise 500 feet for the three-minute trip over I-5, the Lair Hill neighborhood and the Southwest Terwilliger Parkway. The Portland Aerial Tram is one of only two used for urban transit in the U.S. For more information about the tram including schedule and fees, visit gobytram.com, or follow the Tram on Facebook at facebook.com/portlandaerialtram.

To commemorate its five years as an iconic part of the city’s skyline, the Portland Aerial Tram declares June “Get to Know the Tram” month. Free, family friendly festivities, including guided tours, bicycle rides and hikes, art exhibits and classes, and partnerships with Portland Children’s Museum and Ritz Camera are all planned for weekends throughout the month.

“With a beautiful Oregon summer just around the corner, the Tram is a wonderful destination for enjoying the breathtaking views of the city and mountains,” said Brett Dodson, Tram manager for OHSU. “With a full schedule of kid-friendly events planned for weekends in June, there’s no better time to get to know the Tram and see the city from a new perspective. ”Each weekend of activities during “Get to Know the Tram Month” is organized around a theme. They include:

2012-Get To Know The Tram Brochure

• Engineering and Development, June 9-10, will explore how the Tram works and what
  the future holds for the South Waterfront District.

 

• Biking and Hiking, June 16-17, will help Portland’s weekend warriors know where to go,
  what to see, and how the Tram can play a part in their adventures.

 

• Arts and the Tram, June 23-24, will feature an exhibit of work by local painters,
  filmmakers, and photographers who have been inspired by the Tram. Ritz Camera will
  also conduct free photography classes, which can be found at RitzCamera.com.

 

• Family Fun Weekend, June 30-July 1, will include activities and guests co-hosted by the
  Portland Children’s Museum.

 

Activities will run from 1:00 – 3:00 PM each day, and ongoing updates and further details can
be found on the Portland Aerial Tram Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/portlandaerialtram.

Earlier this year, the Tram surpassed seven million passengers and 250,000 trips since its debut in 2007, and it remains one of the highest volume urban aerial commuters in the world. On May 20, the Tram will expand its annual Summer Hours to include Sundays, operating all weekend-long through September 16. The Portland Aerial Tram is open Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is open Sundays from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

ABOUT THE PORTLAND AERIAL TRAM
The Tram opened to the public on January 27, 2007. Since then, it has made more than 260,000 trips carrying more than 7 million riders on the popular aerial conveyance. The cabins, named Walt and Jean, travel 3,300 linear feet between the South Waterfront terminal at SW Moody Avenue and SW Gibbs Street and the upper terminal at the Kohler Pavilion on OHSU’s main campus. Traveling at 22 miles per hour, the Tram cabins rise 500 feet for the three-minute trip over I-5, the Lair Hill neighborhood and the Southwest Terwilliger Parkway. The Portland Aerial Tram is one of only two used for urban transit in the U.S. For more information about the tram including schedule and fees, visit http://www.gobytram.com, or follow the Tram on Facebook by “Liking” it at http://www.facebook.com/portlandaerialtram.

This coming weekend, the Portland Aerial Tram will introduce its new temporary landscape maintenance crew: a team of six Angora, Boer and Alpine goats named Mo, Ella, Brunhilda, Olivia, Cecelia and Clarence. Beginning this Saturday, June 25 and continuing through Sunday, June 26, the goats, supplied by Dairy Creek Goats in North Plains, will be “mowing” the Lower Station lawn, providing a fun and environmentally responsible way to maintain the grounds.

“With summer finally here, the Lower Station lawn is ready for its first trim of the season,” said Brett Dodson, Tram manager for OHSU. “Goats are not only an environmentally friendly way to keep up the grounds, but also a fun one, especially for families with young children.”

Summer months are a high-traffic season for the Portland Aerial Tram, part of the City’s public transportation system, with ridership typically increasing significantly over winter months. “Take in the views at the top, and grab some soft serve Dreyers or other food items in the Marquam Café on the third floor of the Kohler Pavillion,” continued Dodson. “The goats are an added incentive to make the trip, but please do not disturb them; they have important work to do.”

The Portland Aerial Tram is open Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM year-round, and Sundays from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM until September 18. It is located at 3303 Southwest Bond Avenue.

ABOUT GOATS
A member of the Bovidae family and a close relative to sheep, goats are one of the oldest domesticated species and include more than 300 distinct breeds. They are famous the world over for their indiscriminate diets, predilection for head-butts, and, in Norse folklore, volatile relations with trolls dwelling beneath bridges. Goats are also quite crafty, known for their artisanal cheeses, wool sweaters, as well as the hair that naturally grows on their chinny-chinchins.

Contrary to popular belief, not all goats are named “Billy”; just most of them.

The Portland Aerial Tram will operate this Sunday, March 13 in support of the 2011 adidas Shamrock Run. The 8K course will pass underneath the Tram’s lift path at SW Barbur Boulevard, then again at SW Naito Parkway. The 15K course will pass underneath the Tram’s lift path at SW Terwilliger Boulevard and at SW Barbur Boulevard. The Shamrock Run has more than 30,000 participants.
Portland Police will control traffic and ensure emergency-vehicle access to OHSU. Sam Jackson Park Road will remain open to traffic, but delays of about 20 minutes are expected. Also, Terwilliger will be closed between Barbur and Sam Jackson Park Road; Barbur, 6th, Broadway and Naito will be partially closed. TriMet buses and Portland Streetcar may be delayed.

Unlike most Sundays this time of year, the Tram will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

OHSU staff, patients, visitors, as well as Shamrock Run spectators who would like to cheer for runners along Terwilliger, are welcome to park near the Center for Health & Healing and Tram it up to OHSU. From the top of the tram, spectators will have a short walk downhill to reach the racecourse.

Rides begin at the base at South Waterfront up into the sky with panoramic views of the Portland skyline, Cascade Mountain range, and this Sunday, participants in the 2011 adidas Shamrock Run.

A portion of the net proceeds from the 2011 adidas Shamrock Run will benefit Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation.