Rope transport is a field that has borrowed its terms from more than one language. It is common to find the same part known on site by names of German, Italian, French and English origin: at one installation it is a “klemens”, at another a “grip”; on one team it is a “sheave assembly”, on another a “roller battery”. This glossary takes as its basis the terms in common use in Türkiye and, wherever possible, keeps to the definitions given in the standards.
The terms are divided into letter groups; each entry gives a definition of one to three sentences. The definitions hold generally, independent of the system type; installation-specific values (speed, capacity, wind limit) are defined in each installation’s own design.
Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| MDG | Monocable Detachable Gondola | Single-rope detachable gondola |
| BDG | Bicable Detachable Gondola | Two-rope detachable gondola |
| TGD / 3S | Tricable Detachable Gondola | Three-rope gondola (two track ropes + one haul rope) |
| DMC | Double Mono Cable | Twin monocable arrangement |
| NDT | Non-Destructive Testing | Inspection without dismantling or damage |
| RPD | Rope Position Detection | Rope position monitoring |
| SMS / EYS | Safety Management System | The operator’s written safety framework |
| pph | persons per hour | Hourly carrying capacity |
A – B
Aerial tramway (reversible ropeway). A system in which two large cabins travel back and forth in opposition on the same line. As one descends the other ascends; the carriers stay permanently attached to the rope and the service is intermittent.
Anchorage. The structural fixing by which tower foundations, tensioning assemblies and fixed rope ends are secured to the ground or to rock.
Anemometer. The device that measures wind speed along the line. At defined thresholds the measurement produces first a slow-down and then a stop command.
Autonomous operation. A supervised automatic mode of operation in which staff do not continuously hold line control but withdraw to a monitoring and intervention role.
BDG. Bicable detachable gondola. A tensioned track rope carries the load and a separate haul rope provides the movement; wind resistance and span capability are higher than in a monocable arrangement.
Bicable system. An arrangement in which the carrying and hauling functions are shared between separate ropes. The load rests on the tensioned track rope and the movement comes from the haul rope.
Bubble (weather hood). The transparent canopy that closes forward over a chairlift chair to protect it from wind and precipitation. On empty chairs it can be closed automatically to reduce the effect of the wind.
Building permit. The construction permission for the installation. The line design, the geotechnical survey, meteorological data and the avalanche, landslide and earthquake assessments are examined at this stage.
Bullwheel. The large sheave at which the rope turns back in the station. The drive bullwheel transmits the motor’s movement to the rope by friction.
C – D
Cabin. The enclosed carrier body. Its doors stay locked along the line and are opened in the station by mechanical door openers.
Cable crane (cableway crane). The materials-handling arrangement used on dam, bridge and construction site works, in which the load is carried on a rope.
Carriage. In aerial tramways and bicable systems, the assembly that runs on wheels along the track rope and carries the cabin.
Carrier. The vehicle in which the passenger is carried: a cabin, a chair or a surface-lift device.
CE marking. The mark showing that a product meets the requirements of the relevant European legislation. In cableway transport it is mandatory for subsystems and safety components.
Chairlift. A system that carries passengers on open chairs in continuous circulation. It is built with either fixed or detachable grips.
Clearance envelope. The free volume that must be left clear around the carriers and the rope along the axis of the line. Trees, buildings, power lines and the ground may not enter this volume; the carrier’s swing allowance is also part of the envelope.
Combined installation. An arrangement in which chairs and cabins are operated together on the same line. It answers different summer and winter user profiles with a single installation.
Commissioning tests. The acceptance tests in which brake, load, electrical and rescue scenarios are tried under defined conditions before the installation is opened to passengers. EN 1709 sets the framework for these tests.
Depression (hold-down) sheave. The sheave that presses the rope downwards. It is used at towers where the line profile breaks upwards; where the profile breaks downwards there is instead a support sheave that carries the rope upwards.
Derailment. The rope coming out of its sheave groove. It is detected instantly by switches in the sheave assemblies and the installation is stopped.
Detachable grip. The type of grip that releases automatically from the rope at the station entrance, brings the carrier down to platform speed and grips again at the exit. It combines a high line speed with comfortable boarding.
Discard criterion. The limit value at which a rope or a part must be taken out of service: number of broken wires, reduction in diameter, wear, corrosion and deformation, among others.
DMC. The arrangement in which the carrier grips two parallel haul ropes together. The wide hanger base gives more stable carrier behaviour than a monocable arrangement.
Drive station. The station housing the motor, the gearbox, the brakes and the control cabinet, from which the rope takes its movement.
E – F
Emergency brake. A second brake, independent of the service brake, acting directly on the drive bullwheel. It follows a separate path so that it can stop the line even if there is a break in the drive transmission.
Emergency drive (auxiliary drive). The secondary power source that runs the line at low speed when the main drive or the mains supply is out of service. It is usually built with a diesel engine or an independent hydraulic unit; its purpose is to bring the passenger to a station rather than leave them on the line.
EN 1709. The European standard defining pre-commissioning inspection together with maintenance and operational checks. It is the basis of the daily, weekly, monthly and annual checking regime; in Türkiye it is applied as TS EN 1709. For detail see cable car safety and EN standards.
EN 12927. The family of standards relating to ropes. It covers rope selection, safety factor, splicing, inspection and discard criteria.
EU Declaration of Conformity. The document in which the manufacturer undertakes in writing that a safety component or a subsystem conforms to the relevant legislation and to the harmonised standards. It is the basis of the CE marking.
Fixed grip. The type of grip that holds the rope permanently, so that the carrier enters the station at line speed. Its construction is simple; however, the requirement for comfortable boarding limits the line speed.
Funicular (cable railway). The system in which vehicles running on rails are pulled by a rope. The two vehicles balance one another; the descending vehicle pulls the ascending one. This balance lowers energy consumption and allows operation on very steep gradients.
Funifor. The wide-track aerial tramway arrangement in which each carrier can work independently with its own rope loop and drive. Being able to run one carrier while the other is stopped gives flexibility in maintenance and wind management.
Funitel. The system in which the carrier is hung by four grips from two branches of the same rope loop, spread a defined distance apart. The wide track gives high wind resistance.
G – H
Geotechnical survey. The site investigation that establishes the bearing capacity of the ground on which the tower and station foundations will sit, together with the risk of sliding and landslide.
Gondola. The system that carries passengers in enclosed cabins in continuous circulation; in Turkish it is also called telekabin.
Grip. The clamping element that connects the carrier to the rope. It has two main types, fixed and detachable.
Grip force. The clamping force the grip applies to the rope. It is produced by a spring pack, measured with dedicated equipment and kept within a defined tolerance band.
Grip shifting. The planned change of the grip’s position on the rope at fixed-grip installations. It prevents the accumulation of fatigue and crushing at the same section of rope.
Hanger arm. The arm element that connects the cabin or the chair to the grip and transfers the load to the rope. The swing damper is most often on this connection.
Harmonised standard. The standard prepared to meet the essential requirements of the legislation, which when applied confers a presumption of conformity. EN 1709, EN 12927 and EN 13223 are in this group.
Haul rope. The moving rope, closed into an endless loop, that drags the carriers along the line.
I – L
Intermediate station. The station lying between the terminals, serving to pick up and set down passengers and, where needed, to change the direction of the line.
Line calculation. The calculation of the rope curve, the tension, the tower loads, the sheave pressures and the safety margins according to defined load cases.
Line inspection. The examination at set intervals, by eye and with measuring instruments, of the rope, the towers, the sheave assemblies and the equipment along the line. The rope is additionally subjected to non-destructive testing by magnetic means.
Load case. The loading scenarios examined in the line calculation: fully loaded, empty, loaded in one direction only and the like.
Locked-coil rope. The smooth-surfaced rope whose outer layer is formed of Z-section wires (other profiles in some designs). It is generally used as a track rope.
M – N
Magnetic rope testing. The non-destructive testing method that measures internal wire breaks and loss of cross-section in a rope on the principle of magnetic flux leakage, without dismantling the rope.
Main drive. The motor, gearbox and bullwheel assembly that moves the rope in normal operation.
Maintenance logbook. The book in which the type, frequency, method, date of performance and responsible person are recorded for the checks and maintenance of every component. It is the basic document showing the installation’s history at an inspection.
MDG. Monocable detachable gondola. A single rope takes on both the carrying and the hauling function; it is the most widespread gondola arrangement today.
Monocable (single-rope). The family of systems in which a single rope performs both the carrying and the hauling duty. The chairlift and the MDG belong to this family.
NDT (non-destructive testing). Inspection carried out without dismantling the part or damaging it. On ropeways it is used for magnetic rope testing and for crack checks on critical parts such as the main shaft, the bullwheel and the grip body.
Notified Body. The independent body authorised under the legislation to carry out conformity assessment. It re-assesses the manufacturer’s calculations and tests independently.
O – P
OITAF. The international organisation for transportation by rope, founded in Milan in 1959. It brings together operators, manufacturers, authorities and technicians; it publishes technical recommendations and guidance and holds regular congresses.
Periodic inspection. The mandatory inspection carried out at intervals set by the legislation by an authorised person or body. In Türkiye, TS EN 1709 is taken as the basis for cableway installations.
Platform. The platform in the station on which boarding and alighting take place. In detachable systems the carrier enters it at reduced speed.
pph. The number of passengers that can be carried in one direction per hour. It is the standard measure of an installation’s capacity and depends on the carrier capacity and the carrier spacing.
R – S
Rescue. Bringing down the passengers in carriers stopped on the line. There are two ways: running the line to a station with the auxiliary drive, or lowering the passengers from the rope to the ground (vertical evacuation). See cable car maintenance and rescue.
Return station. The terminal station where the rope turns back over the bullwheel and where there is no drive. The tensioning assembly is most often at this station.
Rope. The carrying element produced by winding steel wires in strands around a core. Its construction, its coating and its inspection regime vary with its function; for detail see ropeway wire ropes.
Rope catcher. The part integrated into the sheave assembly that catches a rope leaving a sheave and prevents it from falling.
RPD (rope position detection). The detection system that continuously monitors the horizontal and vertical position of the rope on the sheave and stops the installation in the event of deviation.
Safety analysis and safety report. The systematic examination and reporting, at the design stage, of possible faults, of their effect on safety and of the measures taken. It forms the core of the licence file.
Safety bar. The protective bar that closes over the passengers on a chairlift chair. Types combined with a footrest, lockable and self-closing are common.
Safety circuit. The supervisory chain in which the switches, sensors and buttons along the line are connected in series. When any point in the chain opens, the drive stops.
Safety component. The component whose failure directly affects the safety of life and which must be separately certified under the legislation; grips, brakes, ropes and rescue equipment fall within this scope.
Service brake (operating brake). The main brake, acting on the drive transmission, used in normal stops and in most emergency stops.
Sheave assembly. The group on a tower in which the sheaves carrying or pressing the rope are connected by balance arms. The arms are limited so that the grip can pass even if one sheave seizes.
SMS / Safety Management System. The management framework that binds the operator’s safety policy, responsibilities, risk assessment, training, incident reporting and internal audit into a written system.
Splice. The zone where the strands at the two ends of the rope are unlaid and interwoven to form an endless loop. The standard defines the splice length as at least 1,200 times the nominal diameter of the rope; it is the most closely monitored section of rope in the installation.
Station. The structure at the ends of the line or between them where the passenger boards and alights. The drive, the tensioning, the controls and, in detachable systems, the deceleration and acceleration mechanisms are gathered here.
Surface lift (drag lift). The system in which the passenger is pulled while maintaining contact with the ground on skis or a snowboard. Platter, bar and rope types are common.
Swing. The transverse and longitudinal swaying of the carrier caused by wind, sudden speed change or passenger movement. The clearance envelope and the wind limits are set taking this behaviour into account.
Swing damper. The damper placed between the hanger arm and the carrier body, which damps out the swing quickly.
T – W
Tare weight (empty weight). The weight of the carrier without passengers. It is used in the line calculation to compare load cases such as full, empty and loaded in one direction only.
Technical operating licence. The technical document issued in Türkiye so that an installation can be opened to passengers. Its file contains the declarations of conformity, the acceptance test reports, the staff training certificates and the maintenance and rescue instructions.
Telekabin. The common Turkish name for enclosed-cabin gondola systems.
Tensioning (tensioning system). The system that keeps the rope’s working tension independent of temperature, load and elongation. It is either counterweighted or operated by hydraulic cylinder.
Tower (pylon). The steel tower that carries the rope along the line. It bears the sheave assemblies, the rope catchers and the detection switches.
Track rope. In bicable and tricable systems, the rope that stays tensioned and carries the load. The carrier runs on wheels along this rope.
Tricable gondola (3S). The gondola arrangement working with two track ropes and one haul rope. Thanks to its wide track it is the most wind-resistant aerial system and it allows very long spans.
Type test. The verification of a component on a test rig under the most unfavourable scenarios, before series production.
Tyre conveyor. The sequentially driven row of wheels in detachable-grip stations that slows the carrier by friction and accelerates it again.
Wind threshold. Defined in two stages: at the first threshold the line is slowed, at the second operation is stopped. The thresholds are set according to the location of the installation and the type of carrier.
Frequently confused terms
Cable car / chairlift / telekabin
Cable car is the general name for systems that carry by rope. Chairlift describes the open-chair type, telekabin the enclosed-cabin type. In everyday speech “cable car” is most often used only for cabin systems; in technical texts this narrowing is not preferred.
Track rope / haul rope
The track rope is stationary and carries the load; the haul rope moves and drags the carrier. In monocable systems the two functions combine in a single rope, which is why that rope is called the “carrying-hauling rope”.
Fixed grip / detachable grip
The difference lies in the speed at which the carrier enters the station. At a fixed-grip installation the carrier enters at line speed; at a detachable-grip installation it releases from the rope and slows down. The second allows a higher line speed and more comfortable boarding, but the station machinery is more complex.
Rescue / evacuation
Rescue covers running the line with the auxiliary drive to bring the passenger to a station. Evacuation is the lowering of the passenger from the carrier to the ground with the help of a rope, and is applied only if the line cannot be run.
Further reading
This glossary gives definitions; to see how the terms connect to one another, the guide to cable car and ropeway types, which compares the system families, and how cable cars work, which explains the relationship between drive, tensioning and grip, are complementary reading.