Industry News
After an initial setback, the new tram at Snowbird, UT, took its maiden voyage and opened to the public on Saturday.
Only the blue tram is carrying passengers after the new red one was dropped and damaged beyond all repair during installation. The old red tram was reinstalled to act as a counterbalance.
The day is finally here!
The new Blue Tram opens to All-Day Activity Pass (ADAP) guests starting TOMORROW, July 16 from 11 am – 3 pm & 4:30 pm – 8 pm (closed 3 – 4:30 pm for a private event). Sunday, July 17, the Tram will open to both ADAP and Scenic Tram Ride guests from 11 am – 8 pm. Sunday’s Scenic Tram Ride tickets will only be available at the Ticket Window, but starting Monday, tickets will be available online and at the window.
While you will also see the original Red Tram, it is not open for guests. The old controls do not operate with the new system, so it will only serve as a counterweight to the Blue Tram.
This is only temporary, as Doppelmayr has committed to having the replacement Red Tram cabin installed and operational in time for the start of the winter season.
For now, enjoy the floor-to-ceiling views from the next generation of the Snowbird Tram and for this summer only, a mix of old and new.
– Snowbird
Doppelmayr, the tram manufacturer, has committed to having a new red tram constructed, installed, and operational in time for winter.
After 50 years of transporting millions of skiers and snowboarders to Snowbird’s 11,000-foot Hidden Peak, the resort’s iconic Aerial Tram will get new Tram cabins this spring, the resort announced in March 2022. The original Tram cabins have traveled approximately 794,994 miles during their lifetime—the same distance as traveling to the Moon and back over one and a half times. Snowbird worked closely with The Doppelmayr Group on this exciting upgrade, and after two years of planning, the new Tram cabins have been completed in Olten, Switzerland, and are on their way to their permanent home.
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The new Tram cabins, which were both expected to be fully installed and operational for Snowbird’s summer season this June, will feature a sleek exterior design, floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as summer seasonal experiences including a rooftop balcony for foot passengers, and three glass floor panels in each cabin.
“As Snowbird celebrates its 50th Anniversary, we are recognizing both our storied past and making a thrilling upgrade to our iconic Aerial Tram. The Tram and Snowbird have provided year-round excitement for five decades, but the new Tram cabins promise to take this excitement to a whole new level.”
– Snowbird President and General Manager Dave Fields
The summertime rooftop deck will be the first of its kind in the United States, allowing 15 guests to enjoy unobstructed 360-degree views of Peruvian Gulch, Mount Superior, and more as an upgrade to summertime scenic Tram rides. The summer Tram will also feature three, three-foot by three-foot glass floor panels for daring guests to view the scenery below. Finally, the Tram drive system will receive a complete technological upgrade. The original Tram cabins will take their final rides on April 3, 2022.
Red Pill & Blue Pill
The Red one has or had an observation deck. The Blue one, doesn’t
I rode my bike to the top and saw it on Sat, it didn’t seem to have a rooftop area or glass floors, which I thought was the whole point of the switch.