Sea-to-Sky Gondola Cables Cut

[Ch28]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

if the person is skilled enough to cut this twice without getting seriously injured

he's probably smart enough to evade capture (rcmp had set up road blocks trying to catch him/her fleeing)

We're all assuming this is the same person. It could be the same person, another organization, or a copy cat. Nobody knows at this point.



The other interesting thing is whether they'll be able to find an insurer after this second incident. The first one happened about a year ago and it's so recent that the insurance claim hasn't even been pully processed yet.

[Great68]

Originally Posted by Traum

My first thoughts when I saw the news this morning is -- SFU is lobbying hard to get a gondola built to go up and down the mountain. Imagine the clusterfuck that would result from a cut cable if it were to happen to the SFU gondola...

Yeah, it'd be more difficult to do.

#1 It'd be in an urban area so much bigger chance of being caught. #2 there would be less towers on the route (less area to protect) #3 they'd likely go with a multiple cable rail design (like the peak 2 peak) which would have much more redundancy.

[GLOW]

would cost a lot more i'm sure, but given the amount of people to/from SFU, wouldn't a tram or light cable car system make more sense? is the reasoning to transport people without the need of a bus, or transport during the winter?

[donk.]

This is not something you can prevent from happening in my opinion

Cameras are only good for youtube videos
Locks on areas where the cables are cut... Well... If an angle grinder can cut through 2" cable. A 3/8" lock is pocket change / wire fence / whatever else
Catching the guy? ��
Even if someone sees the guy trespassing, by the time anyone shows up, the damage is done and the maniac is gone

[fliptuner]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

if the person is skilled enough to cut this twice without getting seriously injured

he's probably smart enough to evade capture (rcmp had set up road blocks trying to catch him/her fleeing)

Climbing and cutting the cable isn't rocket science. I bet the person has nothing to lose, even if he did get caught. Probably sees himself as a martyr for his cause.

[Great68]

In addition to extensive video surveillance, to increase the physical difficulty of accessing the tower ladders (ie would take hours rather than minutes to cut, think like the systems they use to protect the locks on forestry service gates), and they'd need some sort of proximity alarm system monitored and ready to respond 24/7.

The costs for all that would be insane though.

[underscore]

Ensure the cables are isolated from the towers and electrify the cable at night. They'll never be cut again.

[StylinRed]

Originally Posted by Great68

Yeah, it'd be more difficult to do.

#1 It'd be in an urban area so much bigger chance of being caught. #2 there would be less towers on the route (less area to protect) #3 they'd likely go with a multiple cable rail design (like the peak 2 peak) which would have much more redundancy.

I'm thinking they should just go with a Funicular, cheaper, ppl afraid of heights should be fine with it too, and doesn't invade the skyline (if that's a concern for anyone)

Or an inclined elevator since they can move independently

[Jmac]

Originally Posted by Bouncing Bettys

Blake Price was saying something about how it was constructed with the approval of local First Nations, so I can't see some anti-colonial angle.

Don’t underestimate how stupid some people are.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/de...ionist-statue/

[hud 91gt]

Rumours from Squam friends say there is (poor) footage from the first cut, where the guys battery operated grinder does, goes down, gets another battery then finishes the job. Don’t over think it. Lol.

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by fliptuner

Climbing and cutting the cable isn't rocket science. I bet the person has nothing to lose, even if he did get caught. Probably sees himself as a martyr for his cause.

my limited understanding is that there's incredible amount of tension/potential energy

if i wouldn't wanna stand near a strap during a vehicle recovery, i sure wouldn't wanna be on the receiving end of a gondola cable when it goes

[meme405]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

my limited understanding is that there's incredible amount of tension/potential energy

if i wouldn't wanna stand near a strap during a vehicle recovery, i sure wouldn't wanna be on the receiving end of a gondola cable when it goes

Yes but think about a rubber band breaking, if you are standing immediately at the cut location, the cable will spring out to each side safely away from you. Logically thinking the safest place to be when the cable snaps is directly at the break point.

Still not saying it's a genius idea, but its certainly not a miracle that the person isn't harmed like some people are making it seem.

[punkwax]

I was involved with the added security after the first event. Apparently the footage is spectacular but cannot be released during the investigation.

I can’t wait to see it when it can be shared

[Traum]

Oh? By "spectacular", I hope it means the video quality was excellent, and that it captured the face of the vandal clearly.

<fingers crossed>

Originally Posted by punkwax

I was involved with the added security after the first event. Apparently the footage is spectacular but cannot be released during the investigation.

I can’t wait to see it when it can be shared

[rslater]

Rumour last time was the the main suspect was a member from the local First Nations band, but they didn't have enough evidence to arrest.

[6793026]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

my limited understanding is that there's incredible amount of tension/potential energy

if i wouldn't wanna stand near a strap during a vehicle recovery, i sure wouldn't wanna be on the receiving end of a gondola cable when it goes

Yup, i had a talk with buddies on "it's not as easy as you think"

Ain't just a joe blow who just goes there with scissors. You need to know the location, have proper tools, MOST likely protective gear and a fucking crazy chain saw / grinder.

It's NOT just a snap and snip; this is a THICK ass ROD with 29 carts hanging... no matter how smart you are, when the cable snaps... no one wants to be close as you don't know the direction, force it causes.... Are you going to cut it 7/8 way and climb down? or are you going to cut the whole thing and risk it snapping right in front of your face.

My question is... what does he gain from all this? Just protest or was he/she paid?

[corollagtSr5]

who knows... maybe it's insurance fraud so there's contract work for the company reinstalling during covid.

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by 6793026

Yup, i had a talk with buddies on "it's not as easy as you think"

Ain't just a joe blow who just goes there with scissors. You need to know the location, have proper tools, MOST likely protective gear and a fucking crazy chain saw / grinder.

It's NOT just a snap and snip; this is a THICK ass ROD with 29 carts hanging... no matter how smart you are, when the cable snaps... no one wants to be close as you don't know the direction, force it causes.... Are you going to cut it 7/8 way and climb down? or are you going to cut the whole thing and risk it snapping right in front of your face.

My question is... what does he gain from all this? Just protest or was he/she paid?

Pretty sure with a decent cordless grinder and a couple cutting wheels you’d be through it

[underscore]

Originally Posted by 6793026

it's NOT just a snap and snip; this is a THICK ass ROD

The cable isn't solid though, it's a bunch of smaller strands twisted together. That's still a lot of material to go through but a good blade or cutting disc shouldn't have much issue going through it.

[twitchyzero]

is it go up like a monkey with a grinder and hope nothing happens to your limbs

or does it require some rudimentary engineering background to know where the tensile strength is least likely to recoil, cable material, the weight of the cars, the angle they’re hanging at etc

[westopher]

Like meme said though, best place to be when a cable snaps, is right where it snaps. The tension is going to pull it away from you. When people get wailed by a tow strap it's because they are standing near where it's anchored, not where it breaks.

[whitev70r]

Then you gotta climb your ass down the pole, after alarms probably set off, huge frickin noise from cars come crashing, and try to escape the grounds undetected.

[underscore]

^ a section of rope with a loop already in the end + a cheap climbing harness + an ATC and you can zip down to the ground in seconds and be gone.

Even if someone doesn't know much about cables, with the internet and/or a little testing of their own at home it's pretty easy to figure out. Here's literally the first hit when I searched for "cutting a cable under tension"

YouTube

[westopher]

Originally Posted by whitev70r

Then you gotta climb your ass down the pole, after alarms probably set off, huge frickin noise from cars come crashing, and try to escape the grounds undetected.

I'm not saying you can just go fuck shit up without any possible consequence lol. I'm just saying the cable isn't your problem.

[twitchyzero]

having dozens of cars on it changes that

then account for a different tension modulus of the material etc


who’s gonna wanna insure them after a 2nd incident