Mt. Roberts Tramway

POL-X West, Inc.

Engineering Services for the Transportation & Amusement Ride Industries

Mt. Roberts Aerial Tramway, Juneau, AK

In 1996, the Mt. Roberts Aerial Tramway in Juneau, AK was opened for public operation. POL-X West worked for the lift manufacturer, Poma of America, to provide foundation designs for the upper and lower terminals as well as the complete detail design and FEA analysis of the upper terminal structure.

The 170’ upper terminal structure for this tramway was de signed, analyzed and detailed by POL-X West, Inc. using ALGOR Finite Element Analysis Software, AutoCAD and CADKEY. The structure was designed to withstand wind, snow and live loads as well as the loads imposed by operation of the tramway. When complete, the finished structure weighed over 250 tons.

The tower design required a finite element model (right) containing over 1500 beam elements to be analyzed in 6 different load cases (various combinations of wind, live, snow and tramway cable loads). When completed, more than 250 detail drawings of the tower components had been generated.

The design package also included design and detail drawings for the tower feet and guy wire anchor foundations. These were designed around extensive use of rock anchors (36 total up to 40’ long) and had to be designed for installation by helicopter (there was no road access to the tower site). Locations of the foundations were determined using 3-D topographical maps.