4 replies to this topic

[skierdude9450]

What ever happened to the MART Gondola with hurricane Katrina, and does anyone have pictures of it? I've heard it has the tallest gondola towers in the world.

[Peter]

I think it was removed a few years ago, before Katrina.

[SkiBachelor]

Check out this old thread on the forum:

http://www.skiliftforum.com/index.php?show...#092;.R\.T

I think there might be another one that showed more pictures of the lift, but I can't find it.

[Outback]

Skier, on May 20 2006, 10:50 AM, said:

I think it was removed a few years ago, before Katrina.

MART only ran for the World's Fair in New Orleans then an attempt was made to use it as public transportation to get people across the river. Never caught on and the gondola was removed a couple of years later. Maybe 1987.
Did a little work down there and might have photos. Installation was unique fabricating the two 300' towers that leaned out over the water on barges then floated into position, pinned then stood with three (large) cranes. MART also had one of the first centipede type evacuation rescue car (crawls on top of cable/ self propelled) that was insane to operate. Kind of like a belt sander! Canyons has one for their gondola docked at the tower before the big span. MART had a 1400' span between towers if I remember.
Another impressive Poma solution for it's time.

[skierdude9450]

Thanks. That's amazing just looking up and up and up until you reach the tower. I wish I could have ridden it. It had clamshell back2back cars and Poma's old grip!