Ngong Ping 360

Ngong Ping 360 is the name of a cable car in Hong Kong, which connects the district of Tung Chung on the northern coast of Lantau Iceland with the Ngong Ping Plateau, on which the well Big Buddha called Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, and a number of other tourist attractions in Ngon Ping Village are located.

Situated at the gateway to Hong Kong International Airport Tung Chung terminal of the cable car is very close to the Tung Chung station of the Mass Transit Railway and is thereby connected to the metro system in Hong Kong.

The cable car offers a 5.7 ​​km long, 25 minute-long ride over the Tung Chung Bay and the large mountainous natural park in the center of Iceland to Lantau Ngong Ping Village and the great Buddha. Alternatively, the ascent on foot ( about 2-4 hours, depending on route) permanent bus or car journey on a detour via the Tung Chung Road will be elected or more than an hour.

Prehistory

Lantau Iceland was not until the 1990s largely untouched and very rural coined because it was reachable only by boat. With the construction of the airport at Chek Lap Kok were train and road links as well as the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery built, which soon attracted so many tourists that the only road link, the Tung Chung Road could not cope with the traffic. Therefore, the Hong Kong government was looking for an alternative to the reputation of Hong Kong to promote as a tourist destination. After a feasibility study and numerous discussions, a 2S -Bahn was chosen, which has a single drive in the angle station on Airport Island and in the area of the nature park, only five columns, another angle station and the terminus and thus the lowest environmental impact on the natural park exercises. 2003 Leitner ropeways awarded the contract for construction of the facility, which began in April 2004 and lasted more than two years. Considerable difficulties had to be overcome, such as very frequent rains and storms, prolonged fog and extremely high humidity. Construction roads were in a nature park not be created, but as the load helicopter could not fly often, had a large part of the material brought by mule in the rising up to 528 m mountains. The cable car was opened on 18 September 2006. Conflicts with the original operators - among other things because of a gondola crash on 11 July 2007 and the subsequent six-month Betreibsunterbrechung - meant that the operator of the subways of Hong Kong, the MTR Corporation and the operation of the cable car over an established for this purpose subsidiary took over, the Ngon Ping 360 Ltd.

The cable car

The 2S- track consists of two sections, namely the short 610 m long section of Tung Chung terminal to the first angle station on the edge of the airport, and the 5175 m long section from there to the terminus Ngon Ping. They each have a 71 mm thick supporting cable and one 42 mm thick circumferential tension cable that moves the total of 111 cabins with 17 seats. The cable car starts at 21 meters above sea level, Tung Chung Terminal and runs parallel to the Chek Lap Kok South Road on two supports on both sides of the Channel Sea to the opposite, 32 m high angle station on the edge of the airport. It is a technical station that contains the drives of both sections and through the pass through the gondolas in the normal operation without stopping. The cable car now bends approximately 60 ° to the south and is raised sufficiently by a support directly behind the station to hover over the Tung Chung Bay to 310 m above sea level next support at a distance of 1.5 km. It offers a wide view over the airport and the skyscrapers of Tung Chung on one side and on the slopes of the National Park on the other side. Over the ocean parallel to the gondola a rope with balls to warn aircraft. Two further supports the cable car leaves the station Nei Lak Shan Angle, the highest with 560 m of the trip. This station is only a change in direction by 20 ° and should also go without stopping. Over the last 1.6 kilometers and two supports, the train runs at a slight incline overlooking the large Buddha at the last stop Ngon Ping to 438 m altitude.

The cable car travels at a speed of up to 7.5 m / s (27 km / h) and reached a capacity of 4000 persons / h in both directions, if the staff makes sure that not only the 10 seats, but also the 7 standing of the cabins are filled. The cabins of the type Diamond 17 were supplied by Sigma. The cabins have air vents just above the floor and under the roof, in order to ensure adequate natural ventilation. The speakers for announcements of the enterprise to be operated by solar panels on the roof. There is initially a Crystal Cabin called cabin with glass floor. Due to high demand are now 36 Crystal Cabins with glass floor in use. There is also a decorated with Swarovski stones luxury cabin with velvet sofas and bar table for special occasions. If the train is not running, the cars can be parked on a sloping hanging rail in the basement of the Tung Chung terminal. In the terminal there is also a cable car garage. The support cables are firmly mounted on both sides. The tension of the traction cables is hydraulic in the two end stations. The cables were manufactured by the Swiss Fatzer AG.

For the evacuation of passengers in case of emergency are mounted directly above the Tung Chung Bay and just before the terminus two each mountain cabins to the very wide columns, which are placed on the pull rope and can drive with its own drive next to or under the passenger cabins.

Incidents

• On 11 June 2007 crashed during a test drive after closing a vacant gondola near the Tung Chung Bus Terminal about 50 m in depth. There were no personal injuries. The operation of the web had to be set for six months.

• On January 25, 2012 There was a disconnection during operation due to strong vibrations. The cause bearing damage due to insufficient lubrication was found in a pulley. The studded with 800 passenger rail could be emptied after two hours. After the necessary repairs and overhaul the train increased its operation to resume on April 5, 2012 after a two-month break.