Cable car

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For the song by The Fray, see Over My Head (Cable Car).

A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.

Varieties in which the vehicle is suspended from a cable:

An aerial tramway consists of a cabin suspended from a cable, pulled by another cable. A gondola lift consists of a loop of cable that is strung between two or more stations, usually over intermediate supporting towers, from which cars are suspended. A ropeway conveyor is a subtype of gondola lift, from which containers for goods rather than passenger cars are suspended. In an aerial lift transport, gondolas or open chairs are hauled above the ground by means of a cable.

Varieties in which the vehicle rests on rails or a road:

A street railway system uses a cable under the road to pull the cars along. A funicular consists of a pair of railway cars that alternately ascend and descend an inclined right-of-way, attached to a common cable. A cable railway uses a cable or rope to haul trains.