Information Center for Ropeway Studies Glass Slide Project
Established in 1991, the Information Center for Ropeway Studies contains information on the theory, design and operation of ropeway and tramway systems. The collection is located in Arthur Lakes Library at the Colorado School of Mines.
The Center is intended as a special collection for those interested in the history, theory, design, and operation of ropeway systems. The Center houses about 300 monographs, seven journal and newsletter titles, a manufacturers' catalog file, a slide and lantern slide collection, and other media. The Ropeway Database is a bibliographic database of journal articles, symposia, books, reports, handbooks, manufacturers' catalogs, and any other information pertaining to ropeways. Items found in the database may not necessarily be housed in the Ropeway Center but may be elsewhere in the Library or in another location. You can search the Center's holdings at http://ropeway.coalliance.org.
These photos originated with 88 glass slides identified as coming either from John F. Sweeney & Sons of New York City, or Chas. W. Kimble, Maker, Trenton New Jersey. In the first group it appears that the slides came from a variety of sources. In the second group, the slides generally appear to represent one tramway unit, primarily during it's construction stage (ca 1921). The photos have been organized into 9 categories: Wire Rope - Manufacture, Ropeway Construction and Maintenance, Ropeway Structures, Saline Valley Ropeway, Spring Canyon Coal Company Materials Ropeway, Spanish Peak Lumber Company, Materials Ropeways - Mining Practices, Cableways, and Passenger Ropeways.
| Photos 1-25 | Photos 26-51 | Photos 52-76 | Photos 77-88 |
| Click on photo to enlarge | Description |
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Slide 26: Line Tower Steel line tower for bi-cable system. |
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Slide 27: Line Structure Line structure under construction, steel structure - date on photo 11/15/21 and number 5653. |
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Slide 28: Line Structure Line structure under construction, steel construction - without rope. Date on photo 11/15/21 and number 5665. |
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Slide 29: Breakover Structure Fan type breakover structure under construction - date on photo 11/15/21 and number 5651. |
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Slide 30: Line Structure Steel line structure during construction. Looks like two ropeways cross at an angle. |
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Slide 31: Steel Line Structure |
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Slide 32: Line Structure Photo of steel line structure under construction. Date on photo 11/15/21 and number 566?. |
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Slide 33: High Tower Head of high tower of steel construction. |
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Slide 34: Station 20 Drawing - Plan and Elevation - "Fig 16 Part of Station 20, Showing Drives for Sections III and IV." Detailed drawings with structural size and position, also mechanical data. |
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Saline Valley Materials Ropeway
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Slide 35: Bi-cable Bucket Salt Saline tramway with salt bucket with American flag. |
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Slide 36: Saline Valley Map Title is "Location of Aerial Tramway of Saline Valley Salt Company." Saline Valley is 105 miles due east of Fresno, California on the west side of Death Valley. |
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Slide 37: Saline Valley Salt Company Drawing of ground and tramway profile for Saline Valley Tramway. |
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Slide 38: Salt Field This photo shows piles and windrows of farmed salt. |
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Slide 39: Curved Rail Structure Station Drawing - "Curved Rail Structure Station 23 - Aerial Tramway - Saline Valley Salt Company - Fig. 15" (Schematic drawing, no detail). |
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Slide 40: Salt Transportation Top photo shows tracks with haul rope for dumping carriers from field to stacking ramp, and bottom photo a dump carrier on the ramp. |
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Slide 41: Chuckawala 2400 This photo shows a long span on a materials ropeway. On the back of the slide frame "The 2000' Span Sta. #7 is on top marked x". |
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Slide 42: Daisy Canyon Daisy Canyon is a steep canon on the east side of the Inyo Mountains that the Saline Valley Tramway follows. This photo shows a general view of haul and track ropes. |
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Slide 43: Span Over Daisy Canyon Carrier in transit above Daisy Canyon. |
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Slide 44: Control Structure Control station at breakover point for materials ropeway. |
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Slide 45: Across Daisy Canyon Carriers passing in transit. |
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Slide 46: Breakover Structure Appears to be a breakover structure of the Saline Tramway with a good view of the valley floor. |
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Slide 47: Station 7 Photo of line station on a mountain side showing bi-cable materials ropeway deep into valley. A salt lake is in the area of the tramway terminal. The structure is sawed timber. |
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Slide 48: Ascending 80% This photo shows carriers. |
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Slide 49: Carrier Leaving Loading Terminal Photo of carrier on bi-cable system looking back at loading terminal. Detachable haul rope grip for continuous circulating system. |
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Slide 50: Loaded Bucket Salt bucket in bi-cable terminal. The bucket is the shape of a 55 gallon drum and about that size. The lid is approximately 25% of the circumference and appears to open completely. The structure (loading terminal) is wood with steel sheaves. |
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Slide 51: Water Tank Two photos, the top showing tank probably filled with water. The bottom photo has a different type of tank -- they appear to be more like kegs. This may have been the way the Saline Valley Salt Company got water to workers. |