A [**3S gondola lift**](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s) or **tricable detachable gondola (TDG)** is a gondola technology that uses three steel wire ropes (*drei Seile* in German, giving the name "3S"). Two of the ropes support the weight of the gondola cabins, while the third rope provides propulsion.

TechConcept

3S gondola lift

Boarding the Cat Hai - Phu Long cable car

aerial lift

means of transport

ropeway

3K K-onnection

Alpin Express 1

Alpin Express 2

Cat Hai - Phu Long cable car

Hòn Thơm cable car

Peak 2 Peak Gondola

Ritten/Renon Cable Car

Seilbahn Koblenz

aerial tramway

cable railway

haul rope

monocable detachable gondola

motor vehicle

multi-segment aerial lift

track rope

A **means of transport** is any vehicle or system used to transport people or goods from one place to another.

The **Alpin Express 1** is a [3S gondola lift](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s) located in Saas-Fee, Switzerland and is the first half of a two-part route that uses two separate lifts - the second part being the [Alpin Express 2](/entry/i-alpin-express-2). It is known for being the first 3S gondola in the world.

Photo of the {entry("i-cat-hai-phu-long-cable-car").link()}.

View of the Cat Hai - Phu Long cable car

The **Alpin Express 2** is a [3S gondola lift](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s) located in Saas-Fee, Switzerland and is the second half of a two-part route that uses two separate lifts - the first part being the [Alpin Express 1](/entry/i-alpin-express-1).

The **3K K-onnection** is a [3S gondola lift](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s) in [Salzburg](/entry/x-salzburg-state) that carries passengers from the Maiskogel to the Langwied area on the Kitzsteinhorn.

A **cable railway** or is a means of transport where the vehicles are pulled forward along rails by one or more steel [wire ropes](/entry/tc-wire-rope) (the "cables"). In some cases (mostly historically), chains or regular ropes may be used.

A **multi-segment aerial lift** is any combination of aerial lifts in a linear route, where passengers who wish to continue on the route need to change vehicles at intermediate stations. (A lift with intermediate stations where passengers can remain in the same vehicle to continue is just a "multi-station aerial lift", and is excluded from this category.)

The Ritten (also called Renon) cable car is a gondola lift that carries passengers from Oberbozen/Soprabolzano to Bozen/Bolzano.

The **Peak 2 Peak Gondola** is a tricable gondola lift connecting Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain, manufactured by Doppelmayr.

The **Koblenz Cable Car** ("Seilbahn Koblenz" in German) is a [3s gondola lift](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s) that takes passengers from the banks of the river Rhine to the hill plateau next to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.

An [**aerial tramway**](/entry/tc-trnsprt-aerial-tramway) is a type of [aerial lift](/entry/tc-aerial-lift) with one or two cabins fixed to a cable. The distinguishing feature of aerial tramways is that the cabins shuttle back and forth between the end stations of the lift in a reversible manner. Aerial tramways are usually built with three steel wire ropes - two for support and one for propulsion. (This is the same rope configuration used by [3S gondola lifts](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s), but 3S lifts operate with continuous circulation and have detachable cabins).

In an [aerial lift](/entry/tc-aerial-lift), a **track rope** is a fixed (stationary) rope that provides support for the vehicles. That is, track ropes play the same role in a ropeway as rails do in a railway. Unlike the [haul rope](/entry/tc-haul-rope), the track ropes do not move. Usually one or both ends of the ropeway have devices that can be used to maintain the tension over the rope's lifetime.

A **motor vehicle** is a vehicle that can propel itself and which does not run on rails. Motor vehicles generally travel on wheels, although some (e.g. tanks and snowmobiles) use tracks instead.

This is the view from the [Peak 2 Peak Gondola](/entry/i-peak-2-peak-gondola), from around the middle of the span, as another gondola is seen passing by in the opposite direction.

A Peak 2 Peak gondola passing by.

A **ropeway** (or **cableway**) refers to any means of transport in which vehicles are propelled by ropes along a fixed route, excluding elevators or cable ferries. Ropeways generally fall into three categories: [aerial lifts](/entry/tc-aerial-lift), surface lifts, and [cable railways](/entry/tc-cable-railway). In modern ropeways, the rope is almost invariably steel [wire rope](/entry/tc-wire-rope), although other materials have been used in the past.

A [**monocable detachable gondola**](/entry/tc-monocable-gondola) (**MDG**) is a common type of [aerial lift](/entry/tc-aerial-lift), with a single steel cable strung between two or more stations, supported by intermediate towers. Many gondola cabins hang from the cable via a detachable grip, which allows the cabins to detach from the cable and slow down at each station. The cable provides both support and propulsion for the gondolas.

The **Alpin Express** is a multi-segment 3S gondola lift located in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.

Alpin Express

In an [aerial lift](/entry/tc-aerial-lift), the **haul rope** is the [wire rope](/entry/tc-wire-rope) that provides propulsion for the vehicles. It moves either continuously or in a reversing fashion (for [tramways](/entry/tc-trnsprt-aerial-tramway)). In [monocable lifts](/entry/tc-monocable-gondola), the haul rope also provides support for the vehicles, whereas in other systems such as [3S lifts](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s), the vehicles are supported by separate [track ropes](/entry/tc-track-rope).

Photo of people boarding the {entry("i-cat-hai-phu-long-cable-car").link()}.

A scenic view showing part of the [Peak 2 Peak Gondola](/entry/i-peak-2-peak-gondola) and the surrounding mountains.

An **aerial lift** is a means of transport where the vehicles hang from one or more steel [wire ropes](/entry/tc-wire-rope).

[Hòn Thơm cable car](/entry/i-hòn-thơm-cable-car) above the An Thới township.

Hòn Thơm Cable Car

The **Cat Hai - Phu Long cable car** is a [3s gondola lift](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s) in Vietnam that connects Cat Ba with Phu Long.

The **Hòn Thơm cable car** is a [3S gondola lift](/entry/tc-trnsprt-cable-3s) in southern Vietnam, connecting the vacation islands Phú Quôc and Hòn Thơm. At 7,900 meters, it is currently the world’s longest tricable ropeway.

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Description	A 3S gondola lift or tricable detachable gondola (TDG) is a gondola technology that uses three steel wire ropes (drei Seile in German, giving the name "3S"). Two of the ropes support the weight of the gondola cabins, while the third rope provides propulsion.
Type of	TCaerial lift
Also known as	tricable detachable gondola
Has part	TChaul rope, TCtrack rope
Used in	IAlpin Express
Instances	I3K K-onnection, IAlpin Express 1, IAlpin Express 2, ICat Hai - Phu Long cable car, IHòn Thơm cable car, 3 more…
Related images	, , , ,
Route Capacity (passengers)	726 - 5500 pphpd
Wikidata QID	Q229497
Explore Graph
Speed	4.5 - 8.5 m/s