Frozen cabling keeps tram operations on ice

Jan. 4—The Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway's cars have returned to their docking stations following a dramatic New Year's Eve stoppage and New Year's Day passenger rescue, but operators say it is still unclear how long they will stay parked.

Ice continues to foil the tram's cabling, leaving crews playing a weather waiting game.

"We're ... having to let Mother Nature run its course, get some sunshine and melt that ice off," tram general manager Michael Donovan said Monday.

Donovan said rapid ice formation coupled with wind caused a "cable fault" late Friday as the emergency cable drooped and crossed over the track rope. That prompted operators to halt the cars, stranding 21 people along the 2.7-mile route. The people inside the two cars — two tram workers and 19 employees from the mountaintop TEN 3 restaurant — remained stuck in the dangling cars until search-and-rescue crews on Saturday helped the employees rappel to the ground, where a helicopter shuttled them away.

The incident captured worldwide attention, and Donovan said he has fielded calls from reporters as far away as the Netherlands.

But some questions still have no answers, including when the tram — which typically runs Wednesday through Monday — will be back in business or what, if any repairs, may be required. While initial indications are that the tramway did not sustain any significant damage, he said crews will perform a thorough inspection of the lines and other components once the emergency cable thaws and returns to its normal position.

While that could happen as soon as a couple days, Donovan said "We're in no hurry to open. The most important piece of this is to look at all the systems, look at all the affected areas extensively and make sure that we looked at it and looked at it again."

He said the incident could have an impact on future business but is hopeful that customers consider the Sandia Peak Tram's overall "exemplary" track record as a reason to trust the experience.

As for the employees who spent their New Year's Eve trapped in the cars, he said he did not think the episode had driven anyone to quit their job.

"I think there are some folks ... doing some soul-searching, but I've not heard of anybody resigning over this to the best of my knowledge," he said.