Wyler Aerial Tramway

File:Wyler Aerial Tramway1.jpg

Wyler Aerial Tramway is an aerial tramway in El Paso, Texas, United States. The tramway is operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is located in Franklin Mountains State Park. The tramway complex covers {{convert|196|acre|km2}} on the east side of the Franklin Mountains. The gondolas travel along two 2600 foot 1 3/8" diameter steel cables to Ranger Peak, {{convert|5632|ft|m}} above sea level. The trip takes about four minutes and lifts riders up 940 vertical feet above the boarding area. From Ranger Peak viewers can see three states and two countries on a clear day.{{Cite web|url=http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/wyler-aerial-tramway|title=Wyler Aerial Tramway — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department}} The tramway was closed indefinitely to the public in September 2018.

History

The tramway was built in 1959 by KTSM radio to aid in the construction of a transmitter tower. Karl O. Wyler managed the project. First opening to the public as the El Paso Aerial Tramway, the facility provided rides from 1960 to 1986, when high liability insurance costs forced the tram to stop public operations. The tram was only used to service the transmitter towers. Wyler donated the tramway for public use in his will. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department accepted the donation in 1997 and renovated and re-opened the tramway to the public in 2001. The tramway was closed indefinitely in September 2018 after the Texas Parks and Wildlife conducted an engineering analysis that concluded "the tram has surpassed its life expectancy and is no longer suited for public use." TPWD estimated the replacement of the tram would cost millions of dollars and the agency did not have the financial resources to execute a capital construction project of this size at that time.[https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20180918a TPWD News Release announcing closure] In July 2024, it was announced that plans for repairs of the tramway were underway.{{Cite news |last=Burge |first=Dave |date=28 July 2024 |title=Officials: Plans to bring Wyler tramway back moving ahead |url=https://www.ktsm.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728222457/https://www.ktsm.com/news/officials-plans-to-bring-wyler-tramway-back-moving-ahead/ |archive-date=28 July 2024 |access-date=29 July 2024 |work=KTSM 9 News}}

Gallery

File:Wyler Aerial Tramway2.jpg|Wyler Aerial Tramway

File:Old gondola.jpg|Old Tramway gondola

File:Ranger Peak.jpg|Ranger Peak with a view of Northeast El Paso in the background

File:Ranger Peak gift shop.jpg|Ranger Peak gift shop

File:Ranger Peak Gift Shop.jpg|Inside gift shop

File:Looking north from Ranger Peak.jpg|Looking north at the Franklin Mountains from Ranger Peak

File:Wyler Aerial Tramway.jpg|Current gondola

File:Wyler Aerial Tramway 4.jpg|The tramway

References

External links

[https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/wyler-aerial-tramway Wyler Aerial Tramway]
[http://www.summitpost.org/ranger-peak/457590 Summitpost.org - Ranger Peak]
[https://texasarchive.org/2010_02197 Home movie of the Franklin Mountains State Park from the Sandoval Family] on the Texas Archive of the Moving Image

Category:Aerial tramways in the United States

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in El Paso County, Texas

Category:Tourist attractions in El Paso, Texas

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Texas

Category:1959 establishments in Texas