Early Developments

The idea of using cables for transportation dates back to the 1820s, when mining companies in England began using simple rope-hauled railways to transport coal and other materials out of mines. These early systems were primitive and often unreliable.To solve this problem, simple rope-hauled railways were introduced. These railways utilized a system of pulleys and ropes to lift and lower materials, pioneering the basic principles of cable-based transport.

Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution marked a turning point in cable car development. With the advancement of technology, particularly in the manufacturing of steel cables and machinery, engineers began to explore more sophisticated cable car systems. These systems were used not only in mining but also in other industries, such as construction and logging, where the need for efficient transportation of materials was paramount.

Urban Transportation

The potential of cable car technology for urban transportation was realized in the mid-19th century. In 1834, the first known passenger-carrying cable car was introduced in England. Known as the “Anglo-American,” this system was used to transport passengers up and down a steep incline at the Cheltenham Spa. Although the Anglo-American system was short-lived, it laid the groundwork for future developments in urban cable car transportation.

The Rise of Cable Cars

One of the most significant milestones in cable car history was the development of the San Francisco cable car system by Andrew Smith Hallidie. Inspired by the challenges of transporting goods and people up the steep hills of San Francisco, Hallidie designed a system that utilized a grip car that grabbed onto a continuously moving cable beneath the street. Hallidie’s system used a combination of cables, pulleys, and grip cars to transport passengers up and down the city’s steep hills. The first successful test of the system took place on August 2, 1873, marking the birth of the world’s first successful cable car system.  The system soon became a popular means of transportation for both locals and tourists.

Expansion and Innovation

Following the success of the San Francisco cable car system, similar systems were built in cities around the world, including Chicago, New York, and London. These systems used a variety of technologies, including steam power and electricity, to operate the cables that pulled the cars along their tracks.

Notable Cable Car Systems Around the World

Modern-Day Cable Cars

While many cities have phased out their cable car systems in favor of more modern forms of transportation, such as buses and subways, some cities continue to operate cable cars as a tourist attraction. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in cable cars as a sustainable mode of urban transportation, with new systems being planned and built in cities around the world.

Question and Answer Block:

Q: What was the first successful cable car system?

A: The first successful cable car system was developed in 1873 by Andrew Smith Hallidie in San Francisco, California.

Q: How did early cable car systems operate?

A: Early cable car systems used a combination of cables, pulleys, and grip cars to transport passengers up and down steep hills.

Q: What cities have notable cable car systems?

A: Some cities with notable cable car systems include San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and London.

Q: Are cable cars still used today?

A: While many cities have phased out their cable car systems, some cities continue to operate them as a tourist attraction. Additionally, there has been a resurgence of interest in cable cars as a sustainable mode of urban transportation in recent years.

The early developments of cable cars represent a pivotal period in the history of transportation. From their humble beginnings in mining operations to their transformation into a vital urban transportation system, cable cars have played a significant role in shaping the way we move people and goods. Today, cable cars continue to be a popular mode of transportation in many cities, blending a rich history with modern technology to provide efficient and scenic transportation options.

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Sydney
Australia’s national cuisine has a lot to offer, and Sydney is a good place to start. Here you can try crocodile and kangaroo, which are exotic dishes for Russian tourists. Australia has frozen kangaroo and crocodile steaks on sale in almost every shop. You can either cook the meat yourself or order a ready meal in one of the local restaurants.
Crocodile meat reminds some people of chicken, but with a fishy flavour. Alligator meat is quite soft and has a thick texture. The fish flavour is present, but not very strong. Alligator meat in Australia is fried, boiled, stewed, marinated, and even smoked, just as chicken is in Russia.
Kangaroo steak is either grilled or pan-fried. Beforehand, the meat is coated in a herb mixture and crushed garlic. Some people claim that it tastes similar to roe deer meat. Kangaroo steaks are a diet dish, as they are low in fat and rich in protein and linoleic acid, which is said to have antioxidant properties. Regular consumption of this meat promotes weight loss.

Barossa Valley
The city is renowned for its wineries and cheese-making. Australian wines are in demand all over the world, they’re not inexpensive but still taste just as good as the big European competition.
The wine industry is considered one of the fastest growing industries in the Australian economy.
For lunch or breakfast at a eating place, order the Wedgimite cheese rolls. Australia’s traditional pastry is similar to a sinnabon bun, but the filling is a beer-malt-based substance and can be eaten as a stand-alone dish.
Almost everyone loves anchovies with goat’s cheese, capers, and tomatoes.
Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the goat’s milk cheesecake with blueberry sorbet.

Melbourne
You’ll find world cuisines in Melbourne, tucked away in cosy restaurants. Melbourne is often referred to as a sweet-tooth paradise, and you’ll often come here to sample the many different flavours of ice cream, which is sold all over the place. Smoothies with crushed ice are also popular.
The atmosphere is one of conviviality, and the food is tasty.
Favourite dishes include chilled almond soup with Sicilian grapes and lamb roasted on skewers over charcoal.
Travelling around Melbourne, you should also try the local doughnuts, beet burger, chicken parmesan and avocado toast.

Tasmania
Tasmania’s premier culinary masterpiece is salmon, and tourists travel to the island to enjoy fresh seafood. Here you can enjoy oysters, scallops, mussels and octopus.
And if you want something a little wilder, you can go for the shark meat.
The locals also recommend tasting the white sea bass, considered one of the country’s symbols. Some restaurants and cafes prepare it in an exotic way: the fish is placed in a sealed bag and boiled in sea water, which is sourced from 900 metres below the surface.

Mountain’s
This Australian town is known for its desserts and pastries. The world-famous Lamington dessert comprises chocolate-covered sponge cake topped with coconut.
One story has it that it was a mistake when Lord Lemington’s maid accidentally spilled her favourite cake into the melted chocolate. Later on, the treat was sprinkled with coconut shavings.
Here’s a list of Australia’s traditional dishes: mince pie, made using flaky pastry. The filling is minced meat and gravy. You can top the pie with onions, chicken, mushrooms, asparagus, crocodile meat, vegetables and even seafood if you like.
At parties, guests are often served a mini-cake – a festive version, so to speak.
Rumour has it that meat pie came to the Australian continent during the colonial era, when it was wildly popular in Europe and made from affordable ingredients with a high nutritional content.
Australians love to sprinkle it with tomato sauce, and debate whether it should be cold or at room temperature.
A popular dessert is cinnamon-flavoured citrus fruit baked in a custard.

South Western Australia
South Western Australia provides exotic foods and beautiful surroundings. One of the more unusual dishes is Duggan, the name of a sea cow favoured by the Aboriginal people. They also tend to prepare turtle eggs, combining them with seafood and a variety of salads. Crabmeat omelette is also very popular in Australia.
Locals often charcoal-grill kangaroo meat, along with potatoes, small tomatoes and mushrooms.
Australia also has an excellent coffee culture, and local markets are full of fruit (papaya, mango, bananas, citrus fruits, quandu plums and quandong peaches) and vegetables, and street food. Travellers are encouraged to try sushi, truffles, scallops and more. Australians love to barbecue and their cuisine has borrowed heavily from the British. Some of Australia’s recipes were brought to the country by settlers. A new wave of immigrants in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries enriched the local cuisine with Asian, European and Mediterranean flavours. It’s a continent worth visiting for its beauty, extraordinary scenery and to sample the local cuisine.

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Whitehaven Beach, Queensland
Australia is an increasingly popular destination, with many travellers including Whitehaven Beach, which covers about 7 kilometres and skirts the Whitsunday Island coast. It’s easy to reach, with boats running every 30 minutes from the ports of Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour. Similarly, tourists can get there from Hamilton Island. A triathlon competition is held each year in the last month of autumn. Whitehaven Beach is voted Australia’s top holiday destination. It was voted number one in the South Pacific’s beaches rankings in 2015.
The clearest water combined with the white sands beckons tourists. The beach surface took millions of years to form and is made up of polished shells. The sand has a surprising feature – it does not conduct heat and does not get warm, it is pleasant to walk on it barefoot.

Red Lake, Cape Hillier, Western Australia
Located in Western Australia, this reservoir is unique because of its unusual colour. You need only close your eyes and stretch your imagination to enjoy the moment. At the heart of Middle Island there are sandy shores that fade into lush rainforest. Hidden behind the branches of the trees is a beautifully beautiful body of water. Its hue is reminiscent of a doll’s outfit. The scent of sea breeze and eucalyptus soaks into the air. The body of water looks so unusual that travellers think they’re in a sci-fi movie. Samples of water from the lake have been repeatedly studied in laboratories, but the exact composition could not be established. All that is known is that it contains mineral salts, but it is not clear in what proportions.

Pinnacles, Western Australia
The landscape in the south-west of the Australian mainland is mostly sun-burned plains. Here you’ll find the small but tourist-attractive Pinnacles Desert. The name literally translates as “pointed rocks”. Large blocks of limestone with an unusual configuration emerge from the earth’s interior. They vary in height from 1 to 5 metres. Scientists from around the world are trying to establish the true causes and conditions of their occurrence.
The Pinnacles desert remained unexplored until the 1960s. It was only after becoming part of a national park that it was opened to tourists. August to October is the ideal time to visit the area. Spring arrives in the Pinnacles, heat-tolerant plants are covered in emerald foliage and the local flora is in bloom. Dawns and sunsets are particularly beautiful in the desert. In the evening, kangaroos and ostriches appear in the valley.

Culbarry Canyon, Western Australia
It is recommended you plan your Australian trip to include a visit to Culbarry Canyon, in the Western Australian Outback. It is adjacent to the town of the same name and the surrounding countryside is truly stunning. Nature has actively experimented with the elements here. The ocean waves are huge and present all year round. Tourists will also enjoy the reef and rock spots, which can only be handled by experienced surfers.
Hikers can explore the trails and take in the spectacular views of the red rocks and emerald forests. The town of Kalbarri, founded in the 1950s, has many beautiful cliffs. The national park of the same name is just south of it. Surviving in this windswept region is not easy, but the views are spectacular. The red-and-white gorges cut by the Murchison River in the cliffs on their way to the Indian Ocean are part of many excursion programmes.

Bangle Bungle
The Bungle Bungle Range is separated from the town of Halls by 190 km. Scientists believe the sand ridge was formed about 350 million years ago. The ridge was previously under water, but after the ocean receded due to the impact of a celestial body, a rough plateau emerged on the surface. Over 20 million years, precipitation and winds have created cone-shaped ridges that to many people resemble beehives.
The sandstone has a layered structure, with streaks of dark brown interspersed with bright orange. The bungle is part of Purnululu National Park, which has been a World Heritage Site since 2003.

Penguin Island, Phillip Island, South Australia
Many travellers want to visit Penguin Island in the south of Australia.
Phillip Island is about 140 kilometres from Melbourne. The reserve is one of the most visited in Australia. The Penguin Parade, which takes place on Summerland Beach, has made it popular. After sunset, at around 8pm local time, hundreds of creatures make their way up the coastline from the ocean waters. They form flocks of 10-15 and then begin marching in their peculiar penguin gait as they make their way across the beach to their dens. This event occurs every day at approximately the same time.
You have to pay to see the Penguin Parade but it is prohibited to film the action as camera flashes can dazzle and frighten the animals.

Wavy Rock, Western Australia
Undulating Rock, located in Western Australia, resembles a rock tsunami covering several hectares. These waves look frightening and at the same time are admired by many. The stone tsunami is the remnants of the Hayden Rocks. Years of erosion have left a visible mark and meltwater flowing into the ditch has washed away the stone particles.
To preserve the natural landmark and prevent it from deteriorating further, a protection wall was constructed in 1951 by order of the Public Works Department along the entire contour. It drains the moisture into special repositories.

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In the 19th century, wicker sledges (Carros de Cesto do Monte) were the main mode of transport in many villages. They allowed you to quickly descend from the mountain village of Monte to the suburb of Funchal, the town of Livramento. This is a tourist attraction that preserves traditions going back generations.

The first use of Toboggans was in ancient times by the indigenous people of North States. Used with dogs or humans, they were a practical way to transport goods and materials.

The origin of these sledges, already improved and woven from willow, is not known. These slates have been lowered to Madeira with the help of a toboggan – larger pieces of wood that have been attached together. The lower slopes on the island are still abundant with fruits and vegetables.

The baskets are woven by hand and are mounted on wooden skids that are transported using 2 drivers. They’re called -carreiros. They will have dispersed the cargo into smaller sleds, and then jump on from behind to drive it back to village, or wherever they need to go. The brake on sharp turns is a rather remarkable and somewhat strange-looking shoe.

Monte’s carriers wear white outfits and wear Maderian straw hats on their heads. They can make the sleigh move faster by applying cloths soaked in animal fat to the runners of the sleigh (wheels).

Our 2 km route is set mostly on public streets but you’ll be where other people are walking and traffic is moving. And cars? Well, they’ll have to stay on their side of the road because we’ve made the course a no-cars zone!

Two carreiros will help you quickly get to the Alpaca ranch for a scenic sleigh ride. The maximum speed of the sleigh is 38 km/h and there are steep trails, turns, and hills on the way. They’ll take a photo of you when we reach the ranch too!

Magic shoes made of asphalt crumbs are ground with water and sugar (in ratio 5:1) to be used by virtuoso tobogganers who need a less slippery substance to slow down on high speed turns. The toboggans only have a limited number of miracle soles for the month, after which “brakes” need to be updated so not to ruin tourists who are hungry for impressions.

Toboggans work perfectly. About 10 minutes of going down the slope provides people with a perfect opportunity to round their eyes, notice increased heart rate and laughter.

The Carros de Cesto is easy to find, it’s located at the bottom of the monumental staircase leading up to the Church of Our Lady of Monte (Nossa Senhora Do Monte).

“Train Road” is the term for a part of the road that is perfect for riding in sled baskets. The section of “Train Road” runs from Monte parish and ends up at Livramento.

You need to understand that when you roll down in a sleigh, you’re quite faraway from the center of Funchal. The distance to the capital is about 2.5 km, and vertically there’s a difference of about 270 meters.

It is believed you have to jump on a wooden toboggan in Funchal when you’re traveling. In the early 1900s, they started holding downhill races on an improved model, and in 1923 they became part of the international federation. Despite the fact, that toboggans flourished as a sport in the past days and nowadays are only used for competitions with bobsleds instead of on their own, it is notable to mention them in their name.

One of the more popular winter sports is tobogganing down a mountain. This has been around for a while, with aristocrats in Europe using it to get from point A to point B back in the day. The sport has since evolved and now everyone can enjoy this experience without having to walk or take a ski lift all the way up.

The word “toboggan” can refer to the dialect of Canadian Eskimos, and refers to a traditional sled without any runners. Toboggans are the oldest type of sled, and were originally used for carrying goods and passengers. Today, different devices for descending the mountain can be called ‘toboggan’ not only in winter but also in summer.

Sledding in the late 1800s was big in the US. There were even races for speed on the descent from a mountain.

In the 20th century, toboggans were improved. Downhill racing on the snow was then officially recognized.

The sled was driven by humans, dog teams or livestock. Modern toboggans are small and can only have 2 people. They’re used for sports games or for entertainment nowadays and are seldom used for transportation purposes because of the increasing snowfall in winter. Flat sleds are light and can only accommodate a few people with light luggage, but there are also larger carriages that can be used. Sleigh rides are a great way to experience the national culture of where you visit since they’re done everywhere. End your fun day out on a high with friends at one of our awesome party homes. Hot drinks and snacks await you by the fireplace!

However, the toboggan has not yet been made obsolete as a means of transportation. You can also find heavy-duty sledges for transporting large and heavy loads.

It is not clear to use the term “toboggan” for informal winter transportation in Madeira. From a design perspective, the name remains popular despite being associated with a different weapon.

There are many different types of trails and toboggans.

There are many types of toboggan tracks you can use to have fun sledding and racing. For example, there’s the traditional curved track, the straight track, or parallelogram track.

The longest route of interest is 250 meters to 2.5 kilometers long. The course is made from stainless steel and is equipped with jumps and steep turns. Connecting structural elements are welded or using sliding joints that can compensate for changes in elevation so riders don’t feel like they’re flying off the ground. The track contains protective pipes that prevent the sled from flying out of the edges of the gutter and getting hurt.

If a steep slope is in the way, it might be best to have some form of transportation. A good choice for this would be a toboggan. As you can tell from the name, toboggans are sleds with runners on the edges and a set of wheels at the end. This allows them to be maneuvered on any type of surface, even slippery.

The movement on the toboggan is fast and will provide a range of emotions.

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A gondola is a type of boat that originated in Venice. It was a type of twin-oared boat but had to be altered so it could not squeeze through the canals. This made the asymmetry in design necessary, which also affected their engineering and control techniques.

No traveler in the world has not fallen victim to their charm: the magic of Venetian gondolas with their characteristic silhouette, which is instigated by the wind, walking between Venice’s small waterways – that’s really something you cannot forget.

The most common public transport in Venice is the gondola, and it is famous for being the oldest symbol of Venice. When it first started out, it was only used by wealthy people as a “horse-drawn carriage” in other cities.

Gondolas might not be as common as they once were but they make for an excellent tourist attraction. Riding one along the Grand Canal is a gondolier’s dream and many tourists enjoy that experience.

The world-famous Venetian cabs are the object of everyone’s admiration due to their charm and sinuous shapes. The appearance of gondolas in Venice, Italy has changed a lot over time. Originally developed centuries ago, the ancient version of “gondolas” was not the same as those we associate with Venice today. So, in the paintings from Venetian artists of the 15th-16th centuries, gondolas are depicted as shorter and wider and less elongated boats. They were also shown to be not asymmetrical.

The gondola is a historical means of transportation that also serves today to entertain many tourists. In the last years of Venice’s republic, there were about 10,000 gondolas.

Today, the 500 gondolas in Venice’s canals look almost identical to how they looked about 200 years ago and retain the same characteristics that tourists from back then would recognize too.

While it may seem like the symbols of Venice are built on a need-to-know basis, the truth is that these symbols are passed down through “squeri”. You’ll find many ship docks here. Once upon a time, gondola building sites were popular and many of these sites mirrored the importance of the business using the word “squara” which translates to team.

Until now, there are only 5 docks in Venice and they are located in different parts of the city. Interesting fact is that they still work without any project documentation – everything relies on personal experience. It’s for this reason that the job of nacelle designer requires a lengthy apprenticeship that can only be undertaken after the requisite exam has been passed.

Each boat takes a number of months to build and 500 hours of work, on average. To maintain the current fleet size, which is 500 boats, craftsmen must construct about 20-30 boats per year.

Historically, only men have traditionally been Gondoliers but in 2009 the first woman received her license. This is a difficult profession that requires endurance and great skill which is passed down from generation to generation.

The maximum occupancy of the gondola is six people – it should never carry more than this number.

However, even if the boat is empty, the gondolier has to apply the same amount of force in order to get from point A to point B. This is due to the boat’s design and not due to rowing.

The shape of the boat is asymmetric allowing the rower-gondolier to use one oar, which is on the side of a line dividing the boat along halves. The gondolier stands on the boat and steers it while looking ahead in the direction of travel.

There is no rowing involved when you take a gondola ride. The gondolier uses the oar to make certain movements along a special trajectory. Gondoliers are able to switch the oar from one mode to another and they leave the boat at night (because it’s safer) much like car owners take their battery home. Firstly, it’s difficult to steal a gondola without a fork, and secondly, the cost is affordable by itself! The production of the part only lasts for three days-a week.

Every year on the first Sunday of September, the Historical Regatta is held in Venice. Before the competition, a gondola parade is also organised. It’s followed by a gondolier competition. The race is this distance each island or region wants to place their boats in the competition.

The price is set by the gondoliers’ union and can’t be changed. Considering the boat is expensive, it’s made for each individual gondolier and its size must be strictly regulated, manual labor for transportation on top of that would make things even more expensive. However, there is a loophole. You can save money on getting from A to B by getting a taxi. Six people can get picked up with the same cost as it would be for one person with a taxi. So if you’re going to be around for at least an hour (could be longer!), why not rent a boat and go together? Definitely, it is not something you want to go through alone. But in this situation it’s a choice between your own personal feelings or business/economic standpoint. If you observe as I did, a more elaborate company for the job can be more preferable because the price per trip is cheaper and that could be just what makes the difference when your business needs reliable partners.

There is another way to ride a gondola—a traghetto. They are the most budget-friendly option and they can be found across the Grand Canal where bridges would otherwise be too far. Traghetto boats are a common part of Venice’s public transportation system and are often the only option for people in need of transport. They even provide a more authentic experience for travelers and locals alike, as rafts and gondola usually just serve as tourist attractions nowadays.

The Venetian gondola has been a constant symbol of this Italian city on the water for decades. Unique boats that resemble Turkish gülets or Arabian dhows are not found anywhere. You can find the same for Italian gondolas. And their design and construction has been retained through centuries of use, so it’s not surprising if you sometimes need to deal with regular maintenance issues

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One of the original ways to get around in Alaska is dog sledding. It’s mostly a sport these days so there are many different competitive events all over the state. The most famous is the Iditarod Trail – a 1,150-mile sled dog race. The race commemorates the 1925 Nome Serum Run when mushers and sled dogs like Balto delivered much-needed medicine to disease-stricken Nome. Every March, mushers from all over the world come to Anchorage to compete for prizes and glory. Dog riding is a pastime that is getting more and more attention, with people spending lots of money on expensive equipment for their dogs, who are the entertainment. The dogs love this attention and will give great effort in return. Dogs have traditionally always played an integral role in sled dog racing. They used to be much more important than the prize at the finish line.

Dog sleds are sleds pulled by one or more dog team and used primarily for recreation, transportation, or utility. They can be purchased in various types, depending on the purpose of use. I might want to purchase a racing-specific type in order to participate in the sport. In places like the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, when sledding was the main means of transportation, people traditionally used a team of dogs with one on either side. Obviously this had to be choreographed in order to work efficiently since you basically doubled the number of animals to maintain an even relationship.

Since ancient times, dogs have been used for helping humans hunt and travel. In the 10th century BC, for example, dogs played a major role in human culture.

Our dog sled team includes a lot of important roles. The lead dog is crucial so mushers take good care of these dogs. Another important detail is the presence of powerful wheeled dogs for pulling sleighs. Pointer dogs are placed in the front of the team, command dogs are placed in the back and all other dogs are moved accordingly to match the needs of their position. Dog sledding is a recreational activity where Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes act as the main animal used because of their strength, speed and endurance in the cold. Not only are Alaskan Huskies well-known as family dogs, they’re also popular at dog sled racing due to their stamina, good eating habits, speed, and dedication to running. Even when they’re tired.

The uniqueness of a dog sled is that it is a versatile mode of transport and many people used them to get around. It was also key in the development of Northern Canada. This transportation tool helped save lives on more than one occasion.

Hounds, a hairier and quicker than the average husky, are sometimes used in sled dog races. This is because they are faster than a Siberian Husky. They do need to be trained from an early age to pull though – not as easy as it would seem at face value with hounds being more difficult to train than Malamutes and Siberian Huskies.

According to the Norwegian law, working dogs can be between 1-12 years old. They work until they retire, but one dog can only carry up to 50 kg of cargo. If you harness more dogs, their pulling capacity will rise. The number of sled dog breeds is pretty limited and they all really, really love running together. It doesn’t matter how challenging the terrain is because they’re bred to do this. They can pull a sled for hours without getting tired too, which is pretty amazing.

With their tireless work ethic, dogs will keep going all day and only need to sleep at night in order for them to stay happy throughout the day. Dogs also don’t require pasture; most often they’re fed with dried food. Thirdly, dogs can navigate the terrain much better than snowmobiles. They can find their own way in a blizzard, because of these qualities sled dogs are better than snowmobiles in some ways!

Now a number of breeds are used in the team, but the Samoyeds always catch my eye – not because they’re animals, but because they’re so darn cute! This name for these dogs comes from their tendency to run swiftly in a single file across the snow. From a distance it may appear that the sled is going without anyone having to pull it, as if by its own power.

The passion for dog sled racing began during the gold rush in Alaska at the start of the 20th century. After hearing about gold, adventurers flocked to the arctic region and got into dog-sled racing. Dogs have been used for decades and years now as the best mode of transport, so they were brought here. The teams included Newfoundlands, collies, setters, mestizos of all colors and sizes. Not all dogs were well suited to the harsh natural environment they found themselves in. Local Indian dogs and Lakharias fared far better due to their adaptation to the conditions. The best qualities were shown by these intelligent and hardworking animals, often working side-by-side with Man. Woe betide any dog who ate more than his fair share of food in between.

Sled dogs are still used for practical purposes. Healthy, strong dogs that don’t have any athletic experience (they weren’t fast enough) can be good expedition dogs for transporting cargo. They can’t race as fast as someone would on skis, but they can still move quickly in difficult conditions. Dogs should know some skills like “move forward”, “turn left” or turn the other way,” and stop.” If a dog is at an intersection or in a crowd, it must obey commands and maintain composure. If dogs are used in the team, which were not culled from the competition, but local, then their training is carried out according to the same scheme as the training of sports dogs.

Dog sledding is an amazing thing! Dogs can move quickly and easily in deep snow, which makes for a great ride.

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The history of the Haifa subway is no less interesting than the history of the Israeli people. There were hard times, happy times and oblivion.

Connect the Lower City with neighborhoods located on Mount Carmel, the Haifa authorities conceived at the turn of the 20s of XX century, when the Jews did not have their own state. The plans could be implemented only after Israel’s independence. The emergence of a new mode of transport was not a whim, but an urgent need. The bus service between the districts of the city lying on the mountain and the Lower City could not cope with the influx of passengers.

After a short discussion at City Hall, they came to the conclusion that underground transportation would be the best solution. The construction of the subway was entrusted to the French firm Dunkercoise. It began in 1956. A little over three years later the subway in Haifa began its work. It consists of one line and six stations.

The subway was named “Carmelite” after the mountain in the depths of which it was dug. The opening ceremony of “Karmelit” visited the Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion.

But almost immediately after the opening of the subway, it was one after the other began to be plagued by various misfortunes. The train crashed into the walls, the cars lost their brakes, and even the deluge began. To promptly solve problems, it was decided to build an underground repair shop and an underground depot at the terminal station “Kikar Paris” (“Paris Square”).

Nearly 30 years after it opened, authorities declared that the technical condition of the Carmelite made travel in it dangerous. On December 19, 1986, the subway in Haifa was closed for a full six years. Reconstruction began in 1990 by specialists from the Swiss firm Von Roll.

A Second Chance Carmelite
The second life of the Carmelite began in 1992. The Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin again visited the opening. With the development of technology, the number of employees of the subway was decreasing. If in the 90’s it was served by 25 people, by 2002 the staff was reduced by a third. During the brief Second Lebanon War in 2006, the Carmelite played the role of a bomb shelter for Haifa residents. At that time entrance to the station was free and around the clock.

During the first decade of the twenty-first century, the Haifa subway was patched up. Since 2012 the opening hours on weekdays were extended until midnight. Then it was decided that the line will operate on Saturdays (after sunset) and holidays. But despite all the innovations, the demand for the subway greatly decreased.

To be profitable, the Haifa subway needs to carry many more passengers, but since this is not happening, it is unprofitable. Because of this, there is periodic talk about the possibility of closing Karmelit.

Supporters of preserving the subway point out that it takes only 10 minutes to get from the Lower Town to Carmel. By bus it takes at least half an hour. And that’s if there’s no traffic jams. They are also getting environmentalists on their side, noting the greater environmental friendliness of the underground system.

In 2017, the subway in Haifa stopped working again because of a fire and subsequent reconstruction. The renovated Carmelite opened in the fall of 2018. The interior of the subway may have been revamped after the renovation. If you see different interiors than in my photos, please post in the comments.

To ride the Carmelite you need to buy a ticket, which is sold in special machines. By default, the machine is set up in Hebrew, but you can translate it into English. Then you will be offered to choose the number of rides and the category of the ticket. Now you have to pay and wait for the ticket to be printed. If you don’t understand something, ask a security guard or a man on duty to help you.

After punching the ticket in the turnstile (arrow shows how to insert a ticket into the slot) you will be on the platform. The interior of the stations is unusual, and the narrow corridors, decorated with yellow tiles, are a little intimidating.

Besides me, there was another person waiting for the train on the platform (a woman joined us later), so it looked deserted and somewhat abandoned. And only the information board, showing the time, interval to the next train and other information, told me that I had not transported in time and space. The platform at the same time (like the train) is not flat, but has different levels, which is easily explained – the train takes passengers up and down the mountain.

The interval in the movement of trains is about 10 minutes. For those who don’t want to spend them underground waiting for the train, there are information columns set up in the streets that show the location of both trains. Yes, yes, there are only two trains on the line).

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Formation history
The first pages of the history of the maglev were filled with a series of patents obtained in the early twentieth century in various countries. Back in 1902, a patent for the design of a train equipped with a linear motor was noted by German inventor Alfred Seiden. Four years later, Franklin Scott Smith developed another early prototype of the electromagnetic suspension train. A little later, between 1937 and 1941, several more patents relating to trains equipped with linear electric motors were obtained by German engineer Hermann Kemper.

In 1979, the world’s first prototype of a magnetic cushion train licensed to provide passenger transportation services, Transrapid 05, was born. A test track 908 m long was built in Hamburg and presented during the IVA 79 exhibition. Interest in the project turned out to be so great that the Transrapid 05 managed to operate successfully for another three months after the end of the exhibition and transported a total of about 50,000 passengers. Maximum speed of this train was 75 km/h.

And the first commercial maglev appeared in 1984 in Birmingham, England. Magnetic suspension railway line connected the terminal of the Birmingham International Airport and the railway station located nearby. It operated successfully from 1984 to 1995. The line was only 600 m long, and the height to which the train with a linear induction motor rose above the roadbed was 15 millimeters. In 2003 it was replaced by the AirRail Link passenger service system based on Cable Liner technology.

In the 1980s, high-speed magnetic cushion train projects were developed and implemented not only in England and Germany, but also in Japan, Korea, China and the USA.

How it works
We know about the basic properties of magnets from the 6th grade physics lessons. If you bring the north pole of a permanent magnet to the north pole of another magnet they will repel. If one of the magnets is reversed by connecting the different poles, they will be attracted. This is the simple principle behind maglev trains, which glide through the air over the rail at a slight distance.

Magnetic suspension technology is based on three basic subsystems: levitation, stabilization and acceleration. At the same time, there are currently two main magnetic suspension technologies and one experimental, proven only on paper.

Trains built on the basis of the electromagnetic suspension technology (EMS) for levitation use an electromagnetic field, the force of which varies over time. The practical implementation of this system is very similar to the operation of conventional rail transport. Here a T-rail made of conductor (mostly metal) is used, but the train uses a system of electromagnets – supporting and guiding instead of wheel pairs. The supporting and guiding magnets in this case are arranged in parallel to the ferromagnetic stators placed on the edges of the T-rail.

Trains based on EMS technology are driven and braked by a synchronous linear low-acceleration motor, represented by supporting magnets and a web over which the magnetoplan is hovering. Basically, the motor system built into the web is a conventional stator (the fixed part of the linear motor) deployed along the bottom of the web, and the supporting electromagnets, in turn, act as the anchor for the motor. Thus, instead of producing torque, the alternating current in the coils generates a magnetic field of excited waves that moves the train in a non-contact manner. Changing the strength and frequency of alternating current makes it possible to regulate the traction and speed of the train. At the same time to slow down, it is only necessary to change the direction of the magnetic field.

In case of application of the electrodynamic suspension technology (EDS), levitation is carried out through the interaction of the magnetic field in the track and the field created by the superconducting magnets on board the train. Japanese JR-Maglev trains are based on the EDS technology.

The main advantage of the EDS system is high stability – a slight reduction in the distance between the track and the magnets results in a repulsive force, which returns the magnets to their original position, while increasing the distance reduces the repulsive force and increases the attractive force, which again leads to the stabilization of the system. In this case, no electronics are needed to control and adjust the distance between the train and the track.

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The reasons for the low speed and frequent breakdowns of trains become clear if you look closely at the local rails. Everyone understands that for trains not to break down and to develop a decent speed requires that the rails were flat. The Cambodian railway is a wonderful curve, going over the horizon. Here is a simple explanation for the poor condition and accidents on the local railroad.

After the heavy trains were replaced with light bamboo trains the speed has increased to 40 km per hour. Of course, this is not the speed we are used to, but compared to what it was and taking into account that the rails are not smoother and the engine power is rather low – you realize that the Cambodians have achieved great success with little effort.

The small three-meter platform made of bamboo seats more than 20 people. High speed isn’t necessary for passenger safety, either. It is clear that the higher the speed, the more likely the “bamboo” will fly into the bushes along with the passengers. The ride on the bamboo train is very useful for those whose fifth point needs a massage, as this “soft car” thoroughly shakes on the bumps.

But, all these disadvantages absolutely do not affect the popularity of this form of transport. People, both local and visitors, with great pleasure use it. One reason for its popularity is that it is practically a free form of public transport. And besides, making such “bamboo” trip you can quietly enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature or meditate, deepening into a quiet contemplation of the inner self. Agree that riding a bicycle or motorcycle will not allow you to do this.

Since there is only one railroad bed, and trains move in both directions, sooner or later they will inevitably meet. This point is solved here surprisingly simple: when one platform notices the other, the passengers of one of them go to a safe distance, taking their “bamboo” train with them. Fortunately, the weight of the platform parts allows even a few women to carry it. When the oncoming bamboo passes, the platform easily and simply returns to its place and continues to follow the interrupted route. The frequency of such manipulation depends on the congestion of the direction and the number of damaged sections on the railroad bed. Unfortunately, damaged sections are quite common despite the fact that the local population tries to the best of their ability to keep it in working order.

The popularity of “bamboo trains” has increased so much that they have become an unofficial subject of the transport system of Cambodia. After all, thanks to them, the Cambodians were able to maintain communication between the remote settlements and provided between them the turnover of goods. In addition to this “typists”, thanks to the great popularity of “bamboo trains” among tourists, have the opportunity to earn extra money to the family budget. After all, for only two dollars a tourist can ride on the amazing local highways, until he is completely satiated.

Recently, the state has slowly started to repair the railroad tracks, build new ones and familiar to you and me trains have become more. Nowadays, bamboo cars, which until recently prevailed on almost all provincial railroad tracks, can be found only in the vicinity of Battambang. Bad or good, only the people of Cambodia know.

If you want to personally enjoy a trip on the “bamboo” – then hurry to visit the country. Well, if you do not have the desire or ability (or both), then we suggest you watch the video. Do not regret it.

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