Proposed Branson Tram Project

sanddunerider · October 24, 2015, 07:30:21 AM

130,000,000?! WOW, Lots of Zeros! This is proposed for Branson to run from the Landing to SDC, with stops in between.

http://www.hometowndailynews.com/2015/10/23/new-transportation-system-could-be-coming-to-branson/

mhguy77 · October 24, 2015, 08:18:41 AM

I have a hard time with 3000 people per hour. It seems this would be a slow process to stop this many times and effectively get 12000 people from Branson to SDC between 8 AM and noon. Branson is not walker friendly and this needs to be fixed before they string up lines throughout the area for this. I am all for progress but I think that this might be a misstep, a gondola system does not seem to have the PPH needed to be a serius transportation option. In WDW they built monorails and with expansion found that buses were necessary to truly move the masses, Branson is set up much the same way with hotels being spread out. Not that I am a bus advocate but this seems like it will be the same outcome. If I stay at the Classic I am going to drive to Tanger, pay to park, and pay to get on this gondola to get to SDC? Maybe once..............Think about closing time at SDC, this would be an overload that I don't think would be reasonable for a gondola to keep up with. Think about how many fit on the trams and the lines there get pretty long at close.

History Buff · October 24, 2015, 10:53:01 AM

It's likely that the whole system would not stop for loading/unloading. They're obviously going to have to weigh the costs against revenues on this one. Sometimes the dreamers get press ahead of the process.

runner1960 · October 24, 2015, 02:50:16 PM

Having rode many gondola type systems in Switzerland and Austria they are designed to be boarded without stopping. I think this would be a great addition to the area to relieve the congestion of morning and closing traffic for SDC especially. Sounds like this is a private proposal being built with private funds. Hopefully the numbers will work out and we will have this as a option. If Branson would have had the foresight years ago instead of investing in roads to nowhere it would not be in the shape it is. It might be enough to make me more of a 1 time a year visitor again. We usually stay in Thousand hills condos or French Quarter so it would probably be a short walk to any station.

mhguy77 · October 24, 2015, 03:03:27 PM

Runner being that you have used this type system do you feel it will overload in the peak hours? Can it keep up?

runner1960 · October 24, 2015, 03:18:06 PM

^^^I do not think so. It would depend on the size of the gondolas. Take for example after the parade during Christmas season on a 70 degree Saturday. Probably one of the busiest times you could imagine. I would much rather wait 20-30 minutes getting on this than to wait 30 minutes for a school bus to take me to Notch then wait in traffic all the way into town.

The ones I have used never stop and that includes loading Bicycles in racks on the gondolas.

I would think a big factor will be Wither SDC would allow a on site station for a private run transportation system or not. If you would have to take a tram or bus to a staging area it would take away some of the benefit. Hopefully if this would come to being a reality a agreement could be worked out.

runner1960 · October 24, 2015, 03:22:27 PM

Quote from: Runner1960 on October 24, 2015, 03:18:06 PM
^^^I do not think so. It would depend on the size of the gondolas. Take for example after the parade during Christmas season on a 70 degree Saturday. Probably one of the busiest times you could imagine. I would much rather wait 20-30 minutes getting on this than to wait 30 minutes for a school bus to take me to Notch then wait in traffic all the way into town.

The ones I have used never stop and that includes loading Bicycles in racks on the gondolas.

I would think a big factor will be Wither SDC would allow a on site station for a private run transportation system or not. If you would have to take a tram or bus to a staging area it would take away some of the benefit. Hopefully if this would come to being a reality a agreement could be worked out.

Trying to post a image, but it is impossible to get it small enough to post. Is there a way to increase the image size allowed?

IMG_0386.jpg

Super · October 24, 2015, 07:04:32 PM

I don't believe this will ever be built. Provide sidewalks a better dollar investment.

shavethewhales · October 25, 2015, 07:43:34 PM

The system actually sounds cheap if it would be able to do all that it says it does.

I'm all for alternative transportation solutions. Park and ride will catch on eventually, but this part of the country is probably going to be the last to "get it". I would totally ride to SDC from my hotel if I had the opportunity. Plus it would open up a lot of possibilities on those nights where I really don't feel like fighting traffic after a day at SDC.

However, the system in question seems a little suspect. With all those stops, the station management probably gets a little tricky since you have no idea who's getting off. The bulk of the riders are probably going to be traveling to either end, especially during peak hours, which would make it hectic to get on at some of the stops down the line. If it's a constantly moving system like most of them are, then that just makes it more difficult with all of our disabled and elderly.

I've been looking for examples of tramways that are actually used for transportation outside of ski resorts and amusement parks, and it's tough to find any. There used to be one in New Orleans, but it closed 20 years ago due to low ridership: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_Aerial_River_Transit

I also can't find anything on this specific company, except for a few linkedIn accounts...

Joy · October 28, 2015, 01:56:49 AM

Honestly, Branson needs something more like a monorail or like the always-moving Tomorrowland Transit Authority. The gondolas are gonna have a problem when it comes to weather. Something tracked like monorail/TTA would get around the wind/etc problem.

shavethewhales · November 01, 2016, 04:02:54 PM

http://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/public-to-hear-plans-for-branson-gondola-project

So this idea isn't dead yet.

I for one would definitely use this, seeing as SDC and Branson Landing are the two things I always do in Branson. I'm not sure a whopping 10% of Branson visitors would though... they kind of skim over how big a number that actually is.

It's still just a massive expense though, and while it would help the town transform, transportation is only one piece of the puzzle.

Gilligan · November 01, 2016, 04:24:43 PM

Sounds intriguing, but people still have to park somewhere. Where do they park? At each of the 10-12 stops?

sirwillow · November 01, 2016, 06:45:53 PM

I'm highly skeptical that the cost to return ratio is going to make this thing financially viable. And that's going to be a major roadblock to this, or any other system.

It says in the article, "Green says it would be privately funded and would require a small percentage, roughly 10-percent, of Branson eight-million yearly visitors to be financially viable." In other words, for this thing to pay for itself it's going to need 800,000 riders a year, or more, to be viable. I wonder what the cost per rider is that they are thinking for that. And do they think they'll actually get that many riders? I don't know.

I know Vegas monorail was built on a lot of the same kind of build up, need, and promises of how it would pay for itself. And with costs to build it being 3-4 times this cost, and a ridership that has varied from 4-7 million each year (Or 5-8 times the ridership this says it needs) it went bankrupt in 2010. Not a good omen for something with similar goals, and something that will be looked at.

Honestly, I don't see something like this happening, and especially not being vialble and able to keep operating, without government funding or taxes specifically for it. I don't think it will get the ridership (seniors are not going to leave their cars in mass), nor do I think it's going to draw that many people to ride it to SDC. (for evidence, look at the bus routes that used to run to SDC, all of which are now defunct)

Not to be a debbie downer, but I just don't see this as a workable project, in any form, without massive government help on the financial end. And I don't think it's the type of project that is worth the massive $$ investment into it, or the small return it would get out of it. Neat idea? Nice if it was there? Absolutely. Worth it? I don't think so.

Swoosh · November 01, 2016, 06:58:18 PM

Quote from: sirwillow on November 01, 2016, 06:45:53 PM
I'm highly skeptical that the cost to return ratio is going to make this thing financially viable. And that's going to be a major roadblock to this, or any other system.

Didn't stop KC from putting in the very unpopular streetcar system (and now they want to expand it). That project went over budget in time and money.

sirwillow · November 01, 2016, 07:01:58 PM

Quote from: Swoosh on November 01, 2016, 06:58:18 PM
Quote from: sirwillow on November 01, 2016, 06:45:53 PM
I'm highly skeptical that the cost to return ratio is going to make this thing financially viable. And that's going to be a major roadblock to this, or any other system.

Didn't stop KC from putting in the very unpopular streetcar system (and now they want to expand it). That project went over budget in time and money.

And was government funded by a large city. Branson is not a large city, doesn't have the funds, and hasn't shown a willingness to fund something like this on their own. or even to be a major contributor to it.