Palm Springs Aerial Tramway reopens after annual maintenance
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - After a months-long closure for its annual maintenance, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is back in operation.
Crews used the downtime to tackle major safety upgrades, including rebuilding one of the tram carriages, replacing critical cables, and conducting thorough tests of the control systems.
“Everything we do is about safety and the experience that the visitors have.”
Chris Bartsch, Vice President of Tramway Systems
The maintenance follows an unexpected shutdown in August due to an electrical issue, which prompted a closer inspection of the tram’s drive systems.
“That was prepared and replaced — so maybe a little more in-depth look at the drive system, but that’s checked every year... But we do have a spare one of those now, we unfortunately did not have one at the time.”
Chris Bartsch, Vice President of Tramway Systems
The annual closure allowed crews to perform other routine inspections and preventive maintenance tasks, which are part of a comprehensive safety protocol that includes frequent checks.
On reopening day, visitors were eager — and in some cases, a little nervous — to ride the iconic tramway. Others said the recent upgrades helped reassure them.
With the tram now running daily from 10:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., visitors can once again enjoy the 2.5-mile ride from the desert floor to the top of Mount San Jacinto.
Stay with News Channel 3 for more.
