Rivers crossing rivers, wheels lifting ships... Interurbans post brought back memories of a trip to France two years ago.
In France there are lots of waterways and canals which are both used by freight ships and tourist boats. Near St. Louis-Arzviller there are a few engineering tidbits along the Rhine-Marne canal system.
Most spectacular ist the Arzviller ship-elevator, which lifts or descends ships: A concrete trough which carries up to two fairly big ships is transported sideways by a cableway up and down a steep (41%) slope. Height difference is 45 meters (about 135 ft). The whole thing replaces 17 locks!
The 'ship cable car' is balanced by heavy counterweights in the form of steel/concrete slugs on rails. It doesn't even need a motor. When the trough is at the top, it is filled with a little more water, so it is heavier than the counterweights. At the bottom it spills so much water, that the counterweights are heavier and pull the trough up again! Ingenious! :thumb:
Ron
Pics 1+2 - general overview / 3 - the trough with ships going down / 4 - The carriage below the water trough
In France there are lots of waterways and canals which are both used by freight ships and tourist boats. Near St. Louis-Arzviller there are a few engineering tidbits along the Rhine-Marne canal system.
Most spectacular ist the Arzviller ship-elevator, which lifts or descends ships: A concrete trough which carries up to two fairly big ships is transported sideways by a cableway up and down a steep (41%) slope. Height difference is 45 meters (about 135 ft). The whole thing replaces 17 locks!
The 'ship cable car' is balanced by heavy counterweights in the form of steel/concrete slugs on rails. It doesn't even need a motor. When the trough is at the top, it is filled with a little more water, so it is heavier than the counterweights. At the bottom it spills so much water, that the counterweights are heavier and pull the trough up again! Ingenious! :thumb:
Ron
Pics 1+2 - general overview / 3 - the trough with ships going down / 4 - The carriage below the water trough