What went wrong on April 18, when the Roosevelt Island Tramway left 68 rush-hour passengers hanging above the City?

That should really be a two-part question: What went wrong with the main system? And what then went wrong with the backup system?

Another question: How did the rescue go?

Those questions are under investigation. According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), the State Department of Labor is involved, along with RIOC’s Tramway consultants, the Doppelmayr Corporation, which operates the Tramway under contract to RIOC.

But within 24 hours of the crisis, City Councilmember Jessica Lappin, whose district includes Roosevelt Island, promised a City Council hearing. That hearing was held on Thursday (April 27) of last week.

RIOC officials and a vice president of Doppelmayr (which operates the Tram under contract to RIOC) told the Council’s Transportation Committee that they were, as yet, unable to explain what the problems were with the backup system that failed when Tramway personnel attempted to use it to move the cabins, but hinted strongly at what might have "faulted" in the main drive system. The committee also heard testimony about the rescue effort.

Main Drive The Backup System The Rescue Loving the Tram Positive Spin