Established in 1991, the Information Center for Ropeway Studies contains information on the theory, design and operation of ropeway and tramway systems. The collection is located in Arthur Lakes Library at the Colorado School of Mines.

The Center is intended as a special collection for those interested in the history, theory, design, and operation of ropeway systems. The Center houses about 300 monographs, seven journal and newsletter titles, a manufacturers' catalog file, a slide and lantern slide collection, and other media. The Ropeway Database is a bibliographic database of journal articles, symposia, books, reports, handbooks, manufacturers' catalogs, and any other information pertaining to ropeways. Items found in the database may not necessarily be housed in the Ropeway Center but may be elsewhere in the Library or in another location.  You can search the Center's holdings at http://ropeway.coalliance.org.

These photos originated with 88 glass slides identified as coming either from John F. Sweeney & Sons of New York City, or Chas. W. Kimble, Maker, Trenton New Jersey.  In the first group it appears that the slides came from a variety of sources.  In the second group, the slides generally appear to represent one tramway unit, primarily during it's construction stage (ca 1921).  The photos have been organized into 9 categories: Wire Rope - Manufacture, Ropeway Construction and Maintenance, Ropeway Structures, Saline Valley Ropeway, Spring Canyon Coal Company Materials Ropeway, Spanish Peak Lumber Company, Materials Ropeways - Mining Practices, Cableways, and Passenger Ropeways.

Click on photo to enlarge	Description
Wire Rope - Manufacture
	Slide 1: Wire Ropes "Photos of Round Wire Ropes" (in particular, regular lay wire ropes).  Perhaps taken from the book W. E. Hipkins, The wire rope and its applications: Birmingham, D.E.  Taylor, 1896.
	Slide 2: Vertical Rope-Closing Machine Drawing "Fig. 16, Vertical Rope-Closing Machine".  Probably taken from J. Bucknall Smith, A treatise upon wire, its manufacture and uses, embracing comprehensive descriptions of the constructions and applications of wire ropes: London, New York, Office of "Engineering".  J. Wiley, 1891.
	Slide 3: Stone's Wire Rope-Making Machine Drawing "Fig. 20-21, Stone's Wire Rope-Making Machine".  Probably taken from J. Bucknall Smith, A treatise upon wire, its manufacture and uses, embracing comprehensive descriptions of the constructions and applications of wire ropes: London, New York, Office of "Engineering".  J. Wiley, 1891.
	Slide 4: Vertical Wire Rope-Making Machine Patent drawing showing a vertical rope making device.  "Inventor Wm Hewitt".
	Slide 5: Wire Rope Factory General view of wire rope drawing factory.  Depicts a six bobbin vertical wire rope machine.  American Steel and Wire Company (name taken by New Haven Wire Rope Company after reorganization).
	Slide 6: Compound Wire Cable Making Machine Drawing, Figure 18, "Compound wire cable making machine" and Figure 19 "Tandem compound wire stranding machine" (from unknown book, page 19(?).
	Slide 7:  Bobbin Stranding Machine Photo copy from book - 12 Bobbin Stranding Machine - Fig. 17, from J. Bucknall Smith, A treatise upon wire, its manufacture and uses, embracing comprehensive descriptions of the constructions and applications of wire ropes: London, New York, Office of "Engineering".  J. Wiley, 1891.
	Slide 8: Horizontal Tubular Strander Horizontal tubular strander, also called stripping carrier, invented by Archibald Smith (brother of Andrew Hallidie).  Probably the American Steel and Wire Company.
	Slide 9: Belt Drive Belt drive beginning to strand the wire.  Probably the American Steel and Wire Company.
	Slide 10: Belt Drive Slightly enlarged copy of slide 6, above ("Belt drive making wire").
	Slide 11: Tubular Strander Tubular strander wire drawing machine - 3 in a row, 2 cylinder motors, rheostatic controls.
	Slide 12: Unknown Could be equipment where hemp rope is immersed in pitch/tar/oil.
	Slide 13: Workers Photo of a group of men "Employees of the New Haven Wire Company, New Haven Connecticut - Photo taken in the year 1881".
	Slide 14: Span Design Drawing shows span design for ropeway system. All formulas and tabulations are shown.  Saddle math is shown.
	Slide 15: Locked Coil Slide shows physical characteristics of a "locked coil cable."  This would appear to be an instructional slide.  T.C. Batchelor invented the locked coil cable, sold the rights in the U.S. and retained rights in England and Canada.
Ropeway Construction and Maintenance
	Slide 16: Hoist Cable Two photos.  The top photo shows line equipment carrying wire rope.  Bottom shows mule and horses hauling ropeway equipment.
	Slide 17: Stringing Rope Two photos of men stringing track cable.  Top photo is a team of horses pulling cable on a flat area.  Bottom photo shows men working wire rope in a rocky area. The structure is timber.  The coils of cable were brought to the site by the system itself.  Splicing is going on and tying off as well.
	Slide 18: Line Tower Two slides showing a timber line tower on the "Saline Tramway" with a track cable out of the saddle.
	Slide 19: Man Aloft Photo shows a workman walking cables, frame has Fig. 9 printed on the back.
Ropeway Structures
	Slide 20: Mono-cable Ropeway This is a four part slide with Fig. 1 printed on the back of frame.  Left top shows loading terminal for ore with letters showing principle components - "Vulcan Iron Works, S.F. Cal." is written on the side of the terminal.  Right top is photo of mono-cable grip - line view.  Bottom right is side view of grip.  Left bottom is line structures with mono-cable buckets.
	Slide 21: Mono-cable Ropeway Illustrating Hallidie's patented system.  This is a six part slide with 2 drawings of mono-cable grips (open and closed), gripper sheave, boxhead carriage grip, mono-cable dump bucket on line, and mono-cable line structure.
	Slide 22: Loading Terminal Drawing of loading terminal (ore) for a Trenton-Bleichert Tramway.
	Slide 23: Discharge Terminal Drawing of discharge terminal for Trenton-Bleichert Tramway.
	Slide 24: Machine Room Appears to be a concrete machine room with electric lights.
	Slide 25: Tramway Terminal Steel tramway terminal under construction.  Excellent photo showing steel match marks.  Steel was punched and cut, then matched up during construction.  Date on photo 11/15/21 and number 5660.