This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/eritrean to TrainWeb.US/eritrean.
THE ASMARA-MASSAWA CABLEWAY
Sadly this is one of the Italian engineering feats that did not survive
as it was dismanteled and removed by the British. It was the longest
cableway in the world and was used to transport supplies direct from the
port in Massawa to Asmara city centre. At 71.8km, its total length
was rather less than the road. Work commenced in 1935 and took two
yers to complete. It had 1,620 trolleys, each 100m appart and able
to carry 300 kg, and moved at 9kph. The usefulness of the cableway
is illustrated by the fact that it could carry 720 tons of goods in a day.
Interestingly, it did take passengers as well (for 6 lira* from Massawa
to Asmara, the uphill leg, and 2 lira* from Asmara to Massawa). The
total weight of the cables, pylons and other material was 3,900 tonnes.
Leaving Massawa from the Campo di Marle, just inland from the salt flats,
or from the old munitions site 3km away at Moncullo, the cables met and
joined at a place called Zege, 6km from the Campo di Marte. It was
powered by eight generating stations in the journey. Whether it was
actually electrified before being dismantled I have not been able to discover.
It is intereseting that the possiblity of reconstructing a similar line
has been raised as and when the traffic from Masswa to Asmara increases.
The cost to run and the load-bearing capacity is cheaper than other forms
of transport, but the capital cost -- cheaper than rebuilding the railway
with its 30 tunnels and 60 bridges.
*Prior to WW II, the value of the Lira was much closes to that of the
US Dollar than is the case today.
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