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High-wire rescue
Pair of trams going across East River stuck several hours because of electrical problem; no injuries reported
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BY BILL MASON
STAFF WRITER; Staff writers Christine Armario, Luis Perez, Zachary R. Dowdy and freelancer Jonathan Schienberg contributed to this story.
April 19, 2006
More than 60 people who expected a five-minute tram trip over the East River were stranded for hours last night, as police and other emergency services tried to figure a way to get them down safely.
Two trams, one a short distance from its destination at the 59th Street and Second Avenue Station in Manhattan and the other, a short distance from the Tramway Station on Roosevelt Island, came to a halt about 5:30 p.m. due to an electrical failure, police said.
Late last night, rescue workers began removing the 67 passengers and two tram operators using metal cages that were propelled along the cable line, police said.
"This could take many hours - maybe until early morning," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at about 11:30 p.m., shortly after the first group was rescued. "We will not rush to take any risks that aren't necessary." The emergency rescue tram is diesel powered, and works slowly, officials said.
The rescue tram, starting from the Roosevelt side, first went past the nearest tram, carrying 47 people, and went to the one stalled near the Manhattan side to drop off supplies, such as water, milk and diapers. The rescue tram then picked up 13 people from the tram nearest Roosevelt Island, and brought them to safety. When they arrived, a crowd of family and friends gave out a loud cheer.
Police said they had no estimate of how long the rescue operation would take. They said there were no injuries or reports of emergency health problems among the passengers, who included a number of children and elderly people. Rick Lazio, former Republican congressman from Brightwaters, was at the rescue site because he had relatives on one tram, Bloomberg said.
Robbyn Maier, of Manhattan, was waiting with media and emergency workers in a parking lot on Roosevelt Island in the shadow of the 59th Street Bridge last night. She said her 12-year-old son, Dax Maier, and the boy's nanny were on the tram stranded closest to Roosevelt Island.
Maier said she spoke with them several times by cell phone, and it was the nanny who seemed most nervous. "He's keeping her calm," Maier said of her son.
"Do you know why it's taking so long for them to do something?" a woman who identified herself only as Jen asked a reporter. "It's unacceptable. There are kids up there. There are elderly people up there."
The tram ride, traveling 16 mph at heights of up to 250 feet above the surface of the water, is normally scheduled to be completed in less than five minutes.
Spokesmen for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp., which operates the tram, could not be reached for comment or information late last night.
But Judith Berdy, president of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society, said of the tram: "It has never, ever done anything like this. This is one of those things you say you never want to happen."
Last September, a power failure shut down the tramway and left two carloads of riders dangling. But power was restored, and people reached their destination after an hour and 40 minutes, at 5:50 p.m. Some of those good-natured riders in one of the cars posted a sign in the widow of the car that read, "Call Spider-Man."
Staff writers Christine Armario, Luis Perez, Zachary R. Dowdy and freelancer Jonathan Schienberg contributed to this story.
Hanging by a thread
A pair of Roosevelt Island tram cars were suspended high above the East River last night, endangering about 60 passengers.
ABOUT THE TRAM
More than 26 million passengers have ridden the Roosevelt Island tram since it began operating in 1976.
Trips per day: 115 weekdays
Fare: $2 each way
Time of ride: 4 minutes
Travel speed: 16 mph
Distance: 3,100 feet
Peak height: 250 feet above East River
In the movies: Tram has been featured in Hollywood productions, including "Spider-Man," "City Slickers" and "Nighthawks." It is also featured in Universal
Studios theme park.
