‘Pure joy:’ Group stuck overnight on Tram talk of rescue operation

By Sam Smith

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Twenty-one Sandia Peak Tram and Ten 3 employees spent their New Year’s Eve and most of New Year’s Day trapped inside a Tram car.

Sandia Peak Tramway general manager Michael Donovan told KOAT the group was on the Tram’s last trip down Friday when operators had to stop the tram because of “severe icing due to the moisture and cold temperature that affected the emergency cable.”

Ten 3 General Manager, Bill Howley, who was among those trapped on the Tram tells KOAT one of their biggest concerns was how to stay warm.

“We all got real close, a lot of hugging and just made sure everyone was OK,” Howley said.

Donovan said the group did have water, food and space blankets aboard the Tram.

Tram operator, Drajon Jones, said that when the Tram first got stuck the group was a bit finicky but once he explained the plan and what had happened they calmed down.

And once the rescue operation began, “it was just pure joy,” Jones said.

Rescue crews were able to rescue most of the group Saturday afternoon, but had to cease operations around 1 p.m because of weather in the area. But by 4 p.m. everyone was off the Tram and safe on the base.

The New Year’s incident is not the first time something like this happened. In 1973, 41 people were stuck for 24 hours. In 1982, 49 people were stuck for five hours. Thirty years later, in 2012, 20 people were stuck for five hours and then last year 20 people were stuck for four hours.

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