Hillside Tram Cost

When summer rolls around, or you’re relaxing in some paradise that stays warm year-round, it’s nice to spend a day enjoying the outdoors. Whether your property sits on a lakeshore, a steep ocean cliff, a riverside, or a mountain overlook, you’ll likely face one common problem: steep slopes. For even the hale and the surefooted, these obstacles create a danger as well as an inconvenience, which is why people all around the world have turned to custom hillside trams and inclined elevators to easily access their land.

Getting to and from the water or the valley below is simple with an outdoor tram, but how much do these ingenious machines cost?

Because every Hill Hiker® system is custom-engineered to your specific slope, soil, and capacity needs, there is no flat rate or one-size-fits-all price. If you want to know exactly what a system would cost for your property, contact our engineering team today for a free, no-obligation estimate!

What Goes Into the Cost of a Hillside Tram?

A number of things determine the cost of a tram, but here are eleven that can make a big difference:

• Length of Travel – Some slopes stretch great distances, while other treks are short. Either way, the amount of track required to safely transport you, your friends, and loved ones up and down a hill will affect the cost. For longer treks, the material and labor costs are naturally greater.

• Capacity – Depending on how many people you want to be able to ride in the cart at one time, the cost will vary. Larger capacities will require bigger motors and gearboxes.

• The Angle of Incline – The ease of installation also influences cost, and one of the biggest factors is the angle of the slope. The greater the slope—Hill Hiker® has worked on cliffs as steep as 80 degrees—the greater the difficulty. If you require climbing gear to scale a cliff, workers will likely need extra tools and machinery to complete the project.
• Application Type – Whether you’re looking at a residential hillside tram or a commercial hillside elevator, the price will vary. Different regulations govern the use of each. If you’re thinking about installing a lift for your place of business—whether it’s a lakeside resort or a hillside restaurant—it will likely need to be ADA handicap accessible, which will add to the cost of your system.

• Type of Soil – Rock, clay, sand, and other soils all have unique properties offering special challenges and requirements that can affect the type of foundations and supports needed.
• Location – Depending on where your property is, the cost will vary greatly. For example, we install many lifts in California, which has stricter seismic and safety regulations than many other states or countries. Factors like local building codes affect the final cost.

• Car Size & Type – Hill Hiker, Inc. offers open cars and fully enclosed cars that vary in size from a small 3ft x 3ft platform area to a very large 5ft x 8ft platform area.
• Aesthetic Preferences – Hill trams aren’t always built to be purely functional items. Seeking extra flair, customers have requested unique car design styles, custom finishing, and specific paint colors.
• Add-Ons – There are a number of add-ons that aren’t necessary to the basic function of your lift like solar power sources, extra safety features, a roof over the cart, and keyless security. Though these items aren’t required to meet most codes, many customers seek them for greater safety, security, or comfort.

• Material & Finish – Standard steel, 304 stainless or 316 stainless base material options. Whether your system is galvanized, painted, or has a stainless steel finish will affect costs.
• Special Requirements – Not all hills are perfectly straight or simple top and bottom exit/entry. Features like curved track with a self-leveling car, multi-stop controls for middle exit / entry landing stations and double doors for landing platforms on opposite sides of the car are all necessary extras for many jobs.

• Drive System Size & Type – Each outdoor tram has a drive system consisting of a traction sheave pulley or drum complete with a cable, motor, brake, gearbox, and a full safety system. We use several different system types, including winding drum, continuous loop traction drive, and double cable winding drum systems depending on the demands of your location. Additionally, the size of the motor, gearbox, and drum or pulleys vary depending on the characteristics of the project such as the length of travel, the angle of incline, size of the car and rated capacity. This too will affect cost.

If you’re interested in browsing through the features available to you, please see our catalog of the customization options available to hillside tram customers.

This isn’t a comprehensive list. The options for hillside trams are many, but it is a solid starting point. For more inspiration visit our featured projects page or hillside trams gallery.

Cheaper Options?

Beware of inexpensive options from low bidders or systems that involve some type of DIY. Manufacturing and installing a hillside tram is a complex process orchestrated by engineers, skilled fabricators, and licensed elevator mechanics. Any undertaking of a project should be done carefully by an experienced professional with the proper licenses and insurance coverage. Hillside lifts, known as Inclined Elevators in the code, are governed by the ASME A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators. These strict national codes are designed to protect the users of hillside lifts and require permits and inspections. Going with a low, inexperienced bidder or trying to do it yourself may cause problems further down the line if you are going to sell your property or receive an inspection for your business. When moving people, it is important to do it right and go with a quality product and company that can be trusted.

Looking for an Exact Price?

After nearly 30 years in the elevator business, our team has priced out a lot of projects. With a few details about your specific hill and needs, we’ll be able to help you get an accurate idea of what it will cost to install a hillside tram on your site. Ready for a precise estimate? Contact the Hill Hiker team today for a free, no-obligation quote!