Passenger Ropeways and Amusement Rides
Both asset families are passenger-carrying, so the exam focuses on the threshold that brings a device into regulation, the annual inspection cycle, and the protective devices that must actually function.
Passenger ropeways
Types: reciprocating, circulating (fixed-grip and detachable-grip), and surface tow. Periodic inspection is annual; supervisory inspection covers installation, alteration and major repair.
Key items: rope inspection including magnetic flux leakage testing for internal wire breaks; braking systems including service, emergency and, where required, auxiliary braking; detachable grip function and grip force monitoring; tensioning system and rope sag; overspeed, overrun, slack-rope and derailment protection; wind-speed monitoring that stops operation at the design-specified limit (commonly 15 m/s); carrier door locks and restraint devices; evacuation and rescue capability, including rescue at the highest point.
Amusement rides
A large-scale amusement ride is one with design maximum operating speed ≥2 m/s or operating height above ground ≥2 m. Rides are classified A/B/C by parameters such as height and speed, and A-class rides attract the highest design and inspection requirements. Periodic inspection is annual.
Key items: passenger restraint (lap bar, harness, seat belt) and its locking verification; anti-reverse and braking devices; speed limiting; structural welds and bolted joints; critical shafts and pins subjected to full NDT; track and foundation settlement; emergency stopping and evacuation.
Worked example
A newly installed family coaster reaches 2.4 m/s at maximum and its track rises 4.5 m above ground. Reasoning: 2.4 m/s exceeds the 2 m/s threshold, so it is a large-scale amusement ride regardless of the height; classify it by the parameter table, then apply installation supervisory inspection, annual periodic inspection, and full NDT of the critical axles and pins. If it had run at 1.8 m/s at 1.9 m height it would fall outside the definition entirely - the test is OR, not AND.
Traps that cost marks
Applying AND to the 2 m/s and 2 m thresholds; forgetting the annual cycle for ropeways; assuming restraint devices are checked visually only rather than functionally.