Lakefront trams help owners of steep lots get to and from their docks with no-sweat style! 

By Jerry Hale

                One of the beauties of Smith Mountain Lake is the variety of lakefront contours that make up its shores. Born of a rugged river valley, the Lake boasts plunging shorelines in many areas: down near the dam; on the eastern side of the Roanoke below the Bridge and on both shores farther up-river; along several secluded stretches of Gills Creek; and up the Blackwater, near the Cliffs and across from the 4-H Center, to cite a few picturesque locations. 

                Lakers who own steeply-sloping lots have adopted varied approaches for accessing their shoreline. Wooden stairways are popular, often requiring  120 steps or more to reach a dock roof or walkway – and sometimes  meandering through one or more “rest stop” platforms where benches or covered gazebos offer inviting places to catch the sunset (and one’s breath during the climb back up). At these properties, there are usually memorable days when sunglasses, cell phones or boat keys get forgotten on the kitchen counter, only to be remembered when their owners reach dock level!

                Then there’s the road-to-the-water approach: a gravel, paved, or grassy path that permits an off-road vehicle – a golf cart or utility mule – to transport passengers and gear up and down. Some lots are severe enough to require switchbacks and a well-maintained vehicle with a determined engine and strong brakes for safe and secure travel up and down the steep path.

                But there’s another option beginning to take hold at SML — fitting, perhaps, given nearby Roanoke’s railroad heritage. We’re talking lakefront tramways – private rail lines connecting living level and dock level on an otherwise formidable-climb lot.

                “It’s not nearly as far-fetched as you might guess,” said Terry Wilson of American Recreational Tram and Lift Systems (www.americantram.com). “The track takes up no more space than a straight stairway. Simple three-button controls (up, down, stop) at top and bottom make operation foolproof. And there are six separate braking systems to ensure safety of passengers.”

                For properties that already have stairways in place, adding a tram system makes the Lake more conveniently accessible — and may make getting to and from the dock possible for owners and guests who have or anticipate stair-climbing issues. As an alternative to wooden stairways, however, trams can actually offer substantial long-term savings as well.

                “The initial cost of a 100-foot tram will run about twice the cost of a typical decking-lumber stairway installation,” explained Wilson. “But with proper maintenance, a tram system can easily last 30 years and more. Over that period, homeowners spend several thousand dollars power washing, sealing and replacing decking boards and uprights. And they’d typically replace or extensively overhaul their stairway once or twice during that period, resulting in total installation and maintenance costs well in excess of a tram system.”

                At 150 to 200 feet and beyond, tram economics compare even more favorably, since installation costs are front-end-loaded. “Unlike with stairs, adding run length is relatively insignificant,” Wilson said.

                So if you’re in a position to take the long-term view, the cost vs. stairs may well favor a tram system. Most owners, however, are thinking considerably shorter-term – to ending the huffing and puffing part of a steep stair climb on a Virginia summer day. 

                “The idea of going down to the dock whenever the whim strikes — without considering the taxing climb back up — is very appealing,” said Catherine Kennedy as she watched an American Tram crew drive steel track supports into the hillside below the home she shares with husband John.  Their 145-foot installation parallels the existing stairway on a steep lot in Waterpointe II. A former physician in Rochester, N.Y., John first saw trams used on the plunging shores of New York’s Lake Canandaigua.

                “Last year, I had a knee replacement and hope to preclude another,” he explained. “Climbing up and down those stairs was keeping us from enjoying the Lake to the fullest. But you can expect to see us at the dock and on the water this year!”

                What the Kennedys anticipate, Ray and Colleen Filbey are already experiencing. Their tram, installed in October of 2005, runs 220 feet down a 45-degree slope in Forest Shores I. “We’re excited about what the tram does for our access to our kayaks,” Colleen said. “And we have nothing but wonderful things to say about the service provided by American Recreational Trams. They installed it when they said they would and have helped us get the finishing touches, which we decided to do ourselves, right.”

                With great foresight, the Filbeys located their tram close to the line separating the two lots they own, where it might also serve the future owners next door.

                “All the switchbacks of a stairway would have forced us to destroy the trees that give the lot its woodsy feel,” Colleen noted.

                The home of Terry and Charlotte Woody is also built high on a rugged 45-degree slope in Mallard Point on Gills Creek (marker G10). They installed a tram system from Lake Shore Tram, Inc. (www.lakeshoretram.com) in 2003, while building the house.

                “Terry had the vision for this lot becoming accessible lakefront. I thought he was crazy!” said Charlotte. But, indeed, the tram system – a no-frills unit installed for about the same cost as the estimate for steps – has tamed the difficult slope.

                “The tram carries four adults or a half ton of equipment with ease,” raved Terry, nodding toward welding gear and a power washer that he’d used at the dock the previous day. “Stuff you couldn’t horse down a 150-foot set of stairs if you tried.”

                “My parents would never get to the dock or boat if it involved doing a long stairway,” added Charlotte. “And who knows how long Terry and I will be as mobile as we are today?”

                How’s a tram for kids?

                “When the grandchildren are here, it goes up and down 20-30 times a day – considerably more if they start joyriding,” she said. “You just can’t put a price on the ease of access this has provided.”

                The Woodys’ tram routinely shuttles food, gas, fishing gear, battery chargers, “forgotten items” and bathroom-needing guests. “And it’s a beautiful ride on a moonlit night!” concluded Charlotte.

                Does a tram affect the value of a steep property?

                “Just imagine the difference between potential buyers huffing and puffing up a long stairway … and gliding up sweat-free on a tram,” said JoAnn VanVechten of Long and Foster’s Westlake Office.

                The slogan, “A lot where the view, not the climb, takes your breath away,” comes to mind! Or perhaps, “You’ll have the view without the ‘Whew!’” Either way, trams offer those who own or are considering a steep-frontage lot an attractive alternative to consider.

Appointments for a first-hand look at SML tram installations can be made by contacting the manufacturers mentioned in this story. Local representative for American Recreational Tram is John Wrigley (540. 904.0257). For Lakeshore Tram, contact Les Simpson (800.730.3665) or Charlotte Woody (336.406.6837).