ESTES PARK • Passengers in the red cabin soaring through the air are bound for the panoramic view atop the mountain. Adrian Liddell, however, is bound for a dusty, dim room where a cable rolls, a bullwheel turns and the scent of grease and oil lingers.

“The motor room is probably one of my favorite places on the planet,” Liddell says.

He’s the general manager overseeing the Estes Park Aerial Tram, this postcard attraction that began 70 years ago. It all began in this room, where the control panel of levers, switches and dials performs just as it has since 1955. A man sits behind it now, just as its maker, Robert Heron, once did.

“This lift is still driven by hand,” Liddell says with pride. “Most new lifts are all by computer. This one’s done by person.”

With some help from machines, of

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