8-Passenger Chair and Gondola Lifts in Austria Two 8-Mgds in Val Thorens

January/February 2008 No. 174 • 33rd Year

On Monte Zoncolan, Friuli, Doppelmayr Italia has built a modern, particularly wind-stable Funifor which can carry 100 passengers. p.16

8-passenger chair and gondola lifts in Austria Orange Bubble, a world first with A selection of fascinating projects begins on p.4 a bright outlook: The orange- Two 8-MGDs in Val Thorens tinted glazing of the bubbles looks “Unmanned“ operation is a special feature. p.14 great, provides optimum vision New funicular in Slovakia even in dull weather and creates Boost for tourism in the High Tatras. p.18 a totally new, excitingly attractive Gondola lift in the “Dutch Alps“ ride experience for skiers. p.28 Germany‘s first ropeway with DSD drive is now operating in Sauerland. p.19 World first on Sachalinsk, Siberia The first section is a gondola lift, the second a combined lift. p.20 Gondola ride above the fair park The State Fair of Texas in Dallas has a special attraction. p.26

Magazine for Customers and Employees 2 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Combined lift replaces oldest detachable chair lift

In 2007, Garaventa The car-free village of Braunwald, high worldwide. The chairs have automatic installed a world first on above the valley floor of the Linth in the restraining bars and fixed footrests. canton of Glarus, has been accessed Kleiner Gumen in the by a funicular railway since 1907. 1948 Pulling the rope was a real challenge Swiss canton of Glarus: a saw the opening of the double chair lift combined lift comprised into the ski region of Kleiner Gumen. This Transporting the rope was also a special of 4-seater gondolas lift was closed down in 2005, but it was job. There is no road to Braunwald, and soon recognized that a lift service would the funicular cannot carry such heavy and cross-facing double need to be resumed: “The absence of loads. (The rope weighs 28.5 tons). For chairs. This enables the old Gumen lift in the winter seasons that reason, a track rope was installed passengers to really enjoy of 2005/06 and 2006/07 really high- across two towers from the opposite side lighted the need for access to the Gumen of the valley, which can be reached by the magnificent view area for our guests. It is an attractive des- truck, and two track rope supports were down into the valley. tination in both winter and summer, and attached to it. The new haul rope was offers a wide range of leisure activities,” then pulled directly from the rope drum explains Stefan Trümpi, board member of across forest, ravines and rocks, and then the lift company Sportbahnen Braunwald rewound again at the bottom terminal of AG (SBAG), which operates seven lifts. the chair lift. The actual rope pulling operation on the lift could then begin. World first: Chairs at right angles to travel direction combined with gondolas Board member Stefan Trümpi, The new lift not only provides a Sportbahnen new boost for the village and the Braunwald AG: ski area, but is also fascinating “The people from in terms of its technical design. Doppelmayr/ For Stefan Trümpi, the most sig- Garaventa were nificant feature is “the fact that able to translate the chairs face at right angles to our wishes into reality cost-effectively the rope axis – as they did on through a clever combination of existing the old lift –, which gives pas- components and new development!” sengers a marvelous panoramic view on the uphill trip, and al- 2/4-CGD Gumen lows the spirit and character of the much loved old Gumen lift to Transport capacity 800 PPH live on”. Yet, the awareness for Trip time 7.8 min tradition was not the only factor Speed 5 m/s which led to the development of The bottom terminal lies at an altitude this lift configuration: “The narrow struc- Chairs/Cabins 63/21 of 1314 m, the top terminal at 1904 m. ture clearance meant that we could mini- Interval 36 s The first set of figures on the new mize the shift in the lift axis due to a rock Inclined length 2,033 m lift indicate that a huge increase in passageway and retain a large part of Vertical rise 590 m passenger volumes can be expected the old top station. That enabled us to compared with the old lift, particularly make significant savings in terms of trans- Towers 19 in view of the fact that 80 percent of port and construction costs.” Drive Bottom passengers use the lift in the winter. The The combination of cross-facing chairs Tension Bottom gondolas were supplied by CWA. and 4-seater gondolas is in fact unique 3 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Doppelmayr consolidates Innovation must leadership of the world market create benefits

In the financial year needs and an optimal cost/benefit ratio. Permanent innovation is a major cor- nerstone of our daily work and is firmly 2006/071, Doppelmayr This enabled Doppelmayr to introduce a large number of improvements and new enshrined in our corporate culture. We Holding AG was able to developments during the past financial also have a very precise idea of what in- consolidate its position as year – culminating in the spectacular novations must deliver: Every innovation world market leader with “Ferris wheels” in St. Anton am Arlberg. must create a competitive advantage for our customers and for ourselves. a 4.4 percent increase New markets Irrespective of where it takes place, in- in sales revenues to novation should never be pursued as an EUR 659 million. 210 The investments in products manufactured end in itself. Concrete customer needs and an optimal cost-benefit ratio must ropeway projects were by DCC Doppelmayr Cable Car and Doppelmayr Transport Technology are always be the prime considerations. It is realized worldwide now also bearing fruit. this fundamental value of our corporate with a workforce of DCC built Cable Liner Shuttle systems philosophy that has enabled us to set 2,479 employees at Toronto und Mexico City airports. In milestones in modern ropeway technology over the past years and decades. (previous year 2,223). addition, three more installations are cur- rently under construction in Las Vegas, It is no secret that the needs of ropeway Venice and Doha. operators on the one hand and their The core markets of the Doppelmayr In the fall, Doppelmayr Transport Technol- customers on the other are becoming Group remain the European Alpine coun- ogy handed over the longest RopeCon increasingly more complex. tries as well as North America. Major installation ever built to Alcoa, one of the For the Doppelmayr/Garaventa successes in Eastern, Southeastern and world’s largest aluminum producers. This Group, this development represents Central Europe made a significant con- installation in Jamaica is the fifth for Dop- both a challenge and an opportunity at tribution to the renewed improvement in pelmayr Transport Technology. the same time. Through close coopera- results. tion with our customers and by working Prospects for 2007/08 on a cross-divisional basis within the High level of investment company we are able to systematically Doppelmayr expects to see the positive analyze the added value required by Investments in property, plant and equip- trend of the past few years continue into all stakeholders and act accordingly. ment amounted to EUR 17.4 million. The the financial year 2007/08 despite the The result is pioneering and innovative main focus of investments was on mod- fact that price and competitive pressure solutions which strengthen the position ernizing plant and equipment in order remain at a very high level. At the same of our customers and our own in a com- to ensure process reliability and on in- time, the unforeseeable price develop- petitive market. creased productivity. ments in the case of steel and nonferrous metals as well as the growing shortage Innovation and uncompromising of bought-out parts such as gear units quality and motors represent a certain element of uncertainty. Permanent innovation and an uncompromising drive for quality are the aspirations Revenues in EUR million 658.8 which motivate Doppelmayr in its day-to- 630.8 Michael Doppelmayr day operations. However, innovation is 489.7 464.0 never pursued as an end in itself but is 417.9 always targeted at concrete customer

1 April 1, 2006 – March 31, 2007. The financial statements for the year ended 3.31.2007 were prepared in accordance with IFRSs for the first time and the previous year’s figures were adjusted accordingly. 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 4 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Three 8-seater chair lifts

in Austria Mayrhofen Kitzbühel Gerlitzen

Doppelmayr built three High transport capacity and wind stability Manfred 8-seater chair lifts in plus maximum comfort are the hallmarks Filzer, Director of these installations. of Kitzbühler Austria in 2007: two Bergbahn AG: in Tyrol (Kitzbühel, Kitzbühel: Steinbergkogel “With the 8-CLD Mayrhofen) and one in Steinbergkogel, we Carinthia (Gerlitzen). The Steinbergkogel lift in Kitzbühel fea- are enhancing the tures bubbles and seat heating as well attractiveness of the as a loading carpet and incorporates a original Kitzbühel ski resort Griesalm- large underground parking facility in the Steinbergkogel-Ehrenbachhöhe thanks bottom terminal. It replaces two aging to the comfort and increased transport chair lifts, a single and a double dating capacity provided by Doppelmayr.” from 1933 and 1954 respectively, and will almost quadruple their transport ca- is why they decided in favor of a detach- pacity. able 8-seater chair lift with bubbles and The new Steinbergkogel lift provides the seat heating, particularly in view of the link between the Hahnenkamm lift and fact that at the height of the winter sea- the area of Griesalm-Steinbergkogel- son the sun rises very late in this area and Ehrenbachhöhe at the heart of the ski disappears behind the mountain peaks region. early in the afternoon. As Manfred Filzer, Director of Bergbahn The desire to offer the utmost in comfort Kitzbühel AG, explains, “the clear goal in was also decisive for the design of the building the new lift was to reduce wait- top terminal where a strident northwest ing times and to increase comfort”. That wind frequently blows. “We have succeeded in making the unloading area largely wind-proof,” explains Filzer with pride. As significant improvements have been made to the ski trails around the bottom terminal and the Ehrenbachgraben restaurant as well as to the snow-making facilities, the new lift not only helps to increase passenger frequency in the im- mediate vicinity but also plays its part

8-CLD-B Steinbergkogel Transport capacity 3,255 PPH Trip time 4.9 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 66 Interval 8.8 s Inclined length 1,309 m Vertical rise 523 m Towers 13 Drive Top Steinbergkogel lift: The architectural design of the top station provides wind protection and therefore greater comfort for lift users. Tension Bottom 5 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

“The most important new feature in my view is the automatic closing and opening of the restraining bars.” Klaus Hanzmann, Deputy Operations Manager for the Ahorn area at Mayrhofner Bergbahnen was site manager during the construction of the 8-CLD Ahorn.

The operating company, Mayrhofner Bergbahnen AG, was keen to continue the architectural style of the award-win- ning “Ahornbahn”, the reversible aerial tram which Doppelmayr built the year before. The UNI-G stations harmonize visually with the neighboring tram sta- Automatic locking of the restraining bars on the Ahorn lift, Mayrhofen: Chair tion and are functionally well-conceived. speed is drastically reduced in the bottom station; passengers can take their Chair parking is split equally between places without any hurry. As the carriers pass the closing rail, the restraining the top and bottom stations. The station bar closes very slowly, allowing plenty of time for passengers to sit comfortably. structures are partly integrated into the At the top station, the opening of the restraining bar is again performed mountainside and the walls are clad with automatically at very low chair speed immediately before the unloading point. quarry stone. Consequently, unloading is particularly stress-free. As there is no downhill service, the restraining bars remain open for the entire downhill trip Gerlitzen: Neugarten 8-seater Carving Jet in ensuring an even distribution of skiers of their seats. There are no footrests, so From Annenheim am Ossiachersee, visi- throughout the entire area. children cannot stand up during the trip. tors first take the 8-MGD Kanzel lift and The restraining bars rest on the thigh in then the 4-CLD-B summit lift to “Carinthia’s Mayrhofen: Ahorn the case of adults and are padded. sunniest mountain”, the 1,911 m Gerlitzen. Another access route is the 4-CLD from The 8-CLD Ahorn in Mayrhofen replaces 8-CLD Ahorn Klösterle (not far from Arriach). In close two double surface lifts which ran paral- proximity to the two mountain restaurants Transport capacity 3,000 PPH lel to each other and split the ski trail in lie the top stations of several lifts, includ- half. Building the new lift has created ad- Trip time 3.2 min ing the 8-CLD Neugarten with loading ditional skiable area as one of the tow Speed 4.0 m/s carpet which replaces a surface lift. The tracks could be dispensed with. This ski Chairs 40 ropeline to the top of the mountain was trail links up with a wonderful, gently slop- extended by 70 m, now enabling skiers Interval 48 s ing section which is very popular with to take off in any direction of the com- children and leisurely skiers. Inclined length 643 m pass. The chairs are parked partly in the Special consideration was also given to Vertical rise 106 m bottom station itself and partly under an the needs of children and parents with Towers 7 adjacent fly roof at the side. The bottom the automatic restraining bar locking sys- station also incorporates a service plat- Drive Top tem. The all-round double safety bar also form to which the chairs can be shunted helps to prevent children from slipping out Tension Bottom via a dead-end rail. Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

CEO Hans also the reason why we went for full Hopfgartner, transport capacity right from the start and Gerlitzen: didn’t have to test our utilization rates with Doppelmayr an initial capacity.” provides impressive The decision in favor of the 8-seater was performance also based on comfort aspects: The in- and comfort. terval between carriers is significantly longer than on a 6-seater lift. That gives passengers much more time for loading. What made the operators, Gerlitzen Kanzelbahngesellschaft, replace the old 8-CLD Neugarten Carving Jet double surface lift with a high-capacity 8-seater chair lift? Transport capacity 3,400 PPH CEO Hans Hopfgartner elucidates: “The Trip time 4.9 min slope is just made for carvers and snow- Speed 5.0 m/s boarders: 200 m wide, uniform slope, Chairs 69 not too steep, ideal for wide, rhythmic Interval 8.5 s curves. Added to this is the fact that this Schmittenhöhebahn AG was awarded northwest face has plenty of snow. We Inclined length 1,315 m the “Developer’s Prize of the Chamber have good snow conditions from No- Vertical rise 288 m of Architects and Consulting Engineers vember through to April and that means Towers 12 of Upper Austria and Salzburg” our capacity is well utilized. in recognition of its contribution Drive Top This slope is extremely popular and at- to high-quality construction. tracts high visitor frequencies. That was Tension Bottom

The 2,000 m high Schmitten – the local mountain to Zell am See – acquired two new lifts in the winter season 2007/08: the 8-seater gondola lift trassXpress and the detachable Breiteck lift with 6-seater bubble chairs. “This represents the logical continuation of our quality drive,” explains Schmitten’s Director Hans Wallner.

The Neugarten lift is Carinthia’s first 8-passenger chair lift. Innovation leadership is a tradition on Gerlitzen Mountain: The first 4-seater gondola lift in Carinthia – the Kanzel lift built in 1987 – was also installed here. 7

supplied by Doppelmayr in 1996) and the new Breiteck lift. In this part of the terrain the layout has been completely rede- signed. Thanks to the new Breiteck lift, the old lift structures could be demolished; the new liftline is located at the edge of the ski trail. A common plateau was built for all the stations. In terms of their archi- tecture, the new stations are all cast in the same mold. They are open and airy, harmonize with the natural landscape and fully meet the lift company’s desire for sus- tainability, efficiency and aesthetics.

Heated seats: world first for gondolas Zell am See: The quality drive Both new lifts have heated seats. The length of the trassXpress means that the carriers are parked in the level garaging continues facility in the bottom station as well as in the basement facility in the top station. The Breiteck lift uses a parking facility in the basement of the top station. The gondolas on the trassXpress are illuminated The trassXpress is used as both a feeder service yard are located in the basement and equipped with a PA system as the lift and an activity lift. It relieves the “Schmit- of the trassXpress. also serves the mountain restaurant which tenhöhebahn”, a 56-passenger reversible Both the tramway and the new gondola often stays open at night. aerial tramway originally built in 1927 lift go up to the top of the mountain. The Schmitten in Zell am See is an all-year and modernized many times since. The liftlines are separated by a wooded rift tourist region. 27 lifts operate in the win- Breiteck chair lift replaces a triple chair valley. The top station of the trassXpress, ter, five in the summer. In the winter sea- and a surface lift, and is used entirely to which lies at a slightly lower altitude, is son 2006/07, 760,000 overnight stays serve the adjacent ski slopes. right next to the top station of the third were recorded, compared with just under leg of the Areit lift (a 6-seater gondola lift 620,000 in the 2007 summer season. Bottom stations in close proximity to each other 8-MGD-S trassXpress 6-CLD-S Breiteckbahn

The bottom stations of the tram and the Transport capacity 2,400 PPH Transport capacity 3,200 PPH trassXpress are located in close proximity Trip time 9.0 min Trip time 3.8 min to each other near the village outskirts at Speed 6.0 m/s Speed 5.0 m/s the end of the Schmitten Valley. The load- Cabins 89 Chairs 68 ing and unloading areas are at the same Interval 12.0 s Interval 6.8 s level, connected by a bridge and built for good accessibility from the parking lot as Inclined length 2,847 m Inclined length 1,033 m well as from the slope. Steps lead from Vertical rise 985 m Vertical rise 225 m the parking lot to the tramway station; Towers 31 Towers 11 from the ski slope, access to boarding Drive Top Drive Top level is via a bridge. The tramway building houses offices, while garages and the Tension Bottom Tension Bottom 8 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Hirschegg Damüls - Mellau Four lifts in Vorarlberg Brand

In 2007, Doppelmayr Investments in the expansion of ski trails Wolfgang Beck, built three chair lifts and snow-making equipment are to ac- MD of Damülser company the new ropeways. Seilbahnen GmbH and one gondola lift & Co: “Our in Austria’s western Damüls, Mellau: Looking ahead to a company was province of Vorarlberg. dazzling future founded 50 years ago and since then Once the authorities had given the go- we have always ahead for the merger between the ski re- been a satisfied Doppelmayr customer.” sorts of Damüls and Mellau (Bregenzer- wald) the first of three expansion phases to link up the two areas was implement- possible to get there from Damüls using ed. Doppelmayr installed two detach- the UGA-Express (4-CLD-B). The Elsen- able 6-seater chair lifts in 2007. kopf lift is located on the Damüls side, the Hohe Wacht lift on the side facing Mel- Expansion of the ski region in lau. Both lifts serve both ski slopes which three phases can be used for repeated descents. As from the winter season 2008/09, The Elsenkopf and Hohe Wacht lifts were it will be possible to access the Hohe completed as the first phase. Wacht top station using the 8-MGD Gip- These lifts enable skiers to use the Hintere felbahn from the Mellau ski area. There Argenalpe basin. At the moment, it is only will then also be a reliable ski route to

The Elsenkopf lift is the world’s first 6-CLD with bubbles and fully automatic station parking (bottom and top). 9 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Mellau. This will be expansion phase 2. the Higher Administrative Court – one of jeopardize their very existence by doing The third phase of the expansion will con- Austria’s three higher courts. anything which is harmful to nature. “We sist of the 6-CLD Ragazer Blanken which Wolfgang Beck, Managing Director of know that our guests are sensitive about will serve the Ragaz Hollow in the Da- the lift company, Seilbahnen Damüls, this issue. They want to see an intact natu- müls ski area. This lift can be reached us- shakes his head when the environmental ral environment.” ing the 6-CLD Hasenbühel (built by Dop- objections are mentioned: Nobody in the Beck was able to count on Doppelmayr’s pelmayr in 2001). Vorarlberg tourist industry would want to support in rapidly providing the required

Discussion with the Environmental 6-CLD-B Elsenkopf 6-CLD Hohe Wacht Ombudsmann Transport capacity 2,800 PPH Transport capacity 2,800 PPH The Mellau-Damüls “Skischaukel” com- Trip time 2.7 min Trip time 3.8 min bination and the expansion of the ski Speed 5.0 m/s Speed 5.0 m/s region it will require was first discussed Chairs 42 Chairs 60 25 years ago and more avidly over Interval 7.7 s Interval 7.7 s the course of time. The project was ap- proved by the administrative authority for Inclined length 701 m Inclined length 1.038 m the district of Bregenz in 2006, but ap- Vertical rise 218 m Vertical rise 372 m peals were lodged through the courts by Towers 8 Towers 12 the Environmental Ombudsman. Finally, Drive Bottom Drive Bottom the objections of the Office of the Envi- ronmental Ombudsman were rejected by Tension Bottom Tension Bottom

documentation and accompanying him to meetings with the authorities. Such ac- tions are a matter of course, and not just in Damüls and Mellau. The spectrum of services offered by Doppelmayr has always covered a wide range and encompasses the entire project, not merely the optimization of the liftline and the technical hardware.

Brandnertal kicks off modernization program

Bergbahnen Brandnertal placed orders for two Doppelmayr lifts in 2007: the 8-MGD “Dorfbahn”, which went into service last November, and the 6-CLD-B Palüd lift, which is due for completion in

The bottom stations of the Elsenkopf and Hohe Wacht lifts stand side by side. The chairs on the Hohe Wacht lift are parked in the bottom station, in part on a dead-end rail with a fly roof and partial side cladding. 10 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Director Eugen which have been created immediately lockers, etc.” Here too additional parking Nigsch, Bergbahnen next to the bottom station. space has been created. Brandnertal AG: As Director Eugen Nigsch explains, the This project has been a resounding suc- “It has been my situation had been the same in both cess, Eugen Nigsch assures us. “We experience that cases: The old lifts were no longer able have been able to achieve an optimal Doppelmayr to meet today’s requirements in terms of benefit for our guests for minimum cost.” is a reliable capacity, quality and comfort. The fact that both installations were and above all awarded to Doppelmayr was “the result fair partner in the project planning Significantly more comfort of a long-standing and excellent working phase, during the construction and relationship. Doppelmayr provided us when the lift is in operation.” Extending the Dorfbahn by almost 400 m with support right from the project plan- meant that it could share the top station ning stage”. winter 2008. The Dorfbahn replaces the with the “Panoramabahn”, the reversible Niggenkopf Lift 1, a double chair lift built aerial tramway to Bürserberg. The bot- Strong momentum for the economy in 1984, while the Palüd lift replaces an- tom station of the 6-CLD Gulma (built by of the entire region other double chair lift dating from 1969. Doppelmayr in 1998) is also close by. All-year operation is planned for the Dorf- The new bottom station in the village cen- Director Eugen Nigsch points out that bahn which serves as a feeder for guests ter is described by Eugen Nigsch as “a expansion of the lift and ski trail infrastruc- staying in Brand. The Palüd lift is only ex- service hub where visitors can find every- ture was absolutely essential in order to pected to run in the winter and will mainly thing they need for a good day’s skiing or be able to compete with neighboring ski be used by day-trippers, particularly in for their ski vacation: ticketing, ski school, regions. view of the ample car parking facilities café, sports shop, sports equipment hire, The lift company’s goal is to increase

8-MGD Dorfbahn Transport capacity 2,389 PPH Trip time 3.2 min Speed 6.0 m/s 8er-Cabins 41 Interval 12.1 s Inclined length 1,119 m Vertical rise 390 m Towers 10 Drive Top Tension Bottom

visitor numbers by 15 to 20 percent, the equivalent of up to 50,000 first-time visitors a year. The momentum generated for the local economy is hard to miss. Recently, for example, one of several construction projects, the “Mountain Lodges”, was completed. This encompasses 31 holi- day apartments in five houses. An extra The Dorfbahn has automatic station parking and 1,000 beds are envisaged over the next the latest generation RPD system. five years. 11 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Anton Haller: “In Anton Haller (Aparthotel Kleinwalsertal) access to an extensive hiking region: keeping with our in 2006. It starts in the center of the vil- Hirschegg lies in the very heart of Klein- family’s business lage, includes five surface lifts in addi- walsertal, the biggest Austro-German ski policy, contracts tion to the Heuberg lift and is largely fre- region which also includes Oberstdorf. are awarded quented by families. This was also one of The Heuberg lift is an important link in the to domestic the main reasons for choosing chairs with ski circuit connecting the villages of Rie- companies because automatic locking of the restraining bars zlern, Hirschegg and Mittelberg. we place great and no footrests, which are largely aimed importance on quality. That is what at the safe transportation of children. 4-CLD-S Heuberg Doppelmayr delivers in every respect.” Transport capacity 1,200 PPH In the interests of tourism development More operating days in the Kleinwalsertal, future projects Trip time 3.1 min will continue to be achieved in At the same time, the Haller family is in- Speed 5.0 m/s collaboration with Doppelmayr. vesting in snow-making systems. The aim Chairs 30 is to achieve between 100 and 110 re- Interval 12 s Heuberg: Emphasis on families liable operating days. It is hoped that weather-related downtime such as in Inclined length 760 m The 4-CLD-S Heuberg replaces a single- 2006/07 when it was only possible run Vertical rise 239 m seater chair lift dating back to the early on five days will become a thing of the Towers 9 1950s. It features lockable restraining past. Nonetheless, this downtime did not Drive Top bars and heated seats. The Hirschegg ski prove disastrous as the Heuberg lift also area was acquired by Mittelberg hotelier operates in the summer and provides Tension Bottom

4-CD-S Heuberg, Hirschegg, Kleinwalsertal, with lockable restraining bars and seat heating 12 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

The attraction of continuous

development Ischgl

“We offer our guests Director Director something new every Hannes Parth, Markus has placed Walser year.” That’s how Hannes his trust in also praises Parth, Director of Silvretta Doppelmayr Doppelmayr’s Seilbahn AG Ischgl, sums for 20 years. reliability. up the success formula of the Ischgl lift operators. As well as having a reputation for being an The region’s attractiveness is largely at- able chair lifts. “And what’s more, I want tributable to its 200 kilometers of ski trails maximum availability. For me, that’s more excellent region for winter and 40 lifts belonging to the “Silvretta important than the first price.” That also tourism (and as a place Arena Samnaun/Ischgl”. The Silvretta goes for his five lift managers, especially well worth visiting in the Arena was created through the merger as “Doppelmayr service is there when summer), Ischgl is also of the ski resorts of Ischgl (Austria/Tyrol) you need it. Plus, I have one contact for and Samnaun (Switzerland/Graubün- everything”. well-known for getting den). better all the time. Positive assessment of Doppelmayr Ischgl: Image building through technical advance and comfort The positive assessment of Doppelmayr is also shared by fellow director Markus What is it that had made the Ischglers Walser, who has been on the board (and the Samnauners) trust exclusively since 2005. Walser praises the on-time in Doppelmayr (and Garaventa) quality delivery, the attention to detail and the over the decades? The longer-standing professional assistance provided during member of the board, Hannes Parth, the approval application process. He has who has been involved with awarding lift lasting memories of the most recent proj- contracts virtually since joining Silvretta ect, the Fimba lift: “The Doppelmayr crew Seilbahn AG in 1982 and director since defied the adverse weather conditions – 1987, explains: “I always want the best.” we had rain or snow in almost every one – Ischgl is famous for being one of the of the 30 weeks they were working. But first ski resorts to have used only detach- despite everything they again delivered an attractive and ultra-modern ropeway installation exactly on time for Ischgl.” 8-MGD-S Fimbabahn

Section 1 Section 2 World first: 8-MGD with seat heating Capacity 2,800 PPH 2,800 PPH Trip time 6.7 min 8.4 min The Fimba lift, an 8-MGD with seat heating and comprised of two sections, re- Speed 5.0 m/s 5.0 m/s places a 6-seater monocable gondola Cabins 78 97 lift originally built in 1983. Interval 10.3 s 10.3 s The difficult conditions of the terrain Incl. length 1,647 m 2,141 m posed a particular challenge for the proj- Vertical rise 260 690 ect engineers and the construction teams. In section 1 the rope axis runs along verti- Towers 15 14 cal rock faces. As there were no alterna- Drive Top Top tives for the tower locations, parts of the Tension Bottom Bottom foundations for the old 6-seater gondola Fimba lift: The main reason for deciding on the new lift was the desire to provide enhanced comfort; the increase in capacity – by 400 to 2,800 PPH – carried less weight. lift had to be used. That was no easy un- nuts and anchor bolts. If required, the bolt for the second leg is located in the top dertaking in view of the fact that greater fastening can be loosened and the tower station and its haul rope tension system is design forces and new regulations from shifted along the rail. also in the intermediate station. the authorities had to be taken into ac- The existing buildings were converted for Doppelmayr was responsible for the count. the bottom and intermediate stations. The ropeway equipment including the electri- top station is new and has three base- cal installations. Silvretta Seilbahn took Adjustable towers ment levels. The gondolas are parked charge of the construction work and co- in the garaging facility on the first level ordination. This work was split between a Some of the towers in section 2 are lo- below ground in the intermediate station contractor and their own team. The com- cated in unstable terrain. Ground move- as well as on a short dead-end rail in the pany employs 140 people on a perma- ments are compensated by adjustable bottom station. The drive unit for the first nent basis who are supplemented in the towers. Embedded in the foundations are leg is located in the intermediate station, summer by around 40 and in the winter steel rails in the shape of an inverted “T” the hydraulic haul rope tension system is by some 220 seasonal workers (for lifts to which the towers are fixed by means of housed in the bottom station. The drive and hospitality). Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

New lifts in Val Thorens: “Unmanned” operation

In Val Thorens in the Jean-François French Alps, two existing Piard, Technical Director at SETAM: 6-seater gondola lifts “We’re very happy have been replaced with with Doppelmayr, two modern 8-seater both in terms of installations. The aim was on-time delivery and product to improve comfort and and service quality!” transport capacity. A special feature of the new As the highest village at the heart of the lifts is the newly developed “3 Vallées” ski region, Val Thorens boasts “unmanned” operation a whole series of superlatives: In addition to its claim to being the biggest ski area in the world, it offers a breathtaking view of 1,000 mountain peaks belonging to the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. It is also the highest all-year ski area in Europe. The ski slopes extend over an area ranging between 1,300 m and 3,200 m in altitude; the village itself lies at 2,300 m1.

Higher transport capacity, high comfort

When designing the two new gondola lifts Cairn and Caron, the emphasis was not only on increasing transport capacity – now almost twice what it was before – but also on optimal comfort both to stress. The stations incorporate escala- on the line and in the stations, as Jean- tors, waiting areas, toilets and ATMs, and François Piard, Technical Director of the also provide a venue for art exhibitions. lift operating company SETAM, is keen Special features have been included to cater for handicapped 8-MGD Cairn 8-MGD Caron passengers: 10 percent Transport capacity 2,400 PPH 2,000 PPH of the cabin bench seats Speed 6 m/s 6 m/s fold away; all the cabins have call buttons Trip time 4.1 min 5.35 min allowing handicapped Cabins 58 54 passengers to call for Interval 12 s 14.4 s assistance when disem- Inclined length 1,102 m 1,478 m barking if required. The two lifts provide ac- Vertical rise 190 m 220 m cess to opposite sides of Towers 11 12 the mountain valley and Drive Bottom Bottom form a classic ski circuit. Tension Bottom Bottom The bottom stations are The new 8-seater gondola lifts Cairn and Caron in Val Thorens replace two 25-year-old 6-seater circulating lifts. As well as increasing transport capacity, one of the main aims was to improve comfort. Skiers take their skis with them in the cabins. Photo: the joint station building

housed in one building but there is no operator in the top station of the Caron thorities during the development phase – cabin transfer. There would be no point lift. He has audiovisual contact with the there were other technical challenges to as the lifts are only used for uphill trans- three other stations. Special safety de- master. As the Cairn gondola lift shares portation. The top station of the Caron lift vices enable the cabins to be operated a tower with the Plain Sud lift which it is located in close proximity to the bot- in this mode. It is nonetheless also pos- crosses, the tower had to be rebuilt and tom station of the reversible aerial tram- sible to run with operating crew in each increased in height. The Caron lift crosses way to the 3,200 m Cime Caron. Here station2. beneath the Moutière chair lift. again, the stations are accommodated in a common building; it was originally built Crossing other lifts 1 The entire ski region encompasses 16 villages in 1981 and has now been adapted to and offers 600 km of prepared ski trails as well as 200 lifts. suit the new requirements. Quite apart from the special feature of 2 We shall be taking a closer look at this mode of Operation of the new gondola lifts is vir- unmanned operation – which required operation in a forthcoming issue of WIR Maga- tually “unmanned” as there is only one very intensive collaboration with the au- zine. By Funifor to Monte Zoncolan

Doppelmayr Monte Zoncolan is one of the best devel- The new tramway has an “optional” mid Italia replaced oped ski regions in Friuli-Venezia Giulia station which is only used for unloading with 28 kilometers of ski trails and a par- to reach a downhill run to the bottom sta- the 40-passenger ticularly spectacular view of the mountain tion. For next winter a ski trail from the top reversible aerial tram peaks of the Carinthian and Julian Alps station to the bottom is planned; then the from Ravascletto in which line the Austro-Italian border. tram can be used for repeated uphill trips the Valcalda Valley The Zoncolan resort has 12 lifts. Its and not just as a means of transport to centerpiece is the new Funifor which re- and from the ski slopes. In the summer the to Monte Zoncolan, places a 40-year-old tram. The contract mid station is used as a starting point for Friuli, with a modern, was placed by Promotur SpA, a stock mountain hikes. 100-passenger Funifor. company formed by the Provincial Gov- ernment of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in 1986 Tower as mid station and based in Udine. Its role is to support development programs for the mountain When planning the top station, the proj- regions – which includes the five ski ar- ect engineers had to make sure that the eas1. new tram remained completely within the 17

summer tourism, particularly as this provides convenient access to the nearby Cuel Piciul chair lift. The high wind stabil- ity2 of the tramway installation increases ride comfort for the users and reduces the probability of weather-related downtime. As the two sections are mutually independent but operate synchronously, each of them can be immediately operated autonomously if required. That means a huge increase in flexibility for the system as a whole.

“… really pleased!“

Summing up, Imler acknowledges that from a technical and logistical point of view and in terms of the structural development, Doppelmayr has successfully developed and implemented an exceptionally complex project. This, coupled with their adherence to all the quality and deadline requirements – within a very tight timescale – has gained his great respect. “I’m really pleased. Everything was finished exactly as it should be and exactly on time!”

The mid station is integrated into the 16 m high tower. Doppelmayr Italia 1 Zoncolan, Forni di Sopra, Piancavallo, Tarvisio delivered the installation on a turnkey basis as general contractor. The tramway and Sella Nevea 2 is a key element in the overall plan for upgrading the ski resorts in Friuli. On a Funifor the track formed by the two track ropes is wider than the cabins; this makes the tram particularly wind-resistant. dimensions of the existing building. The draulic adjustment system to compensate 100-FUF Valcalda – Monte Zoncolan same applied largely for the bottom sta- for thermally induced length variations tion. The mid station is new; the hinged and permanent lengthening. Transport capacity 1,200 PPH service platform, level access and the The project engineering was performed Trip time (with 56 s stop 5.0 min enclosed control room are integrated in compliance with the CEN directive, in the mid station) into the tower. The stations have been while adherence to the Italian regulations Speed 12.0 m/s constructed in compliance with the new was also necessary for the infrastructure. 100-pax cabins 2 earthquake regulations, which made rein- Fully locked track ropes 63 mm forcements necessary in some cases. Added value for winter and summer The track ropes have fixed anchoring in tourism Haul rope 26 mm the stations. The haul rope tension system Inclined length 2,018 m and the two independent drive units are For Casanova Imler, Manager of the Uffi- Vertical rise 824 m located in the bottom station. The steep cio Tecnico at the Promotur headquarter, Towers 1 gradient of the tram makes very large the new Funifor is very important for sev- flywheel masses necessary on the drive. eral reasons. Thanks to the mid station, Drive Bottom The haul rope loop has an automatic, hy- he expects to see a significant boost to Tension system (haul rope) Bottom 18 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Modernization of the funicular St. Smokovec – Hrebienok

The funicular railway The small town of Stary Smokovec on capacity, particularly in view of the great from Stary Smokovec, the Slovakian side of the High Tatras is popularity of the natural toboggan run roughly three-quarters of an hour’s drive alongside the route of the funicular. – Up the main town among the away from the Polish winter sport resort to now, however, passenger numbers surrounding municipalities of Zakopane. Here, as in Hrebienok, have been higher in the summer than in of the High Tatras, and there are lifts and ski trails. Hrebienok lies the winter because of the many hikers. the mountain village of at an altitude of 1,285 m at the foot of For Hrebienok in general and the chalets Slavkovsky Smokovec (2,452 m). in the mountains, the funicular is of great Hrebienok first went into The old tram had 128-passenger cars importance because in winter when the operation in 1908. Since with raked seating; the new cars can road is not cleared it is the only transport then it has undergone carry 160 passengers. Travel speed has route to the community. From Hrebienok, been doubled. In view of the fact that supplies are then delivered to the moun- various renovations the track has a very low gradient and a tain chalets by porters. and was completely funicular does not have a counter rope, The installation work took eight weeks modernized in 2007. the design had to be very meticulous to and the funicular was able to resume It now complies with ensure optimal braking characteristics. operations at the end of December following a three-month shutdown. Vladislav CEN standards. Important for tourism and as a Beka believes that the professionalism of transport route the people from Doppelmayr/Garaven- ta and “their willingness to help at any Garaventa was responsible for the rope- time” were key to the smooth handling way technology; the control system was of the project. The ropeway specialists supplied by Doppelmayr. The customer worked exceptionally well with the team took care of laying the track and refur- he coordinated and managed. bishing the buildings. The new cars are longer and wider, which meant that the bays 1 Mgr. Vladislav Beka works for the J&T Real had to be widened; Estates Group whose core business is the finan- the stairways were cing and development of industrial, tourism, real estate and logistics projects. J&T was awarded rebuilt and new the contract for the modernization project by the cash desks installed. owner and operator of the funicular, TLD Tatrans- Further moderniza- ke lanove dráhy a.s. tion measures are planned. As project 160-FUN St. Smokovec – Hrebienok manager Vladislav Transport capacity 1,300 PPH Beka1 explains: “The Trip time 4.8 min old installation oper- Stopping time in stations 2.7 min ated for almost 40 years. So it was time Speed to offer our custom- Line 10 m/s ers a higher level of Bypass 7 m/s Praises the dedication and competence of Doppelmayr quality and comfort.” 160-pax cars 2 and Garaventa: Project manager Vladislav Beka from J&T In addition, there are Inclined length 1,937 m Real Estate (right) with project manager Andrej Hudek jun. plans to widen the ski Vertical rise 247 m (left) and the Technical Director of the operating company trail from Hrebienok Drive Top TLD, Dusan Slavkovsky (center). The funicular railway to Smokovec. This is Continuous 550 kW St. Smokovec – Hrebienok is the first in Slovakia which is another reason for Start-up 700 kW designed to accommodate handicapped passengers. increasing transport 19 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

A gondola lift for the “Dutch Alps”

The Ettelsberg on the The municipality of Willingen is a popu- also new. In addition to the ticket desk border of Sauerland, lar tourist destination. Around 20 million and offices, the bottom station houses ski people live within a radius of 200 kilo- and bike hire (bikes are transported in North Hesse, – center meters. the cabins), a ski school and a paraglid- of the “Willingen The ski resort of Willingen has 13 lifts ing school. Not far from the top station is Leisure World” and the which form part of an integrated system. “Siggi’s Hütte”, a popular bar for excur- “Willingen Winter Park” Willingen belongs to the Sauerland sions and events. winter sports region comprised of 51 – – has acquired a new mostly small – ski resorts and 150 lifts. First DSD drive in Germany 8-seater gondola lift. For 37 years, Willingen’s 838 m local mountain, the Ettelsberg, was accessed The 8-MGD is equipped with a DSD by a double chair lift which carried over drive. This is comprised of eight indepen- 7 million passengers during that time. dent “segments” (motors), ensuring very This lift and another double chair lift built high availability. – Even if one segment in 1978 have now been replaced by a should fail, Willingen has enough torque modern gondola lift. to continue running the lift. Moreover, the As the chair lift also attracted high pas- noise level of this motor is 50 percent less Jörg Wilke, Managing Director of the senger volumes in than that of a conventional motor. For the Ettelsberg lift operating company: “As the summer, demoli- next winter season, the towers are to be operators, we attach great importance tion was postponed fitted with floodlights for night-time skiing. to safety and availability. This is where until November 5 A fully automatic continuous loop park- the RPD system, which helps to prevent and the gondola lift ing facility is located in the bottom station deropement, is crucial, especially as was built parallel to building. Carrier parking, ski hire, cash we often encounter strong winds.” the old liftline. The desk building and the platform area are station buildings are all covered by a common barrel roof. Doppelmayr supplied the ropeway technology while the lift owner, Ettelsberg Seilbahn GmbH & Co. KG, was responsible for organizing the construction and civil engineering works.

8-MGD Ettelsbergbahn Transport capacity 2,800 PPH Trip time 4.7 min Speed 6.0 m/s Cabins 55 Interval 10.3 s Inclined length 1,340 m Vertical rise 238 m Towers 11 Drive 384/403 kW Top The flexibility of the gondolas is big hit. Baby strollers, mountain bikes, toboggans, wheelchairs, etc. can all be transported without any problem. Tension Bottom 20 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

World first in Russia’s Far East

In Far Eastern Russia, The lift provides access to a popular all- grade for the ski area as a whole. New on the Pacific island of year recreation area on the edge of the ski trails have also been added, offering 150,000-inhabitant city of Jushno-Sacha- slopes for all levels of skiing ability. Sachalinsk, Doppelmayr linsk. Here, in the western part of the two has built two sections of mountain chains which ring the island, 6-seater chairs are attached a very unusual ropeway: there was already a small ski area with between the gondolas The first section is a two surface lifts. The economy in and around the city is First, an 8-seater gondola lift brings pas- gondola lift only, while booming following the exploitation of sengers to the intermediate station where 6-seater chairs are added in the second section.

large offshore oil fields near the coast. the liftline is angled at 27.6°. The gon- Sachalinsk is the region with the highest dolas travel on without stopping, while a level of foreign investment in Russia and 6-seater chair can be inserted between even outstrips Moscow. them for skiers who prefer not to remove their skis. The chairs only circulate in sec- The city invests in its tourism tion 2; the downhill trip is made either on skis or by taking the gondola; it is not pos- Thanks to its booming economy, the city sible to load in the intermediate station. has money available which can also be invested in its tourist infrastructure. The new Logistical feat lift installation represents a significant up- The city fathers of Jushno-Sachalinsk are Jushno-Sachalinsk 8-MGD 6/8-CGD particularly proud of their new lift installa- Section 1 Section 2 tion. First of all, it was thanks to the vigor- ous intervention of the city administration Through Separate that the project finally came about after operation operation several years of to-ing and fro-ing by pri- Transport capacity 1,143 PPH 2,000 PPH 2,000 PPH vate investors. Second, their selection of Trip time 4.8 min 4.8 min 4.2 min Doppelmayr as ropeway supplier turned Speed 6.0 m/s 6.0 m/s 5.0 m/s out to be a particularly wise move: They became the first in the world to get a lift Cabins/Chairs 23 39 20/20 that unites the benefits of a combined lift Interval 25.2 s 14.4 s 12.6 s and a gondola lift in one. And thanks to Inclined length 1,357 m 964 m Doppelmayr’s experience, transporting Vertical rise 190 m 305 m the ropeway equipment over the vast distances right across Europe and Siberia – Towers 8 7 by land and sea – and building the lift in Drive 252/344 kW Top Bottom this far-flung region were handled to the Tension Top Bottom customer’s full satisfaction. 21 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Indoor ski center in Moscow – a huge multi-purpose complex

Private investors have The “Snej.Kom” on the northeastern commodate 680 skiers. built an enormous winter outskirts of Moscow in the region of It will come as no surprise to find that all Kransogrosky, can be reached via the ski equipment is available for hire or that sports and wellness Volokolamsykoye-Shossee, an inner-city there is a choice of restaurants of various complex near Moscow. highway, by private car or using the categories. However, as the center aims At its heart is Europe’s “Marschroute”, a regular shared taxi to offer action not only for the ski enthu- biggest indoor ski center. service. The reinforced concrete struc- siasts in the family, the four floors with a ture curves elegantly upwards on free- total surface area of 15,000 m2, also Doppelmayr supplied a standing columns like a colossal ski jump. include a 1,800 m2 skating rink, shops fixed-grip quad chair and The slope is 350 m long and 60 m wide; and a hotel offering wellness and semi- a double surface lift. its highest point stands 90 m above the nar facilities. Over the course of the next ground. The gradient ranges between 10 few years an entire satellite town is to be and 28 percent. The cooled part of the created around the Snej.Kom complex. interior is 12 m high. The facility can ac-

4-CLF Indoor Lift No. 1 2-SL Indoor Lift No. 2 Transport capacity 2,229 PPH Transport capacity 1,206 PPH Trip time 3.1 min Trip time 2.3 min Speed 1.8 m/s Speed 2.5 m/s Chairs 60 Gehänge 47 Interval 6.5 s Interval 6.5 s Inclined length 336 m Inclined length 341 m Vertical rise 69 m Vertical rise 70 m Towers 4 Towers 4 Drive 54/77 kW Bottom Drive 31/36 kW Bottom Tension Bottom Tension Bottom

The Snej.Kom will not be the only indoor ski center in the region: Three others are already under discussion; there are also several dozen small ski resorts dotted around Moscow. 8-MGD LWI to Huangshan

Ropeways to China’s most scenic mountains

In 2007, Doppelmayr The Huangshan massif, in Anhui Province, 8-MGD LWI to the “loveliest completed three ropeways is one of China’s most important natural mountain of China” monuments, a world cultural and natural in China. This takes the heritage site. Just ten kilometers from the 6-MGD built number of Doppelmayr The mountain range is part of the Wu yue in 1996, Doppelmayr has now installed installations operating Mountains. It is said that you won’t want a second gondola lift, the 8-MGD-LWI in the People’s Republic to visit any other mountains after seeing Huangshan 1A. The provincial govern- Wu yue, but you won’t wish to see even ment saw its construction as a necessity of China to forty. Wu yue after returning from Mt. Huang- in view of the huge numbers of tourists shan. – mainly Chinese but also Japanese and 23 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Yabuli

Huangshan

Sanqingshan

lift. The area lies roughly two and a half longer necessary to travel the 20 kilome- hours by car and three hours by train to ters of narrow country road around the the north-east of Harbin amid low, pine mountain to reach the ropeway. forest covered mountains which are a The project is a joint venture between the subrange of the Changbai Mountains. government and a private investor. Visitors can enjoy some 2 hectares of skiable area, a dozen trails and 17 lifts. 8-MGD-LWI Huangshan 1A Four of these are from Doppelmayr: the Transport capacity 2,000 PPH new 4/6-CGD as well as a 6-MGD and two 2-CLFs built in 1995. Most of Trip time 8.3 min the other lifts are considerably older. The Speed 6.0 m/s Asian Winter Games were held here for Carriers 69 the second time in 2007 and Yabuli will Interval 14.4 s host the Winter Universiade in 2009. The ski resort is rapidly expanding. One Inclined length 2,642 m part of the area is owned by private in- Vertical rise 775 m vestors, another larger part by the state. Towers 18 The Chinese national team also trains Drive Bottom here. At the same time, the area is attract- Tension Top ing growing numbers of summer tourists.

8-MGD boosts tourism in 4/6-CGD Yabuli Shuttle Express Sanqingshan Transport capacity 2,475 PPH Trip time 5.5 min At the end of 2007, an 8-MGD from Speed 5.0 m/s Doppelmayr went into operation in San- qingshan, Jiangxi Province (Eastern Chi- Carriers 90 + 15 na), 300 kilometers east of Hong Kong. Interval 6.2 s This mountain region ranks amongst the Inclined length 1,344 m most picturesque that China has to offer: Vertical rise 163 m 140-million-year-old granite formations, Koreans as well as some Americans and dark forests and ravines form a won- Towers 12 Europeans – who flock to the area. Every derful and mysterious landscape where Drive Bottom year, one million visitors used the existing major Taoist stone structures are also pre- Tension Bottom lift, and had to expect waiting times up of served. The provincial government has applied for recognition as a UNESCO to three hours! 8-MGD Sanqingshan Jinsha The construction work for the new gon- world heritage site. Transport capacity 1,200 PPH dola lift proved particularly challenging The region has been developed for tour- as a result of the difficult terrain and the ism over the past ten years and is be- Trip time 8.2 min environmental protection requirements. A coming increasingly popular. This is also Speed 6.0 m/s material ropeway was installed for this the reason why the decision was taken Carriers 42 purpose. to supplement the existing 2-passenger Interval 24 s basket lift with the new lift, thus providing Combined lift for the world ski an additional means of transport to the Inclined length 2,656 m championships mountain region. Viewed from the na- Vertical rise 890 m tional highway, the lower terminal of the Towers 19 In Yabuli, Shanxi Province, which is one basket lift lies at the back of the mountain, Drive Bottom of China’s most well-known ski resorts, while the bottom station of the new lift is Doppelmayr installed a 4/6 combined located at the front. This means it is no Tension Top 24 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Fun in Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek, Colorado, George Hudspeth, offers two new high- Director of Lift Maintenance at performance 8-passenger Beaver Creek, has gondola lifts from trust in the quality Doppelmayr CTEC: of Doppelmayr Riverfront Express technology. Gondola and Buckaroo Express Gondola; The Riverfront Express Gondola provides the latter is proving a the shortest and most convenient connec- tion between the town of Avon and the great asset for the local most popular ski trails on Beaver Creek ski school classes. Mountain. The gondola route crosses the Eagle River, a bike path, a local access road and a state highway. This added to the complexities of the approval process which involved the Colorado River Authority (included in this permit was the possibility of evacuation over the river), the Town of Avon, the State of Colora- do Highway Department and the Avon Recreation District (for crossing the bike path). Pulling the rope required extensive technical and organizational planning as all traffic routes (including the river) had to be closed for periods of time during the operation. The client was East West Partners, one of America’s largest real estate development corporations. (A major primarily used by the Beaver Creek Ski goal of the gondola project School. was to enhance real estate Fitting the bottom terminal into a very sales and to accommodate tight spot next to the underground park- the Westin Riverfront Hotel). ing garage of the Hyatt Hotel posed a The lift is operated by Bea- technical challenge. The solution was to ver Creek Resort, part of use the shortest terminal with reduced Vail Resorts, Inc. line speed. George Hudspeth, Director of Lift Main- New children’s lift tenance, has worked with Doppelmayr and Doppelmayr CTEC since 1985. He The Haymeadow Lift (Dop- is responsible for lift procurement and for pelmayr, built in 1980) ensuring that all lifts are “as close to 100 was Beaver Creek’s first percent safe and reliable as you can chair lift. This fixed double make them”. He has every confidence The Riverfront Express is used purely has now been replaced in Doppelmayr technology: 15 of the 16 for transportation as it is not possible by the 8-MGD “Buckaroo major lifts at Beaver Creek are from Dop- to ski to the lower terminal. Express”. This installation is pelmayr or Doppelmayr CTEC. 25 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Cable Liner Shuttle in Doha, Qatar

DCC Doppelmayr Cable Car has been awarded a contract to install a Cable Liner Shuttle by the construction company responsible for the New Doha International Airport (NDIA).

The twin-track Cable Liner Shuttle with a length of 500 m and a travel speed of 12.5 m/s is to link the terminal building with the gates. The system consists of two trains comprised of five carriages and can carry 6,000 passengers an hour in each direction. The decisive factors in awarding the contract to DCC were the short completion time, the minimal impact of the system on the building structure, the perfect imple- mentation of special requirements in terms of function and design, and not least the low maintenance costs.

Start-up in 2009

Start-up is planned to coincide with the opening of the airport in 2009. The NDIA will rank as one of the biggest air- The Buckaroo Express is used primarily by the ski school. ports in the Middle East and is expected The new gondola lift provides a safe and comfortable means of to handle 50 million passengers a year transport for children as well as speeding up the journey. by 2015.

8-MGD Riverfront gondola 8-MGD Buckaroo Express Transport capacity 1,200 PPH Transport capacity 1,665 PPH Trip time 2.5 min Trip time 3.8 min Speed 4.1 m/s Speed 3.0 m/s Cabins 18 Cabins 26 Interval 24 s Interval 17.3 s Inclined length 632 m Inclined length 522 m Vertical rise 19 m Vertical rise 102 m Towers 9 Towers 10 Phase 1 of the NDIA opening in 2009: 12m passengers and 750,000 t Drive 186 kW Top Drive 186 kW Top freight per annum. From 2015: 50m Tension Bottom Tension Bottom passengers and 2m t of freight. Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Gondola lift for the State Fair of Texas

The Texas Skyway is an For Rusty Fitzgerald, 8-MGD at the historic Big Director of Operations at Tex Fair Park in Dallas, State Fair of Texas, Texas, USA. It was also Inc., the gondola the greatest attraction at lift meets the most this year’s popular event. important criteria as a means of transport for the Fair Park: safety, reliability and high hourly capacity.

The State Fair of Texas takes place every year, starting on the last Friday in Sep- tember, and runs through the next three weeks including the last weekend. As Rusty Fitzgerald, Director of Operations/ Special Projects, explains, the mission of the State Fair of Texas is to “produce an annual event, recognized within the community and throughout the state for its quality programming, price accessibility and secure environment”. The organizers selected “The Sky’s the Limit” as the theme for the 2007 exhibition and included the new gondola lift in the art work. The Fair hosted three million visitors; a quarter of a million visitors took of Texas Historical Society as well as in- advantage of the Texas Skyway. spection by the amusement inspectors at the Fair. For Rusty Fitzgerald, the major Skyway gondolas feature special considerations in selecting the gondola panoramic design lift were “safety, reliability and high transport capacity”. This lift is remarkable in many respects. The installation also posed a number of The gondolas themselves are specially technical and organizational challenges. 8-MGD Texas SkyWay designed for sightseeing and have al- One access terminal is located directly ready been used at the International Gar- above a major entrance to the park which Transport capacity 2,400 PPH dening & Horticulture Exhibition (IGA) in is used by thousands of visitors on a daily Trip time 3.8 min Rostock (2003) and the National Gar- basis. The gondola loading platform was Speed 2.5 m/s den Festival (BUGA) in Munich (2005). raised approximately 12’. This allows visi- Cabins 35 These carriers have full length windows tors accessing the park through this en- and the passengers sit back-to-back on trance to pass directly under the gondola Interval 12 s a central bench seat looking outwards to loading platform. Ramps to this terminal Inclined length 522 m enjoy the views. run up either side of the terminal and are Vertical rise 1 m built with a slope of approximately 6°. Towers 8 Availability, safety, high capacity This configuration allows passengers to access and exit the terminal with ease Drive Top The ropeway required approvals from the while not interfering with the guests enter- Tension Bottom City Building Department and the State ing the park. 27 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

The RopeCon material transport system combines the advantages of proven ropeway technology with those of conventional conveyor systems

RopeCon® for Jamaica

In September 2007, and essentially consists of a flat belt with High flying fun at the State Fair of Doppelmayr Transport corrugated side walls and integrated Texas with the Texas Skyway: Fairgoers wheel sets which run on fixed track Technology GmbH were delighted with the new ride. The ropes supported by towers. As virtually route is located in the center of the handed over the biggest all moving parts pass through the stations Fair Park and passes directly in front RopeCon installation ever at regular intervals, this enables mainte- of the Cotton Bowl Stadium (visible built to Jamalco/Alcoa. nance to be performed there. Once the at the right in the background). material carried is discharged, the belt is turned over again so that the soiled side The RopeCon in Jamaica transports faces upwards and no remaining mate- The question of tower location around 1200 metric tons of bauxite an rial can fall off. hour over a distance of 3.4 km and a The system has succeeded in saving Tower location was another challenge vertical descent of 470 m. 1,200 truck journeys a day. In addition, and towers were placed so as not to im- the topographical situation on Mount pact other rides and the Midway games. Low environmental impact, Olyphant means that the installation itself The fact that the fairgrounds are over cost-effective operation and generates around 1,300 kW of braking 100 years old meant that many unknown maintenance energy per hour which is fed back into utilities were encountered while digging the power network. the foundations. Doppelmayr CTEC was RopeCon® meets requirements such The installation was performed by Dop- responsible for supplying the ropeway as minimum dust and noise levels, low pelmayr Transport Technology; Jamal- equipment while the Fair provided the operating and maintenance costs, and co/Alcoa was responsible for surveying ramps, platforms and parking buildings enhanced safety. This conveyor system the line and all civil engineering works. for the gondolas. is designed for covering long distances 28 Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group

Input attracts interest at IAAPA

Input Projektentwicklungs GmbH, a company belonging to the Doppelmayr Group, had an eye-catching stand at IAAPA 2007 in Orlando, Florida, USA, the world’s biggest entertain- ment and amusement trade fair. The focal point of interest for the trade visitors was the Mountain Glider. With this system, four seated passengers “fly” downhill at speeds of up to 75 km/h. The carrier is propelled solely by the force of gravity and runs along a track mounted on a rope – not only an innovation for amusement parks but also an added attraction for mountain resorts. The photo shows MD Helmut Müller, Hannes Triebnik and Ewald Koppler from Input at the exhibition stand.

The Sanhe location raises plant has housed the manufacturing facili- the profile of Doppelmayr ties for steel structures as well as a well- stocked spare parts warehouse. “We are China aiming for maximum customer proximity, Since October, the Sanhe plant, in He- both geographically and in terms of our bei Province near Beijing, has been avail- services,” underlines Yanqiu Li, Manag- able to Doppelmayr customers both as ing Director of Doppelmayr China since and efficient enterprise. After a 45-year a central point of contact and a produc- April 2007. Under the longstanding man- career at Doppelmayr, with 25 years tion and service center. 24 people are agement of Ernst Nigg, Doppelmayr dedicated to working in China, Ernst now employed at Sanhe. Up to now, the China developed into a highly effective Nigg is now retiring.

Awesome ride experience with the Orange Bubble

Proprietor, editor and publisher: Doppelmayr The first of the new Orange Bubbles from Doppelmayr are now in service – and ski- Seilbahnen GmbH, A 6961 Wolfurt • Editing, ers are both amazed and delighted: “These bubbles create a sensational ride experi- graphics and layout: WIR Public Relations Wolfgang M. Wagenleitner, Weißacherg. 19, ence. First, you get the impression that the sun is shining whatever the weather, and A 6850 Dornbirn• www.wirpr.at second you get outstandingly clear vision. A sharp and friendly view of the world!”