“Time Gate” at the Matterhorn
Doppelmayr, in partnership with Garaventa, completed 32 cable car projects in the Alps in 2023, nine of which were in Switzerland, and 26 of these special transport technologies in North America. One of the most striking is the new Zermatt–Furi aerial tramway, which offers a view of the Matterhorn as if through a time portal.
Doppelmayr, headquartered in Wolfurt and with the Garaventa site in Goldau, Switzerland, is the world market leader in the design, production and construction of cable car systems with a market share of 62% and has realized around 15,400 installations in 96 countries worldwide to date.
26 projects in the Alpine region alone
The futuristic cable car in Zermatt is, of course, part of the "Matterhorn Alpine Crossing"the highest cable car crossing of the Alps between two countries. One immediately striking feature is the first support tower, designed in the shape of a magnifying glass. This unconventional tower design is a stroke of genius by the designers. The magnifying glass-shaped tower allows passengers to focus on the Matterhorn as if through a magnifying glass.
Design Center
The cable car is located in the immediate vicinity of the main access system, the 8-person Matterhorn Express gondola lift, which operates almost 360 days a year. This continuous operation necessitated special safety measures during the dismantling and assembly of the pylons for the new aerial tramway. The cable route ran over houses, hiking trails, and roads, which made the planning and execution challenging.
Special design features on the support saddles of the first tower dampen the noise. Furthermore, a Fatzer Performa haul rope was used for the first time in a cable car; thanks to its nearly cylindrical surface structure, it runs virtually vibration-free and quietly over the pulleys. Peak Line components were used for the first time in the valley station, such as compact station saddles that do not require haul rope pulleys. The cabins of this cable car were manufactured by CWA in Olten and feature balconies on the roof of the mountain-facing side during the summer months.
City railway in Europe
For the first time, a large aerial tramway was "Auro," equipped "Autonomous Ropeway Operation" allowing the tramway to operate autonomously. This doesn't mean the tramway freely chooses its route. However, it is equipped with cameras and sensors that continuously collect and transmit safety-relevant data. Thanks to this technology, the tramway can operate according to a predefined timetable without a monitoring operator. The tramway staff can then perform other tasks and only need to intervene in the event of a safety stop. According to the manufacturer, Auro increases operational safety by enabling a rapid response to hazardous situations, as the system does not tire and can operate from multiple perspectives simultaneously. The Auro mode is scheduled to go into operation in early 2024.
Photos: Doppelmayr Group
Among the more prominent projects in North America is the city cable car in Uruapan, Mexico. There, the state of Michoacán is investing 3 billion pesos (approximately 155 million euros) in the construction of a cable car with a route length of 8.4 km and a transport capacity of 1,500 people per hour in each direction.
