21 replies to this topic

[Carl]

I thought I'd seen some fancy ski lifts, however, this one really takes
the cake.


http://www.ropeways..../galzigbahn.wmv

The animation is amazing, as well is the lift.

Carl

[Peter]

Wow that will be really unique. Cabins go into the terminal, around 2 bulwheels like a ferris wheels, turnaround, and go back up another ferris wheel before leaving the terminal. 2 Questions come to mind: How do the grips work if they have to go vertical and upside down? And what is the point? Is it just to build a really cool lift?

This post has been edited by Skier: 22 March 2006 - 03:51 PM

[Jonni]

It would be kick ass, but I would also see it as a lift mechanic's nightmare.

[Carl]

I believe the design was implimented to eliminate the need for riders to utilize a flight of stairs as the means to get from the slope level to the loading level of the lift.

Carl - refraining from further comment

[SkiBachelor]

I think this design is way too complicated and unpratical just for a height change of about 40 feet. Why doesn't the resort just use big industrial elevators like that at Zermatt for loading its gondola?

[Lift Dinosaur]

SkiBachelor, on Mar 23 2006, 11:26 AM, said:

I think this design is way too complicated and unpratical just for a height change of about 40 feet. Why doesn't the resort just use big industrial elevators like that at Zermatt for loading its gondola?

Cameron, you are SOOOOO thinking inside the box! It is obvious that you are a business student and not in engineering!! lol

[Peter]

The Galzigbahn is complete! Now how is it that Jackson Hole takes 2 years to build their much simpler tram?

What an amazing piece of machinery

http://www.galzigbahn.at/e107_plugins/auto...hn%20Woche%2043

[maplevalleymaster]

Hmm... can someone explain to me the point of this lift. It is very cool though.

[Peter]

The point is to avoid stairs up to the loading platform and maintain access to the area right below where the cabins exit the terminal. By having the ferris wheels, the cabins enter the terminal up on the 2nd floor, but loading is on the ground floor. The top station, however, does not have this setup. It is the normal turnaround design.

[SkiBachelor]

The loading platform could have still be built on the first floor to my knowledge (like all the other funitels), but this system was built to be unique.

[Lift Dinosaur]

[quote name='Skier' date='Nov 1 2006, 11:23 PM' post='51454']
The Galzigbahn is complete! Now how is it that Jackson Hole takes 2 years to build their much simpler tram?

Have you seen a time line on this project? I can't believe that this was not AT LEAST a 2 year project from concept TO design TO fabrication TO installation TO commissioning.

[Jonni]

I'll be happy when they do a video on the lift actually going. The animators rendition of the lift is excellent, but I would love to see the actual thing work on it's own.

[Peter]

Jonni, on Nov 2 2006, 07:06 PM, said:

I'll be happy when they do a video on the lift actually going. The animators rendition of the lift is excellent, but I would love to see the actual thing work on it's own.

Wish Granted! http://www.galzigbah...oad.php?view.51

[Jonni]

WOW! I'm glad to see such a innovative idea is actually put into motion. Great find skier!

[Duck]

I'm in shock.

I think I have a new favourite lift. Incredible. The vertical turnaround is genius, and so elegant. To have the grip ride onto a section like that means the cabins are no more complex than a conventional Funitel. You can see how there is a 1:1 synchro chain that is keeping the bit of track on the vertical wheels in one planar orientation, and how they can fold out of the way at the bottom to ride over top of the car coming in. I'm still not sure what the bits are for right at the end of the on-load track that fold in and out of the way. From a technical standpoint it's gorgeous. Man I love Doppelmayr!

I did a bit of exploring; here are some more links:

Galzigbahn - Main Page
Video Downloads
Photo Gallery

Thanks for this incredible find!

-Iain

PS - 6:25 to 6:35 in the video Skiier posted is breathtaking!

This post has been edited by Duck: 21 January 2007 - 11:39 AM

[WBSKI]

Cool video! That thing must need a heck of alot of maintenaince.

[Duck]

For fun, here's a write-up I did on it after watching the videos on the page, for my journal:

Technical Achievements: Doppelmayr presents the Galzigbahn
by Iain Hendry

In the Austrian alps at St. Anton, a new machine has quietly gone into service to whisk skiiers and snowboarders to the top of the Arlberg mountains (2800 m).

The human race has a long history of incredible machines. Sometimes a much easier or obvious solution is possible, but every so often a method or design comes up which inspires awe. In the modern era, these installations are much more difficult to find. It is easy to believe that humans have lost their desire to prove what it is capable of. But, like the Falkirk wheel, the Galzigbahn will be a destination from all around the world because of it's elegent complexity.


Concept image of the lower terminal.

While many technical solutions could have been realized at St. Anton, the long history of innovation and aesthetics at that town demanded a less conventional lift. With the class-leading engineering of Austrian ropeway manufacturer Doppelmayr, the Galzigbahn was conceived. Built on the existing technology of Funitel (a bicable, detachable ropeway system affording high lateral stability due to the widely spaced running ropes), the Galzigbahn incorporates a world's first "Ferris Wheel" loading system. To facilitate loading at ground level, the cabins are brought around the Ferris Wheel down to an inverted loading turnaround, before being lifted up by another Ferris wheel.


Assembly of the massive wheel.

On approaching the upper floor of the lower terminal, the cabins detach from the main ropes. It is supported by auxiliary wheels, which ride on a separate track. A bank of rubber tires, each operating at a speed slightly slower than the previous, serve to decelerate the cabin to a slow walking speed. At the end of this track, the cabin approaches the Ferris wheel. At this point the Ferris wheel begins to rotate. Mounted to one point on the circumference of the wheels is a small section of track which simulates the rope. This section of track, through electronic synchronization of the Ferris wheel motors and rubber tire motors, meshes with the cabin and lifts it slightly off the support rollers.

The cabin completes one-half revolution. It is maintained in an upright orientation thanks to a synchronizing chain which is a 1:1 relationship to a non-moving shaft at the centre of the wheel. When the cabin approaches the bottom track, two small track extensions fold into position to accept the cabin. Rubber tires fold down and engage the friction plate on the top of the cabin, and the support rollers engage their auxiliary track. The small track section on the wheel pivots out of the way and continues its revolution to the top, before pausing, to accept the next cabin. All of these steps are performed transparently to the rider, with no jerk or pause in the movement.


A cabin rides through the wheel.

The process repeats in reverse after the cabin has completed it's 180 degree U-turn for loading/offloading, at slow speed. It is accelerated up to line speed via another bank of rubber tires, and the grips engage the ropes before heading to the upper terminal. The cabin does not slow down or stop during the engagement or disengagement of the wheel, which is probably the most incredible technical aspect of the system.

Once in full operation, the Galzigbahn will have an uphill capacity of 2 200 people per hour. 28 cabins accomodate 24 passengers each, at a maximum line speed of 6 m/s (22 km/h). The line rises over 700 m and takes about 9 minutes.


Lower terminal.

Video - Testing (41.2 MByte, 11:55)
Video - History and Construction (56.3 MByte, 6:29)

[j-p.m.]

Some pictures of the bottom station:

[skierdude9450]

That is sooo cool But, realistically, if you wanted to be able to load at ground level, it seems that it would be much more cost-effective to just dig a tunnel out from the station.