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Welcome to a fascinating journey behind the scenes of one of Austria's oldest mountain cable cars! In this blog article, we take you on a technical journey of discovery that sheds light on the historical and innovative aspects of cable car technology.
Mechanical copying mechanism - a masterpiece of mechanics
A special highlight of the cable car is the mechanical copying mechanism, which is rarely found in this form in Austria. 100% mechanical, a torque is absorbed by the deflection disk via chains and gear wheels. This is then transferred to a control box, which shows the operator the position of his wagon on the track. This precise monitoring is crucial, especially when retracting the trolley.
There are a total of four zones that are monitored depending on the switches on the deflection disk. These prevent the trolley from racing through the station in an uncontrolled manner. Today, modern systems solve this digitally with tachometers, but here we experience technology in its most original form.
Suspension cable tensioning - a balancing act of technology
The counterpart to the suspension cable tensioning system is located in the bottom station, where the tensioning weight is attached. The suspension cable is wrapped four times around a so-called "bollard" and fixed with its own friction. Two clamps, which are offset by 90 degrees, absorb the remaining force. A special monitoring device, the spy, checks the condition of the clamps and warns if there is insufficient space, which could indicate that the rope is slipping.
Every twelve years, the suspension rope must be shifted by the longest contact surface. On this lift, this is the only support in the middle, which has a length of 8.5 meters. This measure prevents the rope from resting on the same spot for longer than twelve years. An interesting detail: the rope is still the original from 1967.
Running gear - precision and safety
The running gear consists of rollers that run on the track rope, a track rope clutch and a track rope brake that holds the vehicle in the event of the track rope breaking.
The custom-made current collectors and the rollers on the guide rail are particularly noteworthy here. A blue switch marks the control stop point at which the train recognizes that it has reached the station and stops automatically. If this point is exceeded, a speed limit switch one meter behind it intervenes and activates the safety brake.
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Three operating modes - flexibility in times of need
The lift has three operating modes:
Mains power via generator: The normal operating mode.
Emergency drive feeding the generator: An additional drive in the event of a mains power failure.
Emergency operation via VW motor: In an absolute emergency, a VW motor can directly access the drive disk and maintain operation.
In contrast to new cable cars, which only have main and emergency drives and can only run empty in an emergency, the additional auxiliary drive on the Gosaukammbahn enables the speed to be reduced and operation to continue.
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These historical and technical details show the impressive engineering skills behind such a historic cable car. It combines traditional mechanics with modern technology to ensure safe and reliable operation. We hope you enjoyed this insight into the world of cable car technology and that this knowledge will make your next cable car ride even more exciting.
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