Zermatt Bergbahnen AG presents its new detachable 10-seater Kumme gondola. The special thing about it: It is the first autonomous gondola lift in Switzerland.
After an intense and eventful summer of construction, the new 10-seater Kumme gondola lift operated by Zermatt Bergbahnen AG (ZBAG) was opened for skiing.
[IMG 2]The cable car manufacturer Doppelmayr / Garaventa has developed the pioneering product “AURO” thanks to the most modern technical means. Doppelmayr / Garaventa is presenting the autonomous ropeway under the heading “AURO – Autonomous Ropeway Operation”.
An “AURO” cable car is characterized by its operatorless operation. According to Zermatt Bergbahnen, the product is technically state-of-the-art and impresses with intelligent and networked technology as well as the highest level of safety. The cable car has cameras and sensors that monitor the system – especially when entering and exiting the cabins. The system independently detects situations which deviate from «normal operation».[IMG 3]
For example, if a passenger gets stuck in the cabin door with their ski boots, the system reacts immediately and the system switches off automatically. The system is switched on again by a cable car employee. This operates the cable car from a control center, the so-called “Ropeway Operation Center (ROC)”. The perfect synergy of people and advanced technology results in the high reliability and availability of an AURO cable car.
The GB Kumme is thus the first autonomous cable car to go into operation in Switzerland. With a capacity of 1,500 people per hour, 56 gondolas lead from Tufternkehr via the Wyss Gufer middle station up to the Rothorn and into the “Matterhorn Ski Paradise”. The track has a length of 3,192 meters and a height of 965 meters.
[IMG 4]ZBAG hopes that the new rail project will pave the way for technical innovation beyond the Zermatt destination: “With the opening of this unique facility, we can continue Zermatt’s pioneering spirit. The GB Kumme is directly linked to earlier, groundbreaking projects, such as the highest mountain station in Europe or the highest 3S cable car in the world. The first weeks since the commissioning of this technical masterpiece and the positive development of the frequencies have confirmed that the ski area below the Rothorn has undergone a massive upgrade, ”says Markus Hasler, CEO of ZBAG, proudly.
A total of 30 million francs was invested in the construction of the facility. In addition to the gondola lift, a 4.5 km long snow system with 63 new snow lances and five avalanche detonators have also been created. Andreas Biner, President of the Zermatt Civic Community, is the godfather of the ultra-modern facility. (htr / npa)
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