Doppelmayr; D-Line Sets New Standards In Wildhaus

Wildhaus Bergbahnen was the first ski area in Switzerland to put a 6-seater D-Line generation chairlift into operation which is equipped with all the components of a “family lift”. Particular emphasis was placed on child-friendliness and comfort.

The D-Line and all of its functions, which Doppelmayr / Garaventa implemented in the development of the new generation of cable cars, contains 205 new features and 31 innovations, 14 of which are patent pending. Garaventa CEO Arno Inauen emphasizes the visionary character of the new lift: “The D-Line brings together long-standing tradition and know-how with ultra-modern design and the latest technical achievements. During development, particular attention was paid to driving comfort, quiet operation, appealing design and time-saving maintenance. The family-friendliness of the railway was also extremely important in this project. "

As attractive as the use of chairlifts is especially for children, there are still some minor pitfalls: even getting started can be a stress test for the whole family, and parents always make sure that the children are seated correctly during the journey. These factors were taken into account when developing the new D-Line in Wildhaus. The new Oberdorf-Freienalp chairlift has, among other things, increased protective functions for children and a particularly convenient approach to the facility. The strikers are equipped with central footrests so that they cannot slip through. When you exit the station, the locking bracket closes automatically. Locking monitoring ensures that there is no armchair on the route with the bar not closed and locked. "For example, if a passenger is not seated properly and the bracket cannot lock into place, the train stops," explains Marcel Nussbaumer, Sales Manager at Garaventa AG. The locking bars are only unlocked and automatically opened after entering the station on the mountain.

To support these functions, the entrance to the valley station is equipped with a conveyor belt including a lifting table. When a small child wants to get on, the lifting table rises automatically so that the child can sit on the armchair with ease. "Gone are the days when the cable car employees or other passengers had to lift the children onto the armchair," says Urs Gantenbein, CEO of Wildhaus Bergbahnen. Thanks to this system, it is possible to occupy a 6-seater armchair with one adult and five children. This is in contrast to «normal» 6-seater chairlifts, where at least two adults are required. This is a huge advantage, especially for snow sports schools.

High level of comfort thanks to the latest cable car technology

The new chairlift to the Freienalp is also especially comfortable for adult passengers. The ergonomically shaped individual seats and the 520 mm wide seat create sufficient space and are embroidered with the elegant logo of the mountain railways, which is a special eye-catcher. The chairlift is equipped with lightweight and aerodynamically shaped weather protection hoods - even in cold weather or precipitation, the cable car journey is very pleasant for the passengers.

Technical specifications