Innovative Evacuation in Challenging Terrain

The cable car in beautiful Vercorin is facing a unique challenge: Several high-voltage power lines intersect its route. In the event that a cabin is positioned directly over one of these power lines and passengers need to be evacuated, a vertical descent is not feasible due to the inability to shut down the power grid in a timely manner. To address this specific situation, an ingenious evacuation plan has been devised.

An Ingenious Evacuation Plan
Immediately after the alarm is raised, a rescuer equipped with the SS1 self-driven cable carriages rushes from the support tower to the affected cabin to assist the passengers. Simultaneously, another rescuer approaches from the valley station with the electrically powered SS40 AWD, equipped with the Electric-Drive System (EDS) and Type C running gear for secure passenger transport. It is coupled with a safety braking to ensure a safe and controlled descent.
Upon reaching the cabin, passengers are equipped with the CS 141 rescue harness and securely attached to the descent device, which is fixed to the Type C running gear. The rescuer guides the passengers out of the danger zone to perform a safe vertical descent. Once the evacuated individuals are safely on solid ground, the process is repeated until all 15 passengers have been successfully evacuated.
The New SS40 AWD and Electric-Drive System (EDS) – A Powerful Duo
In challenging evacuation scenarios, technical equipment plays a crucial role. Particularly noteworthy is the new SS40 AWD, officially delivered as a standard version for the first time. Special versions were previously designed for custom requests outside the cable car industry. The high demand for self-driven cable carriages that exhibit even less wear and tear, especially on steep and long cable sections, prompted the inclusion of the SS40 AWD as a standard model.
Moreover, the Electric-Drive System (EDS) represents another innovation, making its debut in cable car evacuations. In addition to facilitating powerful uphill travel, this innovative system allows energy recovery during downhill travel to recharge the battery. As a result, rescuers have ample power and capacity for reliable evacuations.
The combination of the SS40 AWD and the Electric-Drive System (EDS) is particularly effective in long, steep cable sections with a small cable diameter. It can easily handle gradients of up to 35° with a maximum user weight of 125 kg.
2. August 2023
+41 41 857 06 66