Power plant high in the Swiss Alps The world s heaviest reversible aerial tramway. p.18

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1 April/May 2014 No th Year La Toussuire in the French Alps is a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts. It is also the birthplace of Jean-Pierre Vidal, slalom winner at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (2002). p.4 Skiers paradise Orelle boosts its appeal 6-CLD enthralls families and attracts experienced sports enthusiasts. p.2 Sainte Foy Tarentaise: nature conservation and comfort Variable loading speeds for skiers and foot passengers. p.6 Regional building style for chairlift in Bregenzerwald Wood is the local material in Mellau. p.8 Aerial tramway Grimentz-Zinal enlarges ski area Spectators line the way for delivery of giant ropes. p.14 Ski villages in Val des Bagnes grow together A fifth valley is added to the 4 Vallées ski region. p.16 Power plant high in the Swiss Alps The world s heaviest reversible aerial tramway. p.18 World record: The 3S Psekhako in the Olympic region of Sochi is the longest (5.4 km) and the fastest (8.5 m/s) lift of its kind in the world.

2 Skiers paradise Orelle boosts comfort and capacity Orelle in the Département Savoien describes itself as a top-comfort skiers paradise in the large Trois Vallées ski circuit. This paradise also boasts an impressive offering of modern ski lifts. Last winter saw the opening of a new detachable 6-seater chairlift from Doppelmayr. The chairlift provides access to a very popular blue ski run; experienced skiers can also use it as a connecting lift to get to the highest peak in the Trois Vallées region. Up to now, they often avoided this route due to the waiting times on the old lift. Guests will also take the new lift to reach the planned zip line which will be equipped with sit harnesses and enable users to fly along the wire and down to the base at a speed of 100 kilometers an hour. The immediate ski area of Val Thorens/ Orelle covers an impressively large area with 67 trails and 26 lifts. It belongs to the Trois Vallées, which is one of the biggest ski regions in the world and offers a choice ranging from chic winter sports resorts to small homey villages. The picturesque Orelle is located at an altitude of 900 m and ideally situated in the El Dorado for ski trails; from here, guests can reach the highest point accessible by lift in the Trois Vallées (3,230 m) within fifteen minutes. Robert Guillermet, CEO of Société des Téléphériques d Orelle: Doppelmayr did a great job both in terms of delivering on time and the quality of the product. The wind stability of the lift installation is just what we needed because of the rough conditions we sometimes experience in our region. We can even run this lift in high wind speeds! 6-CLD Peyron Transport capacity 2,400 PPH Trip time 5.2 min Speed 5.3 m/s Chairs 64 Interval 9.0 s Inclined length 1,520 m Top station altitude 2,790 m Vertical rise 436 m Towers 12 Drive Bottom Tensioning Top

3 Olympic challenge brilliantly mastered The Winter Olympics in Sochi/ Krasnaya Polyana are now history. From our perspective, the Games were an outstanding achievement. Apart from completing 35 ropeway installations on schedule in and around Krasnaya Polyana in the run-up to the Olympics, Doppelmayr also had a 17-person team on site during the Games to assist our Russian ropeway colleagues. Together they ensured that our installations ran smoothly. Over a grand total of 4,554 operating hours, the new lifts achieved percent availability! While a lot of the operations were routine, we also gained new experience in Krasnaya Polyana which will benefit other projects. One example is the organizational handling of large crowds of pedestrians (with no previous experience of riding on ropeways) flowing through entrance and exit areas; another is the need to pass on information not just to the drive operators but also to ropeway users who are familiar with the location and the language. The Winter Olympics yet again proved that we are on the right track. We successfully implemented new technical developments, honed our logistics capabilities and confirmed the importance of a training program for lift operators and their crews which is carefully adapted in line with the needs of the customer. The insights we have gained from the major event of the Winter Olympics 2014 will expand our expertise and ultimately be of benefit to all our customers. Michael Doppelmayr

4 La Toussuire: New 6-seater chairlift 50 percent more passengers In the ski resort La Toussuire in the French Alps, the fixedgrip quad chairlift Ravières has been replaced by a modern detachable 6-seater installation from Doppelmayr. The new 6-CLD Ravières ranks among the most frequently used lifts in the area. It starts from the edge of the village and leads up to the expansive slopes of the Tète de Bellarde (2,225 m) which are particularly appealing for leisurely skiers and ski schools. Laurent Deléglise, CEO of the La Toussuire-Les Sybelles ski area, had this to say: Our guests couldn t wait to see the opening of the new chairlift. As well as speed and safety, it offers high capacity. The fact that we ve seen a 50 per-

5 Laurent Deléglise, CEO of the La Toussuire-Les Sybelles ski area: From my perspective, the key benefits of the new lift are the restraining bar locking system and the individual footrests. The other features we rate highly are already familiar to us from the three other detachable Doppelmayr chairlifts in La Toussuire. He was also more than pleased with the way the construction was handled: Construction started at the end of the winter season The lift was handed over at the end of October. This time frame enabled everybody to work without time pressure and in compliance with the safety regulations. cent increase in passenger numbers since the lift went into service only goes to prove that our decision was absolutely the right one! There can be no doubt that the new installation has given a huge boost to the attractiveness of our ski area. Focus on comfort and family-friendliness Everything is designed for comfort and family-friendliness: the new lift alignment as well as the choice of chair model with automatic restraining bar locking and individual foot rests. The mountain village of La Toussuire derives its name from the word tochière meaning stump. This refers to the stump in the copse from which wooden sticks would be carved and were used by the herdsmen to guide their animals. The village has long since developed into an affluent tourist resort. With its 21 lifts and 50 kilometers of ski trails, La Toussuire is today the gateway to the Les Sybelles ski region. 6-CLD Ravières Transport capacity 2,400 PPH Trip time 4.3 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 67 Interval 8.0 s Inclined length 1,218 m Top station altitude 1,981 m Vertical rise 265 m Towers 12 Drive Bottom Tensioning Bottom

6 6 Sainte Foy Tarentaise: Nature conservation as a key objective The fixed-grip quad chairlift Grand Plan in the Sainte Foy Tarentaise ski area was built in 1990 and has now been replaced by a detachable 4-CLD from Doppelmayr. Not only is the new lift much faster but also offers far greater ride comfort than its predecessor. The ski area was created in the 1960s in an attempt to stem the flight of population from the land. This solution proved to be a success. Today, Tarentaise is a flourishing year-round tourist region. From the perspective of the village, the new 4-CLD Grand Plan is the first in a three-part chain of lifts extending as far as the 2,620 m Col de l Aiguille. From the top, visitors not only get to enjoy a magnificent panoramic view, but also reach the Natur Grand Bois conservation area. It is open to both hikers and off-piste skiers, and was developed in collaboration with the Office National des Forêts (O.N.F.), the national forestry authority. Insiders sing the praises of the wide powder snow descents through the ravines of the Vallon du Clou to Le Monal and the 1,700 m long straight downhill run from the Pointe de la Fogliettaz at almost 2,930 m; to reach the entry point, skiers have to climb up from the top station on the Col de l Aiguille. Also very comfortable for foot passengers The new lift has automatic restraining bar locking. When foot passengers want to load

7 7 or unload, the transit speed is automatically halved. Downhill capacity is adapted to suit demand: at 1,000 PPH, it is only half the capacity for uphill trips. Bird flight diverters and noise protection Special attention is focused on protecting nature. Measures adopted include spanning a rope with red aerial marker balls which alerts birds to an upcoming obstruction and helps to prevent collisions. The drive machinery is specially insulated to reduce noise emissions. 4-CLD Grand Plan Transport capacity 2,000 PPH Trip time 3.3 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 55 Interval 36.0 s Inclined length 800 m Top station altitude 1,775 m Vertical rise 259 m Towers 8 Drive Top Tensioning Top Christian Blanc-Gonnet, operations director of Sainte Foy Tarentaise Loisirs Développement: Doppelmayr France performed the installation work with great professionalism. The 4-CLD Grand Plan operates all year round and is the first in a chain of lifts up to the 2,620 m Col de l Aiguille, the highest point in the ski area.

8 8-seater chairlift for the traditional ski resort Mellau The 8-seater chairlift on the Mellauer Rossstelle in Bregenzerwald (Vorarlberg/ Austria) went into service at the start of the winter season 2013/14. In the design world, the bottom station has been praised as an architectural gem because of its wooden construction.

9 9 Herbert Frick, managing shareholder of Bergbahnen Mellau is delighted with the new lift and with Doppelmayr: Throughout the Mellau ski area we now have detachable lifts only and all of them are from Doppelmayr. That means modern design and comfort, which our winter guests have come to expect. The company is also planning further investments: The Mellaubahn, which acts as a feeder from the base, is to be replaced. The high capacity of the new Rossstellebahn has been designed with this development in mind. We also attach great importance to top-quality lift design. Combining the professional ropeway technology from Doppelmayr with the visionary architectural style of the bottom station building was a great decision. The entire project has been a success story. The lift installation was built in the shortest possible time with the best possible quality. It produced an instant wow effect among our guests. The new 8-CLD Rossstelle replaces two parallel T-bar surface lifts dating back to The chairs are fitted with clear glasstype bubbles, heated seats and individual footrests. The wooden construction of the bottom station is not just visually striking but also sound absorbing, making the drive machinery barely audible. The bottom station is on the Rossstelle, a high plateau in the heart of the ski area. This can be reached from the base by taking the 4-MGD Mellaubahn. This lift, which first opened in 1972 and has long since been modernized, has special significance for Doppelmayr as it was the company s first ever detachable gondola lift. The Mellau and Damüls ski areas were linked up in 2009 by the Gipfelbahn, an 8-MGD from Doppelmayr. This lift also starts from the Rossstelle and crosses the mountain crest between the Damüls and Mellau sections of the ski area. The number of lifts totals 29. The area ranges in altitude from 700 m to 2,000 m. The Rossstelle also accommodates the bottom stations of two other lifts as well as two restaurants and a sports shop. 8-CLD Rossstelle Transport capacity 3,400 PPH Trip time 2.6 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 36 Interval 8.5 s Inclined length 641 m Top station altitude 1,570 m Vertical rise 170 m Towers 7 Drive Bottom Tensioning Bottom

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11 11 10-MGD in the Kreischberg El Dorado for skiers and boarders The new 10-passenger Riegleralm gondola lift is symbolic of the dynamic development that the Murau-Kreischberg region has experienced in recent years. This was the view expressed by Styria s Deputy Provincial Governor Hermann Schützenhöfer, who is responsible for the province s tourism policy, at the opening of the winter season 2013/14. The Kreischberg ski area lies not far from the town of Murau in Austria s Central Alps and has altitudes ranging from 800 m to 2,120 m. The area attracts a high percentage of snowboarders. The infrastructure is also extensively geared to the practitioners of this winter sport. The new 10-MGD is a huge asset for the resort. The top station benefits from a central location on the mountain crest between the ski area s main lifts. The bottom station is reached via the 6-MGD Kreischbergbahn. At the same time as the new gondola lift, another 4 kilometers of ski trails complete with snowmaking installations were built. The Kreischberg ski area has a total of 40 km of ski trails which are served by 14 lifts (including the tubing lift) with an hourly capacity of 18,400 passengers. 10-MGD Riegleralm Transport capacity 3,000 PPH Trip time 6.3 min Speed 6.0 m/s Gondolas 65 Interval 12.0 s Inclined length 2,000 m Top station altitude 2,030 m Vertical rise 386 m Towers 11 Drive Top Tensioning Bottom MD Karl Schmidhofer, Murtal Seilbahnen: With this investment we have been able to significantly boost quality in our core ski area. Kreischberg is now even more competitive! Deputy Provincial Governor Schützenhöfer at the opening of the gondola lift to the Riegleralm: This lift is symbolic of the dynamism of the tourism sector in this province.

12 Since the winter of 2013, two modern chairlifts have been carrying passengers up to the peak of the Gernkogel in the Austrian ski area St. Johann/ Pongau-Alpendorf (Salzburg).

13 The two lifts replace a 25-year-old detachable quad chairlift as well as a double chairlift built in World s first 8-seater chair in FM-V version The Strassalmbahn is equipped with orange bubbles and individual footrests. It is the first 8-seater chairlift in the FM-V version. The key features are: Manually operated restraining bars Automatic engaging of the locking mechanism as soon as the bar is closed Deactivation of the locking mechanism in the top station. A photovoltaic installation is integrated into the standard roofing on the top station. This produces the power required to operate the lift and the Geisterberg family Quality drive in Alpendorf adventure park. The energy yield is impressive: enough to meet the requirements of eight single-family homes! The Obergassalmbahn is a detachable 6-seater chairlift with heated seats and blue bubbles. It incorporates a particularly child-friendly loading carpet which automatically adjusts to the body height of the passengers. All the chairs are fitted with fold-out bicycle racks. 8-CLD-B Strassalmbahn Transport capacity 3,200 PPH Trip time 3.2 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 42 Interval 9.0 s Inclined length 753 m Top station altitude 1,788 m Vertical rise 243 m Towers 9 Drive Top Tensioning Bottom Wolfgang Hettegger, board member of Alpendorf Bergbahnen AG: We opted for control and drive systems that we are already familiar with from the 8-MGD Buchau and the 6-CLD Gernkogel. That simplifies spare parts management, operation and maintenance. For space reasons, the bottom station of the Obergassalmbahn features an underground parking facility. The station is built on top of it. 6-CLD-B Obergassalmbahn Transport capacity 2,800 PPH Trip time 3.6 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 55 Interval 7.7 s Inclined length 898 m Top station altitude 1,754 m Vertical rise 210 m Towers 9 Drive Top Tensioning Bottom

14 Aerial tramway Grimentz-Zinal creates large ski area January 2014 saw the opening of the reversible aerial tramway Grimentz-Zinal. At 3,500 m, it is the second longest installation of its kind in Switzerland. The new aerial tram has two 125-passenger cabins. It can also operate in strong winds of up to 80 km/h. The integrated recovery concept ensures that the cabins can be safely run to a station in any rescue situation. Like scenes from the Tour de France! Delivery of the giant rope drums took place over four days with four transport operations involving two trucks hitched together. A motorcycle outrider headed up the heavy transport for traffic control purposes. Behind him came the trucks with a total length of 39 m, 173 t in weight, 3 m in width and over 4 m in height. On the first trip, the convoy was joined by a low-loader carrying tools and equipment as the third vehicle. The vehicles just managed to wend their way along the winding approach roads and over narrow bridges. On each occasion, the roads were lined with onlookers. It was such an impressive sight that the regional media compared the level of interest to the Tour de France! 5,000 helicopter flights Five thousand helicopter flights were required for laying the foundations and in-

15 15 stalling the towers. Delivering the concrete proved to be something of a logistical challenge as the arrival of the concrete mixer trucks had to be timed to coincide with suitable flying weather. The tram provides a direct connection between the Grimentz and Zinal ski areas, which up to now had been separated by the 2,900 m Corne de Sorebois. (The road is eight and a half kilometers long.) Together, the two ski areas offer 120 km of downhill runs, 17 km of cross-country tracks and 19 ropeways. In the summer, guests can enjoy extensive hiking routes and long mountain bike tours. 125-ATW Grimentz-Zinal Transport capacity 825 PPH Trip time 7.5 min Max. speed 10.0 m/s 125-passenger cabins 2 Inclined length 3,531 m Top station 2,693 m Vertical rise 1,096 m Towers 3 Drive 1.050/2.200 kw Top Haul rope counterweight 14.2 t Bottom Fixed track rope anchoring Top +bottom

16 More guests for mountain communities in Valais The new 8-passenger gondola lift Le Châble Mayens de Bruson in the ski area Verbier/ 4 Vallées went into service in mid-december The villages of Le Châble and Bruson hope to see visitor numbers double in the medium term. The new gondola lift replaces a double chairlift which was built in 1988 to supersede a double chairlift installed in The latest lift is designed for both uphill and downhill transport and operates all year round. An interesting feature is the service cabin which is used to transport freight as well as for maintenance work. A parking facility for the gondolas is provided in the bottom station. The gondola lift is more than twice the length of the old chairlift and both stations have also been relocated. It is now easier to reach the ski area from the top station. Previously, guests had to take the narrow mountain road from Le Châble up to the little hamlet of Bruson and from there take the chairlift which has since been dismantled. There is now a convenient link from Le Châble directly to the Mayens de Bruson ski area. The bottom station has been integrated into the base station building of the 4-passenger gondola lift Le Châble-Verbier-Ruinettes (Garaventa; built in 2001).

17 Good connection to Verbier Verbier lies on the opposite side of the valley. Today, we could actually call our ski area 5 Vallées instead of 4 Vallées, says Eric-A. Balet, CEO of Téléverbier SA, because our guests now have a straightforward means of traveling from one side of the valley to the other. The Mayens (May pasture) de Bruson lies 500 m above the village. In the spring it provides the alpine farmers with temporary Eric-A. Balet, CEO of Téléverbier SA: We re very pleased with the ropeway: it runs smoothly, the design is excellent and so is the transport capacity. We foresee a doubling of the passenger numbers we had on the old lift in four years at the most. pastureland for their cattle before they take them to the pastures higher up the mountain. 8-MGD Le Châble - Mayens de Bruson Transport capacity 1,600 PPH Trip time 8.2 min Speed 6.0 m Gondolas 54 Interval 18.8 s Inclined length 2,592 m Top station altitude 1,654 m Vertical rise 823 m Towers 15 Drive Top Tensioning Bottom

18 18 Funicular for 215 tons The 215-ton funicular railway ZS1 belonging to the Limmern hydropower plant in the Swiss canton of Glarus was ready to go into service at the end of September It is designed to carry freight as well as for passenger transport. The completion of the funicular marks the end of phase two in the Linthal 2015 ropeway project. The two heavy-duty ropeway installations, Construction Ropeway 1 and Construction Ropeway 2 went into service back at the start of The first can transport loads of up to 40 tons and the second up to 30 tons. Once the construction work has been completed, both installations will be removed. The ropeways are being used during the construction of the Limmern pumped storage hydropower plant and the expansion of the Lake Mutt reservoir. When it is finished, the power plant will produce 1,000 MW of electricity. It forms the heart of a group of five power plants which from 2015 will deliver a total of 1,480 MW of electricity. This is the equivalent of the power requirements for 366,000 households. The funicular is designed to carry the four transformers to the underground control center. Each of these can only be transported in one piece and weighs 215 tons. The track runs through a tunnel which is almost 4 km in length with a width of 8 m and a 24 percent gradient. Freight and passenger transport The trains can consist of various vehicle types. The standard configuration uses cabins which can carry 30 passengers and freight weighing up to a total of 40 tons. Freight is loaded either by crane or forklift truck, or the construction vehicles drive straight up to the funicular cabins. In the case of the transformers, flat wagons are used which are coupled to a brake trolley at the uphill end fitted with 14 Loading an 80-ton stay ring section for the turbine in the lower terminal and transporting it through the tunnel.

19 19 Normal load 40 t (with mounted cabin including 30 passengers) horizontal loading on the ramp Heavy load 1 80 t, no passengers loading ramp lowered Heavy load t, no passengers additional bogie Transformer Heavy load 215 t, no passengers flat wagon / brake trolley track brakes. But that is not sufficient: the counterbalancing car is also loaded with concrete blocks with a total weight of 120 tons. The transformer transport is accompanied by a man on foot. He carries a control panel with him so that he can stop the wagon at any time. In upper terminal, the transformers are lifted onto a special vehicle and driven to the transformer hall. The transformers were manufactured in Germany and shipped down the River Rhine, then transported by rail and finally delivered by special truck. Garaventa was the general contractor responsible for the ropeway engineering for the funicular as well as the internal construction of the 4 km long tunnel and the track. The two heavy-duty ropeways which are unique worldwide were also supplied by Garaventa (WIR 182, September 2010).

20 20 Winterpark Willingen has a new 6-CLD The German ski resort Willlingen has its first detachable chairlift, the new 6-seater Ritzhagen lift, which has been operating since December Willingen in the state of Hessen is a municipality in what is known as the Upland, the northeastern section of the Rothaargebirge mountain range with altitudes of up to 843 m. The town lives almost exclusively from tourism, with 1 million overnight stays per annum and 8,000 beds. Child-friendly chairs Thanks to its chairs incorporating slipthrough protection with automatic restraining bar locking and individual footrests, the Ritzhagen lift is suitable for carrying children with a body height of 90 cm and above with just one accompanying adult per chair. When not in use, the chairs are parked in the stations. The chairlift replaces a surface lift built in The old lift itself has been shortened and retained for the summer toboggan run. (The riders are pulled uphill seated in their toboggans which are then automatically detached in the top station.) The chairlift provides access to the northern part of the Willingen ski area. The resort has 16 km of interlinked ski trails. 6-CLD Ritzhagenlift Transport capacity 3,000 PPH Trip time 2.6 min Speed 5.0 m/s Chairs 43 Interval 7.2 s Inclined length 631 m Top station altitude 697 m Vertical rise 112 m Towers 6 Drive Top Tensioning Bottom The operators of the Ritzhagen lift (from left to right): Gerhard Bender, Herbert Rummel and Christian Rummel all agree: The chairlift has met with a great response and all operations run smoothly.

21 21 World first: A detachable chairlift for skiers and bikers A 6-seater chairlift with a difference has gone into service in the German ski resort of Winterberg in Sauerland. As well as carrying skiers and foot passengers, it features new technology for transporting mountain bikes. The Winterberg ski circuit encompasses 22 lifts, 11 of which are chairlifts. The lifts have a total transport capacity of 37,000 PPH and a combined length of nine kilometers. The ski circuit essentially consists of two core areas. The larger of these is on the Bremberg; the other lies opposite on the mountain ridge known as the Kappe. Since winter 2012/13, these two ski mountains 6-CLD Kappe Capacity winter/summer 2,700/1,600 PPH Trip time winter/summer 2.7/3.1 min Speed winter/summer 4.5/4.0 m/s Chairs 40 Interval winter/summer 8.0/9.0 s Inclined length 562 m Top station altitude 782 m Vertical rise 179 m Towers 7 Drive Top Tensioning Bottom have been connected by the Doppelmayr 6-CLD Schneewittchen (Snow White). There has been a sharp rise in the number of skiers on the Kappe since this link went into service. As a result, the old double chairlift became hopelessly overcrowded at peak times. The operators therefore took the decision to replace it with a 6-seater chairlift offering significantly higher capacity. At the same time, the top station was moved 60 m uphill to allow convenient access to the ski trails. Prior to this, skiers had to remove their skis and walk uphill. It is now possible to ski straight to three trails. Downhill bikers in the summer In the summer, the chairs are used first and foremost by downhill bikers. The mountain bike transport system is a world first. The riders place their bikes in special racks on the chair in front of them and then take up their seats on the next chair. In the top station they then remove their bikes themselves. Winterberg has a new 6-CLD. It provides access to the Kappe ridge for skiers in the winter and for hikers and, in particular, mountain bikers in the summer. The Kappe bike park is the biggest in Germany and the third biggest in Europe.

22 22 Neuastenberg village ski resort as star innovator The ski village of Neuastenberg in the Hochsauerland ski region has Germany s first fixed-grip quad chairlift with individual footrests and manually operated restraining bars. It replaces the 40-year-old Osthang surface lifts I + II. The restraining bars are closed by the passengers and lock automatically as soon as they reach the bottommost position. Pretensioned spring packs on the chair enable the restraining bar to open automatically by a third on entry into the top station; final opening is performed by the passengers. Neuastenberg is one of the Höhendörfer (highland villages) on the Kahler Asten, the most well-known mountain in northwestern Germany, in the east of the Rothaargebirge mountain range which rises up to more than 800 m. The region enjoys abundant snowfall. In contrast with most resorts, the ski trails lie below rather than above the village. Meinolf Pape, managing director of the operating company Postwiesen-Liftgesellschaft: The new chairlift has become the visual centerpiece of the ski area. Thanks to the chairlift, we no longer have to perform the laborious task of snowmaking for the surface lift tow tracks. And the steep uphill section has also been removed. Neuastenberg has remained true to its tradition as a star innovator among the village ski resorts in Sauerland.

23 23 The parking facility for the chairs was integrated below the top station as this meant it was possible to dispense with part of the fill for the building. The chairs are parked using a crane on the service platform for moving the grips, which is installed next to the station. On this lift, the chairs are removed from the rope, lowered through an opening in the roof of the parking facility and positioned on a hydraulic lift platform. The carriers are then transported to the respective parking rail. Doppelmayr delivered special adapters for grip maintenance. These are used in place of the grips if necessary. 4-CLF Osthangbahn Transport capacity 2,411 PPH Trip time 4.0 min Speed 2.4 m/s Chairs 82 Interval 6.0 s Inclined length 575 m Bottom station altitude 608 m Top station altitude 731 m Vertical rise 123 m Towers 8 Drive Top Tensioning Top The Osthang lift provides access to the four existing ski trails on the Osthang (eastern slope), the new Dorfabfahrt (village run) from the top to the bottom station and to the freeski terrain in the Funpark. A large part of the ski trails and the Funpark are equipped with floodlighting.

24 24 Fitness check for ropeways Doppelmayr has made conditioning monitoring part of its advanced course for ropeway personnel. Condition monitoring involves checking the fitness of ropeway components. That helps to increase the lifetime of parts and equipment as well as improving safety. Condition monitoring is a maintenance concept based on regular observation of the condition of machinery. Physical parameters such as vibrations on ball bearings, signs of abrasion in gearbox oil, the condition of hydraulic fluids, ropes, etc. are measured and analyzed. The objective is to identify weak points at an early stage and to then eliminate them. Doppelmayr offers in-depth training on key aspects of condition monitoring as part of the courses RS24, OG25 and EM26. Operations managers report here on their experiences with the respective Doppelmayr courses. Michael Körber, operations manager, Schultz Group/ Hochzillertal: The courses are well structured. The instructors know what they re talking about. I ve also had positive feedback from employees regarding the courses at Doppelmayr. In particular, they praise the practical implementation. He goes on to say that the courses are a good building block, part of the big picture which consists of the various training modules, personal experience on a ropeway installation and with fault elimination as well as conversations with colleagues.

25 25 Reinhard Kurz, Silvrettaseilbahn AG, general operations manager: The courses are very much oriented toward practice and you get good answers to any questions you raise. I like the fact that external experts such as rope manufacturers, motor manufacturers, etc. also get involved in the courses. What you learn in the training session can be readily applied in practice. Reinhard Perwein, Zauchensee Liftgesellschaft, is currently responsible for general operations within the company: The training is very good and practical in orientation. The questions of the participants are always addressed. The way the courses are split into focus areas is excellent in my view! He is able to apply what he has learned to inspection work and fault elimination as well as incorporating his newly acquired know-how for training his own employees. Vladimir Vlásek is the head of ropeway operations at VW Bratislava: Our ropeway runs seven days a week. That makes it essential for all our employees to be up to speed in terms of skills and know-how. If there s a fault, they have to be able to react correctly straight away. In his view, the courses provided by Doppelmayr are a great help toward achieving that goal and he knows of nothing comparable elsewhere. Our experience shows that the more people who attend the Doppelmayr courses, the better the level of availability we achieve with our ropeway. Right now it s virtually fault-free 99.6% availability! What Vladimir Vlásek values in particular is the practical relevance of the Doppelmayr training: In Slovakia, we have a good saying: It s better to look once than to listen twice. This motto applies to the substance of the courses at Doppelmayr. Employees from his department will continue to attend these courses across all areas. He is also considering sending machine operators on the electrical courses and electricians on the machine operator courses.

26 26 Winter Olympics have given a lasting boost to the region s economy Prof. Yury P. Stetsenko, head of the Russian Federation s trade mission in Austria, took part in an interview for WIR Magazine. Question: How have the Winter Olympic Games affected the region s economy? Olympic Games are not just a sporting event. They can also lead to important social and economic changes. In Sochi, more than 1,500 km of new utility networks and communications lines as well as 360 km of roads and bridges were laid or modernized, and 42 hotels built. The amount of electricity generated has been increased by 1,208 MW. We ve built hundreds of installations for education, health, culture and sport. Needless to say, all these facilities will continue to be used after the Winter Olympics, which means that a lot of new permanent jobs have been created. In 2013, the employment rate in the administrative district of Krasnodar (population 5 million), where the Olympic venues are located, was 94.4 percent. In Sochi, there s full employment. What has been the impact of linking up the ski mountains around Krasnaya Polyana? That has had huge positive impacts on Sochi and Krasnodar. Sochi is now not just a famous spa but also a winter sports center. We expect to see a significant rise in tourist numbers. In 2013, we recorded 3.8 million tourists for the whole year. This year, that figure is likely to double. The winter season will make a major contribution to that rise. Experts predict

27 27 that the number of winter vacationers will increase by 30 percent to 650,000. I would already rate Sochi in third place among the most attractively priced winter sports regions in Europe. Right now, domestic tourists are in the majority, but Sochi is attracting more and more foreign guests who are looking for rest and relaxation. Will the Winter Olympics also have an effect on other ski resorts in Russia? We don t have any concrete calculations at the present time, but I consider that to be a possibility. What in your view are the most important criteria that a ropeway has to meet? If you want to ensure top quality for both skiers and foot passengers, the main criteria are simple use, modern equipment, safe operation and high performance. What would be your statement on the Doppelmayr lifts? The lift installations have been very well received. That was already evident last summer. While not all the lifts had been completed back then, those that were in operation were used by thousands of people at the weekends, who wanted to take in the mountain air and enjoy the view of the Olympic venues. The region around Krasnaya Polyana has become a sophisticated ski destination that stands up to international comparisons with the best addresses!

28 28 Photo shoot for Olympic athlete Football fans on Doppelmayr chairs Portland Aerial Tram: 10 m passengers Susanne Moll from Vorarlberg/Austria (left in photo; occupation policewoman) has been taking part in World Cup races for ten years. At the Winter Olympics in Sochi, she reached the boardercross semifinal. Photographer Matthias Weissengruber used the presentation hall at Doppelmayr s Wolfurt-Rickenbach plant for the photo shoot for her autograph card. The Hochkönig ski region is giving away seats on two Doppelmayr 6-seater chairs for every home match of the football club Fortuna Düsseldorf. The chairs are positioned at the edge of the field. You experience the game in a similar way to the players, say Austrian soccer stars Erwin Jimmy Hoffer, Stürmer (seated) and Christian Garti Gartner (central midfielder). Erratum. The last issue of Wir Magazine (No. 192) contained an error regarding the length of the rope span on the 3S Peak 2 Peak in Whistler, which we would like to correct: The rope span on this lift is 3,024 m long and not 4.4 km as stated. The total length of the installation is 4,407 m. It is nonetheless correct that the P2P has the longest rope span worldwide for a lift of this type. Since it opened in January 2007, the Portland Aerial Tram, a twin-tracked 78-ATW, has carried 10 million people. The tram is integrated into the urban transport ticketing network. It climbs 152 vertical meters along a route connecting a large parking lot with the university campus. The upper terminal is located on the ninth floor of the 14-story main building. The tram is owned by the City of Portland and operated by the Oregon Health & Science University. The distance covered by the tram during its 23,988 hours in operation is the equivalent of a trip to the moon. At the same time, 2 million car miles (3.2 million km) and 1,000 t of fuel emissions have been avoided. Fun with Skippy Hi kids! It s me again, Skippy! The snow and winter have now gone, and the mountain forests and pastures are once again a lush green. Just the right time for a great mountain bike trip! Mountain biking is awesome! But I like being up in the bike park better than spending hours struggling up the mountain to get there. No problem! We just take the chairlift! Wow! That s really cool! On goes the bike... and before you know it, you re up in the bike park! Proprietor, editor and publisher: Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH, 6922 Wolfurt / Austria Editing, graphics and layout: WIR Public Relations Wolfgang Wagenleitner, Weißacherg. 19, 6850 Dornbirn / Austria wir@doppelmayr.com