Funitel.html



Squaw Valley Funitel, Jan 2005

A funitel is a type of aerial lift, generally used to transport skiers. The name funitel is a conjunction between the French words funiculaire and telepherique. Funitels have not only been used as a means to transport skiers, there is one used to transport finished cars between different areas of a factory. Recently, more and more funitels have been added to ski areas.

When used to transport skiers, funitels are a fast way to get to a higher altitude. However, because skis or snowboard have to be taken off and held during the trip, and because of the (usual) absence of seats, funitels can sometimes be uncomfortable for long trips, in the same way other large gondolas can be. Funitels combine a short time between successive cabins with a high capacity (20-30 people¹) per cabin, making it a good choice to take when in a busy ski resort, as the lines are usually shorter. Furthermore, Funitels are able to tolerate higher wind speeds than classic gondola lifts because they are fastened to two steel cables instead of one.

Engineering

Funitel tower at Val Thorens (Savoie, France)

A funitel consists of one or two loops of cable strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. In order to maximize the stability of the passenger cabins, the cables are arranged in two pairs moving in separate directions. Although it might appear that there are four cables, most of the time there is actually only one.

Base terminal seen from funitel cabin at Verbier, Switzerland

The passenger cabins are connected to a pair of cables with four spring-loaded grips (two to each cable). Because the cable runs at a speed faster than that at which most people would care to board or disembark, the cabins must be slowed down while in the terminals to allow skiers to get on and off. This is accomplished by detaching the cabin from the cable and slowing it down with progressively slower rotating tires mounted on the ceiling of the terminal. Once the cabin has reached a speed at which it is safe to load or unload passengers, the cabin is moved about the end turnaround by tires mounted on the floor. The cabin is then accelerated to line speed with a second set of rotating tires.

How the funitel cables are driven and where the cars would attach/detach

History

The first funitel was constructed in Val-Thorens, 1990, by Denis Creissel and enterprises Reel and Städeli-Lift. The first funitel constructed outside of Europe was the one in Montmorency, Canada, 1993.²

List of funitels

La Plagne Funitel

Hakone Ropeway

Andorra

• Grandvalira

Austria

• St. Anton am Arlberg
• Ischgl
• Kaprun
• Hintertux

Canada

• Montmorency Falls, Quebec City

France

• Val-Thorens
• La Plagne: Built by Doppelmayr it runs from Plagne Centre (1970m) up to La Grande Rochette (2505m).
• L'Alpe d'Huez

Greece

• Athens: Parnitha Funitel

Japan

• Hashikurasan Ropeway, Miyoshi, Tokushima
• Hakone Ropeway, Hakone, Kanagawa
• Tanigawadake Ropeway, Tanigawadake Tenjindaira Ski Resort, Minakami, Gunma
• Zaō Ropeway, Yamagata Zaō Onsen Ski Resort, Yamagata, Yamagata

Slovakia

• Bratislava

Switzerland

• Verbier
• Crans-Montana

United States

• Squaw Valley Ski Resort: The ski resort at Squaw Valley, California, in the Lake Tahoe basin, has a funitel called the Gold Coast Funitel. It holds 28 people and is capable of operating in extreme wind conditions. This is the only funitel in the United States.

References

1. ^ Lift-World :: Lift-Database - Funitels
2. ^ Funitels weltweit - Funitels worldwide

See also

• List of aerial lift manufacturers
• Lift Engineering (built the QMC funitel - a funitel that actually had four cables)
• Skiing and Skiing Topics

External links

• System and photos

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