A new conveyor belt on the Dachstein comfortably transports guests from the glacier field up to the top station of the Südwand cable car
Installation location:
- Hunerkogel/Dachstein (mountain station Südwandbahn).
Special feature:
- the 39 meter long conveyor belt is entirely supported by four steel pillars
Equipment:
- Sunkid gallery made of aluminum profile and polycarbonate panes; painted in white to prevent glare
- Emergency exits and escape routes on one side of the gallery
- Surveillance terminal with 4 screens
Special feature: the 39 meter long conveyor belt is entirely supported by four steel columns
"Do what you want!" This is the promise that the Dachstein makes to its guests. The possibilities on offer range from sports of all kinds to a visit to the Sky Walk and the Ice Palace. With this large number of activities at almost 3000 meters above sea level, many a guest returns to the mountain station somewhat "breathless". There, however, a short but steep ascent to the Südwandbahn awaits them, which until recently had to be trudged laboriously on foot. Since this summer, however, a Sunkid Moving Carpet with a roof offers a comfortable alternative ascent.
Many visitors were left breathless until then not only because of the multitude of leisure activities on the Dachstein. Even more than these, the uncomfortable climb from the glacier field up to the top station of the Südwandbahn took many a visitor's last breath away. Especially for guests from lowland regions, this climb at this altitude represented a major challenge.
But since this summer, this has come to an end! The more than 3,000 visitors to the glacier plateau on peak days now have access to a Sunkid Moving Carpet with gallery as an ascent aid for the return to the top station. The infinitely variable speed of 0.2 - 0.6 m/s allows passengers to enjoy a relaxed ride up to the "guest garden" of the mountain restaurant.
Column conveyor instead of inclined elevator
Contrary to the original consideration of an inclined elevator, the operators opted for an environmentally friendly and more cost-effective solution in the form of a Sunkid Moving Carpet. In order to minimize the impact on nature, the conveyor belt construction, which is almost 100 meters long, was divided into two sections. The lower of the two conveyor belts is supported entirely by four supports. This form of bridging without irreversible terrain correction is a novelty for the alpine area. However, the Sunkid technicians were able to draw on the experience of two column conveyors already erected in the USA during the planning phase. (See supplementary reports on the projects in Keystone, Heavenly Valley and Vail).
The entire construction phase took place in mid-summer, but the weather still posed major challenges for the installers. The high precipitation summer of this year revealed itself in this high alpine altitude in the form of frequent snowfall combined with freezing cold. However, thanks to the great commitment of everyone involved in this project, the installation of the Sunkid Moving Carpet was completed within a few weeks.
Plus for safety: emergency exits lead to the emergency staircase.
Control of activities on and around the conveyor belt known as the "Skyline" is handled by an attendant in a terminal between the two sections. Four screens can monitor the flow of visitors along the entire length of the structure. As a supplementary safety feature, an emergency stairway running parallel to the conveyor belt was also installed along the entire length of the structure. This can be reached via emergency exits running at intervals of six meters. In the first weeks of operation, summer guests have already been delighted with this relief. However, winter guests will be particularly pleased with this improvement in quality, as they will then be spared the laborious task of negotiating this incline with their ski boots.
