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Things go uphill for the audience for the first time on the day before Christmas: the Weisse Arena Group opens FlemXpress for the first two episodes of Flims-Foppa and Foppa-Startgels. Three additional sections, Startgels–Segnes, Segnes–Nagens Sura and Segnes–Cassons, will be completed and ready for operation in the 2024/25 winter season.
The highlight of the world’s first from Switzerland: the gondolas move autonomously, but only when necessary and on demand. Reto Gurtner, President of the Weisse Arena Group, tested the new gondola lift himself yesterday, Friday. He is proud: “We have found a railway system that provides technical advances in the most modern way, with minimal intervention in nature.” This greatly reduces empty trips and energy consumption is said to be 50 percent lower than traditional cable car gondola systems.
Roland Bartholet, CEO of Bartholet Maschinenbau AG: “On a conventional train, approximately 90 percent of the cabins are empty. With FlemXpress, there is at least one person in the cabin and the train goes exactly where you want it to go. This means we are much more sustainable than was possible before .”
So how does the ultra-modern gondola work?
Step 1: The passenger selects the desired destination at the station before starting the journey. This happens when a button is pressed in a column called the target column. “Flexible combinations of routes can be created using switches,” he says.
At the entry point, a gondola appears on the screen from the station circuit showing the destination.
Step 2: Artificial intelligence (AI) regulates entry to the correct gondola and ensures optimal use. The gondola is driven to its destination without stopping using keys. “Comfortable, fast and uninterrupted,” says the Flemexpress.ch website.
Step 3: Get inside. Sensors ensure that too many people do not get on. Attention: Once the gondola sets off, the destination cannot be changed.
Gondola stands still while riding
All 120 cabins are equipped with two mobile phone charging stations. There is also a ventilation system to prevent the windows from darkening. The operation is planned to be carried out throughout the year. Exterior lighting should also enable night driving. Each of the cabins offers seating for ten people, with a carrying capacity of up to 1,800 people per hour.
Keyword Ropetaxi technology: As with all gondola lifts, driving on the route is done on rope. However, according to the company’s website, the cabins at the station move autonomously on the rails thanks to their own electric drives. If the gondolas are not full, they are not on the route.
The remarkable thing is that you don’t have to get inside a moving gondola like before. There is no need to rush as the FlemXpress cable car is at the entrance. This is also suitable for people with limited mobility.
Blick searches for the best small and beautiful ski area in Switzerland
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
