Rigiblick Cable Car Starts Operation With Ropes From Fatzer

(CONNECT) The Rigiblick funicular railroad is currently being modernized and is due to resume operations in autumn. In addition to the new vehicles, which have been jointly developed by Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich, Garaventa, Milani Design and CWA, new train ropes will also be in use. Fatzer AG, based in Romanshorn, manufactured and delivered the high-performance ropes. They have now also been installed, according to a statement from the BRUGG Group, to which Fatzer belongs.

The two 32-millimetre-thick hauling ropes are each 480 meters long and weigh 1.9 tons. "With around 160 journeys per day and a travel time of just two minutes without stopping, the strain on the cables is high. The high stress requires the highest material quality to ensure reliable operation with maximum safety," reads the press release on the train cables of the "symbol of urban mobility and quality of life", which is also part of Zurich's cultural heritage.

The Performa rope from Fatzer has been specially developed for urban applications. Plastic profiles are attached between the strands of the rope, creating an "almost cylindrical surface structure". This can significantly reduce vibrations and noise. The company also points out the durability of the ropes. ce/jh