The ''Pfänderbahn'' () is an

aerial tramway An aerial tramway, aerial tram, sky tram, cable car or aerial cablecar, aerial cableway, ropeway, téléphérique (French), or Seilbahn (German) is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary cables for support, with a third movin ...

Bregenz Bregenz (; ) is the capital of Vorarlberg, the westernmost states of Austria, state of Austria. The city lies on the east and southeast shores of Lake Constance, the third-largest freshwater lake in Central Europe, between Switzerland in the wes ...

in the westernmost Austrian state of

Vorarlberg Vorarlberg ( ; ; , , or ) is the westernmost States of Austria, state () of Austria. It has the second-smallest geographical area after Vienna and, although it also has the second-smallest population, it is the state with the second-highest popu ...

. It connects the shore of

Lake Constance Lake Constance (, ) refers to three bodies of water on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps: Upper Lake Constance (''Obersee''), Lower Lake Constance (''Untersee''), and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein (). These ...

() at

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

with the high mountain station near the '' Pfänderspitze''. The valley station in Bregenz is located ca. from and from railway stations.

History

Planning

Originally, the establishment of a cog railway was considered, but it was eventually decided for cost and ease of use in times of heavy snow.

Construction and opening

The Pfänderbahn was built from July 1926 to February 1927 and opened on 20 March 1927 by President Michael Hainish. Construction work was undertaken by Adolf Bleichert & Co. of Leipzig. Plans for the station buildings were by Bregenz architect Willibald Braun.

1994 overhaul

In October 1994, the cable car system was extensively overhauled: * Replacement of gondolas, they are now fully glazed and can accommodate up to 80 people. * Removal of two supports, providing a higher rope guide. * Installation of a hydraulic device for cable tension. * The stations are sliding platforms used to optimally utilize the available space. * A hydraulic system stabilized the gondola in the parking position so that getting in and out is very easy and accessible for wheelchair users. The renovations were undertaken by Doppelmayr. In 1998, the Pfänderbahn museum opened.

Specifications

The height difference of is covered in a total distance of using a dual aerial tramway. The sloping portions comprises about ; the horizontal portion about . At an average slope of 31%, the cabins move with a speed of up to twelve feet per second. The journey takes six minutes, with a turnaround of 10 minutes. The gondolas are powered by two 500 kW DC electric motors. Power supply to the cable car is via two separate power supplies. In addition, an emergency generator and batteries are available. Communication between valley and mountain stations is analogous via the cable itself. File:A-V-Bregenz - Pfaenderbahn 7929.JPG, File:A-V-Bregenz - Pfaenderbahn 7896.JPG, File:A-V-Bregenz - Pfaenderbahn 7889.JPG, File:A-V-Bregenz - Pfaenderbahn 7870.JPG, File:Bedienpult im Führerstand der Pfänderbahn.jpg, File:Gewichtsschacht der Pfänderbahn.jpg, File:Detail der Hydrauliksteuerung der Pfänderbahn.jpg, File:Zugseilumlenkrolle (Pfänderbahn).jpg,

References

External links

Official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pfanderbahn Bregenz Cable cars in Austria 1927 establishments in Austria