Lift-World.info

Ropeway technology moves us!
Slider HintergrundSlider HintergrundSlider HintergrundSlider Hintergrund

Lift-Database » Lifts in the world

  120-FUC CairnGorm Funicular

Car near the valley station
Car near the valley station

Car descending to the valley
Car descending to the valley

Summer stop at Ptarmigan
Summer stop at Ptarmigan

General information  
Place Reindeer House 
resort CairnGorm Mountain 
Region Scotland 
Country   
Name of lift CairnGorm Funicular 
Type 120-FUC 
Lift manufacturer Doppelmayr 
Year of construction 2001 
Commissioning date 23/12/01 


Infos for handicapped persons
Fully accessible to wheelchair users. Bottom and Top Stations have lift access to all facilities.

Characteristics
The CairnGorm Funicular is just under 2km in length, the majority is carried on a concrete viaduct, but the top 350m is in a tunnel. The haul rope is complimented by a lower tension rope and a short section of track between the bottom and middle station has a shallow reverse gradient.

The middle station is not at the passing loop, thus the Funicular must stop twice if both the up car and down car are picking up or dropping off passengers. This increases journey time from 3.5min (full speed) to around 7 to 8minutes.

Incorporated in the Top Station is the Ptarmigan Restaurant, Mountain viewing terrace, Mountain Exhibition and Shop.

The wide 2m track gauge is due to the high winds that often affect CairnGorm Mountain. The Funicular is permitted to operate for uplifting skiers in wind speeds up to 70mph (112km/h). It can be used for evacuation in higher wind speeds at reduced line speed.

The highest wind speed recorded at the Tunnel Mouth since opening is 176mph (284km/h).

The CairnGorm Funicular made it's inaugural journey on 23rd December 2001, 40 years to the day that the White Lady Chairlift (which the Funicular replaced) was inaugurated. The first full day of public operation was Christmas Day 2001.

The Funicular was a direct replacement for the White Lady and Carpark Chairlifts (1960s 2-CLD side facing GMD Mueller chairs).

Outwith the ski season the Funicular operates in a 'closed system' and the funicular can not be used to access the Summit Plateau, however walkers and climbers who make their own way up the mountain may take the Funicular down.

During the ski season the funicular provides access to the high level nursery slopes at the top of the ski area as well as uplift for the mid and lower slopes.

The total cost of installation was £19.5million but around 1/3rd of the cost went on environmental impact mitigation. In some cases tower founds had to be dug by hand to avoid damage to sensitive peat bogs which are home to rare plants. Rocks with rare lichens and mosses had to be photographed, numbered, carefully stored and the returned to the same location they were removed from after construction!

geometric data  
Height of valley station 645 m
Height of middle station(s) 760 m
Height of mountain station 1097 m
Vertical rise 453 m
Route distance 1970 m
Horizontal length ?? m
Average incline 23 %
Largest incline 40 %
Trackwidth drive ?? m
Trackwidth line 2 m
Trackwidth return ?? m
Angle of wrap (drive wheel) ?? °
Drive altitude of site ?? m
Maximum capacity 1200 Pers/h
Travel time 3,5 min
Driving speed line 10,0 m/s

electrical data  
Electrical control Frey 
Remote control and telemonitoring system ?? 
Power control system ?? 
Number of drive ?? Stk
Drive power (Start) ?? kW
Drive power (Operation) ?? kW
Brake power ?? kW
Continuous brake power ?? kW
Driving station Mountain station 
Drive type ?? 
Traction of drive ?? 
Emergency drive ?? 
Traction of emergency drive ?? 

cabins data  
Grip type ?? 
Cab manufacturer Gangloff 
Cab model ?? 
Seating none 
Seat heater no 
Heater ?? 
Aircon ?? 
Persons per cab 120 
Number of cabs 2 Stk
Carriage Operator ?? 


rope data  
Rope manufacturer ?? 
Length of haul rope ?? m
Length of counter-rope ?? m
Total weight of haul rope ?? t
Total weight of counter-rope ?? t
Haul rope diameter ?? mm
Counter-rope diameter ?? mm
Nominal strength of haul rope ?? N/mm²
Nominal strength of counter-rope ?? N/mm²
Breaking strength of rope ?? kN
Breaking strength of counter-rope ?? kN
Tensionstation haulrope Valley station 
Tension type hydraulical (controlled) 
Tension way ?? m

miscellaneous data  
Transport uphill 100 %
Transport downhill 100 %
Construction costs ?? 
Currency (Construction costs) ?? 
Construction period 30 months
Seasontime ❄ ☀ all-season 
Type of turnout ?? 
Integrated rescue system ?? 
Asset number (Trail map) ?? 

This information are for members only visible!


Support
Wrong data or something is missing?
Support us!
Updates
Datas: 25/04/23
PHOTOS: ??

Lift-Statistics
13858 visit(s) since 22/09/03
Last visit 17/05/24

LIFT-WORLD IDs
Lift-ID: 1220
Place-ID: 323

https://www.seilbahntechnik.net/en/lifts/1220/datas.htm