Doppelmayr awarded major contract in Sochi

The world's longest tri-cable installation

The Doppelmayr Group has been awarded the contract for a 3S installation (tri-cable ropeway) in the Russian Olympic location of Sochi. This so-far biggest 3S order for Doppelmayr is at the same time the 100th installation of the Doppelmayr Group for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The installation leads from Krasnaya Polyana to the ski-region Laura where the Nordic competitions of the Olympic Games will be held in 2014. The start of the construction works is scheduled for May 2011 and the completion of the works as well as the start-up are planned to take place in 2013.

The bottom station of the tri-cable installation is located in the immediate proximity of the train station of Krasnaya Poljana that is still to be built, at a height of 600 m and leads to the ski-region of Laura at a height of 1,600 m above sea level. The installation is an important part of the traffic infrastructure for the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi. It only takes 11.25 min for the high-performance access lift with 43 cabins to transport up to 3,000 pph to the competition venues of the Nordic competitions.

With an overall length of 5,383 m this installation is not only the longest tri-cable installation ever built but also the longest continuous movement aerial ropeway worldwide.

In the awarding of the contract by the OAO Gazprom Ski Tourism Center Doppelmayr could score with their high professional competence as well as their spectacular references for 3S installations. Regarding the order value, the contractual partners agreed on maintaining silence.

The ground-breaking ceremony on site will be held in May 2011, whereby the first parts are already produced in Wolfurt right now. The completion of the building works and the start-up are planned for 2013.

In addition to this major project, Doppelmayr already has 20 installations on order for Sochi 2014, some of which are already realized and in operation or on the brink of completion.

The tri-cable system

3S installations (3S meaning three cables) are a combination of gondolas and reversible aerial ropeways. 3S installations are detachable aerial ropeways with two track ropes and a haul rope. These systems are characterized by very high wind stability, low energy consumption and the capability to cope with very long rope spans. Doppelmayr/Garaventa has already realized several spectacular 3S projects, such as the Peak 2 Peak Gondola in Whistler Mountain or the new Gaislachkogl lift in Sölden (Austria).

Fact box 3-S installation "Gazprom":

Contractor Doppelmayr Group
Customer OAO Gazprom Ski Tourism Center

Ropeway system
Tri-cable installation
Overall length 5,383 m
Capacity 3,000 passengers per hour and direction
Speed 7.5 m/s
Travel time 11.25 min
Number of cabins 43 for 30 passengers each
Number of towers 5