Dorfbahn Serfaus - The tunnel

Dorfbahn Serfaus Austria flag
Austria

Text and photos by Michel Azéma

The tunnel

All along the 1300 meters of the Dorfbahnstrasse was built this underground gallery (3,24 meters width and 3,52 meters high).
You immediately remark that there is no usual rail for the guidance of the train; but on the floor you can see two dark parallel trails (A and B). They are the trails of the air cushions of the cabin.
C is the rail for the guidance of the cabin with a reversed L section.
D is the tractor cable and E is the tensor cable.

The Raika Station from the inside of the tunnel.

The cabin automatically stops in front of the doors of the station. Each door in front of a door of the cabin.
Station Raika

Tunnel at the Station Seilbahn
The tunnel at the Station Seilbahn.

You can see the doors of the terminus station on the right of the photo.

Station Seilbahn

The cabin stopped at the terminus of the station Seilbahn.

The cabin is equipped with two emergency exit doors on the front and the back of the cabin. The passengers use the doors which are on the side of the cabin.
The cabin at Station Seilbahn

The end of the tunnel
Station Seilbahn

The same view as above but with a wider angle and you can see that the tunnel is used as a stockroom!

In fact it is the terminus and the cabin does not go closer.

Drawing of the tunnel
(Drawing from the Seilbahn Komperdell booklet.)
Section of the tunnel with the cabin.

Luftkissen = air cushion
Führungrollen = rollers for the guidance
Seilanhängung = the arm which fixes the cabin to the cable.
Zugseilführung = roller for the tractor cable.
Rücklaufseilführung = roller for the tensor cable.
Stromabnehmer = contactor for the electricity.