Cableway & Technology, SI World 2/2023
How a world first succeeds
SI Magazine: Mr. Deplazes, with the FlemXpress, you are currently implementing a true world first. How did the project go from vision to reality?
Claudio Deplazes: With the planned decommissioning of the old Cassons cable car, the opportunity arose for Flims to completely redesign the entire Flims side of the destination.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea of building a cable car where the guest can choose where their gondola goes without transfers, detours, or intermediate stops matured. We found a partner in BARTHOLET who is implementing this innovative idea under the title “Ropetaxi.“
How does the Ropetaxi concept work?
The passenger selects their destination before boarding, gets into their gondola, and is automatically taken to the desired location. This allows them to reach their destination quickly and comfortably, even with luggage and sports equipment.
The operator benefits from improved utilization of the cable car because only the gondolas that are requested will operate. This reduces energy and operating costs by up to 50 percent. The FlemXpress can transport a maximum of 1,800 people per hour.
Sustainability:
Is also implemented through stations in the ground.
How is the prestigious project organized?
The client is the Cassons AG as a Private Public Partnership, in which the mountain railway company Weisse Arena AG (WAG) and the municipality of Flims each hold 50 percent shares.
WAG will take over the operation of the cable car on a lease basis. The project is being implemented by an external management team as an intermediary to the board of directors as the decision- making body, including myself.
How do you manage project communication?
At first, we focused on political communication. Over 80 percent of the Flims electorate approved the necessary change to the municipal land use plan. Now, we are building anticipation through the website flemxpress.ch and events. We want people to understand our philosophy!
Test station:
Ropetaxi technology is tested at the bartholet plant.
What additional challenges do you face?
In addition to the planning fundamentals, this is certainly the first implementation of the technically innovative ropetaxi system.
Building on the edge of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and during the times of COVID-19 and the Ukraine crisis presents additional challenges. Lastly, it‘s essential to bring together various stakeholders with different requirements.
How do you manage your stakeholders?
Early and honest involvement of environmental organizations is an important success factor. This cannot be achieved with fair-weather commu-nication. In addition, municipalities, mountain railway companies, tourist service providers, the local population, and second-home owners must be involved and enthusiastic about the common vision.
Route plan:
The FlemXpress will include six stations.
What are other success factors?
Clearly, the close collaboration with BARTHOLET is a major success factor. A prime example is the test station for the Ropetaxi at the cable car manufacturer‘s
plant in Flums.
Sustainable construction practices also contribute to success, such as stations in the ground, local materials, or on-site concrete production. Equally important is the experienced project team with expertise in planning, architecture, construction management, operation management, and communication.
And, finally, it takes the entrepreneurial courage of the client to implement such a world first.
How well are you sticking to the schedule?
Planning and approval have already been completed. Construction work is progressing rapidly, and we will commission the first two sections for the winter season 2023/24.
Interview: Thomas Surrer
