The king of the mountain
CFD has participated in the construction of the main funiculars recently built in France. The design and construction of these vehicles, each one unique, is part of the company's skills and vocation.
The funicular is the oldest known ski lift and is the closest to the railway. This means of cable transport connects two terminal stations by shuttles that cycle back and forth on the railway tracks despite the steep slopes. Comparable to an inclined elevator pulled by a cable guided by pulleys, the cabins have no means of traction (the machinery driving the cable is located in the upper station). This lift system transports skiers, for example, directly to the residences of high altitude resorts or large ski areas in complete safety regardless of the weather conditions, summer or winter, where a cable car or gondola lift may be stopped by high winds. It also makes it possible to serve intermediate stops along the route like a metro. Some urban transport authorities are also considering this environmentally friendly mode of public transport to allow people to climb a steep gradient as an alternative to conventional bus lines.
Achievements
The aerial funicular Les Arcs Express linking the town of Bourg St Maurice and the centre of Les Arcs station or the underground Perce-Neige de Tignes station, which allows you to reach the Grande Motte glacier at an altitude of 3000 metres, are equipped with CFD shuttles.
Our company has also made the rolling stock for the urban funiculars of Thonon-les-bains (between the port on Lake Geneva and the city centre), Penly or the automatic guided transport POMA 2000 of Laon. Recently, CFD built the bogies for the new panoramic view shuttles of the Bourg Saint Maurice funicular.