This year’s annual maintenance shutdown at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) is progressing according to schedule.

“All cable car operations at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company were suspended at the end of July to allow for annual safety maintenance to be carried out. The five-week-long shutdown allows for the maintenance of the Cableway’s upper and lower stations and the cabins. Some building and construction work is also taking place,” said Wahida Parker, MD of TMACC, at a media briefing today (August 10).

According to her, the process this year is extensive and involves various complex tasks undertaken by teams consisting of internal technical staff and specialist technicians from the equipment manufacturers.

The work requires a complete shutdown as it is impossible to co-ordinate and execute this type of work while the service is operational.

The shutdown is a vital measure to ensure safety on the cableway, allowing it to run optimally, and assuring that TMACC complies with safety standards set by Seilbahnen Schweiz (the Swiss Governing body for Cablecars) and BAV (the Swiss Department of Transport).

Parker said industry safety standards required that a more comprehensive and all-encompassing shutdown was implemented this year, to allow for the required work to be done properly. This, she added, was why all cable car operations would need to be suspended for an extended period.

“The focus for this year is on the track-ropes which carry the majority of the weight of the cablecars, along with the brackets from which the cabins are suspended,” said Emile Streicher, Executive Manager of Technical at TMACC.

“Servicing is done according to a service schedule which is time, usage, and condition-based. Many of the specified service intervals are more than six years and servicing tasks usually differ from year to year,” he noted.

To date the following tasks have been completed:

• The two track-ropes on Cabin 2’s side (western side) have been shifted to eliminate the most frequently stressed sections moving along the supports at the Lower Station. 38m of previously unused rope has been fed into the system for each track rope at the top station, and 38m of each rope has been removed at the lower station and reattached to the 130-ton counterweights.
• Performed non-destructive testing and inspections on critical loadbearing components.
• The wood supports for the track-ropes for Cabin 2 at Top station have been replaced.
• The slack carriers for Cabin 2 have been overhauled and inspected for structural integrity.
• The loadbearing brackets from which Cabin 1 is suspended have been replaced successfully.
• The Variable Frequency Drives that control the movement and speed of the main electric motor for the cable car, have been serviced and tested successfully.

The following tasks will now be undertaken:

• Shifting the track-ropes on Cabin 1’s side (eastern side).
• Replacing wood for the track-ropes on Cabin 1.
• Overhauling and testing the slack carriers for Cabin 1.
• Performing non-destructive testing on all steelwire ropes with German company Rotec.
• Performing non-destructive testing on critical loadbearing components.
• Shortening the heel-rope.
• Performing safety critical tests for the emergency brakes.

Parker pointed out that while the cable car service might not be operational at the moment, the mountain was still open to visitors.

“Hikers and rock-climbers can still make their own way to the top of the mountain and back down by foot. They can also grab a cup of coffee or something to eat at the lower station,” she said.

Anyone who celebrates their birthday during the shutdown will not forfeit their free ride. They will be able to redeem the birthday ticket until the end of September but not thereafter.

“We take the safety of all visitors at the cableway seriously, and the maintenance shutdown reflects our commitment to ensure the best experience possible for all visitors. By consistently taking the necessary steps, we can continue to attract and safely move thousands of tourists to the top of the mountain,” said Parker.