Zürs (Arlberg) - Madlochbahn

The History:
Arlberg's Madlochbahn has always been a key lift in the resort's network. The original lift in this location was a 1967 Girak double chairlift that ran all the way until this season. This lift is the only way for skiers to ski from Zürs to Lech and the surrounding areas without taking a bus. After taking this lift, skiers must ski down to the Zugerbergbahn lift in order to get to Lech. Since most people only use this lift as a connection to Lech once a day, the old lift was adequate, but in typical European fashion the old lift was replaced with this excessive Doppelmayr D-Line 6 pack. The new lift also moves the bottom terminal closer to the top of the Seekopfbahn eliminating the flat traverse before the old bottom terminal. The new lift is currently Arlberg's only D-Line chairlift (there are two gondolas), but that is soon to change. It provides an extremely comfortable and insulated ride for skiers looking to connect to Lech. Of course this replacement wasn't needed, but it's nice to have. One complaint I have however is just how slowly this lift runs, but it's definitely an upgrade over the sub 500 ft/min speeds of the old lift.

The Lift:
The Madlochbahn was installed in 2021 and utilizes Doppelmayr's newest D-Line technology, a significant upgrade over the prior UNI-G tech. This lift utilizes D-Line R2 terminals (the boxy ones) with a bottom drive and a top return. It uses D-Line bubble 6 pack carriers with individual contoured, heated seats and full suspension systems on each chair that provide an extremely smooth ride experience. A locking safety bar and selective opening bubble/bar is also a nice touch. The lift also uses D-Line grips, and Doppelmayr's latest lifting frames and sheaves that are not specific to their D-Line lifts. Also with this new technology comes Doppelmayr Connect, their new control system. The lift is capable of running at 5.5 m/s (1082 ft/min) but it typically runs only at about 750-800 ft/min since few people ride it.