Seilbahnen#

Cableways: Austria´s geographic position, along with its topography, made it a pioneer in the development and construction of cableways. The first versions were funicular railways ( Mountain Railways); the first cableway to be opened for passenger transport was the Kohlernbahn cableway near Bozen/Bolzano (South Tyrol) in 1908. Luis Zuegg (1876-1955), also from South Tyrol, built his first cableways during World War I. Together with a company from Leipzig he developed the "Bleichert-Zuegg" System, which played a decisive role in the development and construction of cableways. The Raxbahn cableway, built in 1926, was the first example of that kind, 11 other cableways were set up by 1937. The rapid expansion of cableway systems had already started in the period between the two world wars, but was especially promoted by the growth of tourism after World War II. Doppelmayr, a company founded in 1892, which has its seat in Wolfurt (Vorarlberg), has specialised in the construction of cableways, chair lifts, cable-cars and ski lifts and achieved worldwide renown. 729 cableways were in operation in Austria in 1996.