Course for the maintenance of passenger aerial ropeways

UTL training

In order to properly operate as well as maintain personal cableways, it is essential to have the right skills and training in theory and practice. We invite you to take part in the TDT certification course for the maintenance of rope transport equipment (UTL) organised by the ERGON Personnel Improvement Centre. 

Validity of Permissions

Passenger line maintenance licences are valid for 5 years from the date they are obtained from the decision of a commission appointed by the Transport Technical Supervision.  

Course programme

The training programme for a railway passenger line maintainer (UTL) includes: 

• types and construction of material handling equipment, including: aerial ropeways with circular traffic, ski lifts; 
• principles of technical supervision; 
• the types of entitlement necessary to acquire in order to operate and maintain cableways and ski lifts; 
• principles of proper maintenance of equipment and the basics of proper operation; 
• health and safety rules; 
• principles of passenger evacuation; 
• regulations for passengers; 
• the duties of employees operating cableways, including: traffic manager, station operator, railway maintainer, engine mechanic. 

Characteristics of aerial ropeways 

Cable cars are devices used in the mountains, usually transporting tourists and skiers. They are increasingly becoming an economical alternative to public transport in large cities in Europe and the USA. This is linked to the increasing number of vehicles seen on city streets. Urban cable cars operate in Brest in France, Narvik in Norway, Ust in the Czech Republic, Chur in Switzerland or Vadistanbule in Turkey, among others.  

The official division divides cableways into: 

• shuttles and circuits: gondolas and chairs; 
• funicular railways. 

According to the most well-known and general division, we distinguish between: 

• aerial cableway; 
• cableway overground (ropeways also known as funikular); 
• ski lifts. 

Aerial cableways are divided into: 

• pendulum movement (single-rope; twin-rope - on one or two suspension cables; individually powered); 
• circular movement (single-rope - hitching and non-hitching vehicles; two-rope). 

Legal requirements

All types of cableways are subject to the supervision of the Transport Technical Supervision. The following legal acts apply to the control of Polish railway lines. 

• Act of 21 December 2000 on technical supervision. 
• Regulation of the Minister of Economy of 26 November 2010 on the fees for the activities of technical supervision units. 
• Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 7 December 2012 on the types of technical equipment subject to technical supervision. 
• Regulation of the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology of 21 May 2019 on the manner and procedure for verifying the qualifications required for the operation and maintenance of technical equipment and the manner and procedure for extending the validity of qualification certificates.  

Specifics of single-rail overhead passenger trains with circular traffic

• Vehicles move above the ground in two directions along a loop by means of a rope or at least two ropes.  
• The chair or gondola is propelled in a drive system where there is a frictional coupling between the cable and the drive wheel. 
• The circular movement of these vehicles allows for a high capacity.  
• In monorails, the same rope performs the carrying and driving function, while double-rope trains have two separate ropes (or there are two carrying ropes and one driving rope) responsible for these functions. 

• When more than two ropes are used, the system allows for less frequent spacing of the supports, making the gondola travel longer distances. The system then also supports larger vehicles. 
• Circular trains have rope-hauled vehicles to ensure comfort and safety when boarding and alighting. 
• Single-rope railways are more susceptible to wind. 

You are welcome to contact us for details relating to the format, date, venue and final programme of the course.  

Questions and answers

How long is the licence for maintenance of cableways and ski lifts valid?

Qualification certificates are valid for 5 years. We offer courses to prepare for the state examination for TDT qualifications. 

Is the ski lift a cable car?

Yes, ski lifts are a type of cable car installed on the slopes. They are used to transport snowboarders, skiers and tourists. Along them there are ski slopes for winter sports fans. 

What are the cable cars?

Cableways are divided into: ski lifts, aerial ropeways and aerial ropeways, which in turn are subdivided into shuttle ropeways and circular ropeways. Each type of cableway is subject to technical supervision by the TDT. 

How is the cable car built?

A cableway with circular traffic consists of: ropes and supports (poles), drive and conductor stations (drive wheel, tension conductor wheel, weights), signalling equipment, safety devices and vehicles and coupling.