1 00:00:01,901 --> 00:00:04,367 [narrator] In Switzerland's soaring Western Alps, 2 00:00:05,868 --> 00:00:09,667 an elite team of engineers is embarking on an epic mission. 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,801 I feel we were writing history here in Switzerland. 4 00:00:14,968 --> 00:00:18,367 They are constructing a new state-of-the-art cableway 5 00:00:20,801 --> 00:00:24,667 in the heart of one of the country's most celebrated ski resorts. 6 00:00:27,100 --> 00:00:28,901 In this harsh, rugged environment, 7 00:00:30,367 --> 00:00:32,767 the team must battle extreme elevation... 8 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:35,267 [Daniel] If you're scared of heights, 9 00:00:35,434 --> 00:00:36,868 this is maybe the wrong job for you. 10 00:00:38,467 --> 00:00:40,601 ...to build a mountain cable car system, 11 00:00:41,801 --> 00:00:44,634 that will scale the heights like no other. 12 00:00:47,100 --> 00:00:48,467 This super cableway 13 00:00:49,701 --> 00:00:53,467 ranks in a league of ambitious new engineering wonders 14 00:00:53,634 --> 00:00:58,601 that are bigger, faster, taller, and more advanced 15 00:00:58,767 --> 00:01:01,267 than anything ever constructed before. 16 00:01:02,667 --> 00:01:06,601 This is the inside story of the extraordinary challenge 17 00:01:06,767 --> 00:01:08,567 of building these giants. 18 00:01:20,267 --> 00:01:22,167 Nestled in the Swiss Alps 19 00:01:22,334 --> 00:01:24,400 is the Mürren Schilthorn Ski Resort, 20 00:01:28,501 --> 00:01:31,667 dominated by the majestic Schilthorn Mountain, 21 00:01:31,834 --> 00:01:34,300 standing nearly 10,000 feet tall. 22 00:01:36,167 --> 00:01:39,300 Every year, it attracts over 400,000 visitors 23 00:01:41,100 --> 00:01:43,767 who come to hike the mountain trails 24 00:01:43,934 --> 00:01:46,267 and enjoy Schilthorn's famous ski slopes. 25 00:01:48,167 --> 00:01:50,667 At the summit sits the iconic top-station 26 00:01:50,834 --> 00:01:53,167 known as Piz Gloria, 27 00:01:53,334 --> 00:01:55,467 from where skiers can reach the highest runs. 28 00:01:59,868 --> 00:02:03,100 Inside, its celebrated revolving restaurant 29 00:02:03,267 --> 00:02:05,567 offers 360-degree vistas. 30 00:02:09,367 --> 00:02:13,167 Access up the mountain is via an aging cable car system. 31 00:02:14,968 --> 00:02:17,400 It's the linchpin of the local tourist economy 32 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:20,000 and provides an essential service 33 00:02:20,167 --> 00:02:21,767 for the neighboring mountain communities. 34 00:02:23,901 --> 00:02:27,868 But now, the old cableway is no longer up to the task 35 00:02:28,033 --> 00:02:29,767 and needs a massive upgrade. 36 00:02:34,767 --> 00:02:37,667 Christoph Egger is the CEO leading the project. 37 00:02:39,267 --> 00:02:41,000 [Christoph] First of all, the age. 38 00:02:41,167 --> 00:02:44,667 The existing cableway has been built in 1965, 39 00:02:44,834 --> 00:02:47,567 so it's almost 60 years old now. 40 00:02:47,734 --> 00:02:53,100 Second, the capacity of the cableway is not enough. 41 00:02:53,267 --> 00:02:56,100 The plan is to build a brand-new cableway, 42 00:02:56,267 --> 00:02:59,868 a huge sky train with four all-new stations. 43 00:03:03,601 --> 00:03:06,701 It will have a new route up the imposing Mürrenfluh cliff, 44 00:03:08,467 --> 00:03:12,501 slash travel time to the summit to well under 30 minutes, 45 00:03:12,667 --> 00:03:16,767 and more than double capacity to 800 passengers an hour. 46 00:03:18,968 --> 00:03:20,367 This is how they'll do it. 47 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,400 The first challenge is to climb nearly 2,000 feet 48 00:03:25,567 --> 00:03:27,467 from the Lauterbrunnen Valley 49 00:03:27,634 --> 00:03:29,100 to the top of the Mürrenfluh cliffs. 50 00:03:30,667 --> 00:03:33,767 To scale them, engineers install the steepest 51 00:03:33,934 --> 00:03:38,100 cableway in the world with an incline of 57 degrees. 52 00:03:39,267 --> 00:03:43,601 Next, two parallel cableways run over one and a half miles 53 00:03:43,767 --> 00:03:46,834 to where engineers will build a giant supporting tower. 54 00:03:49,300 --> 00:03:51,501 They must rebuild two stations to house 55 00:03:51,667 --> 00:03:53,267 the super heavy equipment 56 00:03:53,434 --> 00:03:55,267 that pulls the cable cars along the route. 57 00:03:57,367 --> 00:03:59,567 At the summit is the rotating restaurant 58 00:03:59,734 --> 00:04:01,267 called Piz Gloria. 59 00:04:03,100 --> 00:04:05,267 Here, engineers must install 60 00:04:05,434 --> 00:04:08,868 new extra-large panoramic windows to showcase 61 00:04:09,033 --> 00:04:10,267 the amazing vistas. 62 00:04:14,467 --> 00:04:16,267 Constructing this mega cableway 63 00:04:16,434 --> 00:04:18,567 is a huge engineering challenge. 64 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:21,267 Schilthorn can be tough, 65 00:04:22,367 --> 00:04:24,167 and its winters are brutal. 66 00:04:25,167 --> 00:04:28,200 This is really one of the most challenging 67 00:04:28,367 --> 00:04:30,100 places for construction. 68 00:04:32,300 --> 00:04:34,767 The engineers must haul everything they need 69 00:04:34,934 --> 00:04:37,167 via a network of temporary cableways 70 00:04:37,334 --> 00:04:38,567 that connect each site. 71 00:04:40,868 --> 00:04:42,667 They'll need to rely on helicopters 72 00:04:42,834 --> 00:04:44,667 to deliver equipment and building materials 73 00:04:44,834 --> 00:04:46,934 to the most inaccessible places. 74 00:04:49,367 --> 00:04:52,367 The first big challenge is to connect the two stations 75 00:04:52,534 --> 00:04:55,567 separated by a gigantic cliff face. 76 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,267 To get the cable car over the top, engineers need 77 00:05:01,434 --> 00:05:04,267 to build a tower that hangs right over the cliff edge. 78 00:05:06,567 --> 00:05:09,801 Raphael Reinle oversees the build. 79 00:05:09,968 --> 00:05:11,767 [Raphael] This wall is almost vertical, 80 00:05:11,934 --> 00:05:13,767 600 meters high. 81 00:05:13,934 --> 00:05:16,267 We need to place a tower 82 00:05:16,434 --> 00:05:21,400 direct on the cliff with an angle of 20-25 degrees 83 00:05:21,567 --> 00:05:24,167 to support our track ropes. 84 00:05:24,334 --> 00:05:26,601 It will be the steepest aerial tramway 85 00:05:26,767 --> 00:05:28,367 ever been built in the world. 86 00:05:29,601 --> 00:05:31,901 To build the tower on a near-vertical cliff 87 00:05:32,067 --> 00:05:34,133 will be no easy task. 88 00:05:36,567 --> 00:05:40,300 Engineers must first blast and drill deep into the cliff 89 00:05:40,467 --> 00:05:43,200 to create anchor points in the solid rock. 90 00:05:45,667 --> 00:05:48,767 A convoy of trucks will transport big excavators 91 00:05:48,934 --> 00:05:52,000 and crane parts to the closest village, Mürren. 92 00:05:53,167 --> 00:05:56,667 Temporary cable wires rigged all along the route will help 93 00:05:56,834 --> 00:05:59,501 carry materials close to the tower build site. 94 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,367 Engineers will use a crane to hoist each beam into place. 95 00:06:06,534 --> 00:06:09,968 Then, workers must bolt the beams together while 96 00:06:10,133 --> 00:06:13,200 they dangle above a sheer 2,000-foot drop. 97 00:06:15,667 --> 00:06:19,267 It's critical that the finished structure tilts 20 degrees 98 00:06:19,434 --> 00:06:20,701 towards the slope 99 00:06:20,868 --> 00:06:23,400 so that the weight of the cable and cars 100 00:06:23,567 --> 00:06:25,100 pushes the tower into the rock. 101 00:06:29,067 --> 00:06:32,367 The engineers' first challenge is to clear away the topsoil 102 00:06:32,534 --> 00:06:34,167 to expose the rock beneath. 103 00:06:35,501 --> 00:06:38,200 The gradient is too steep for a conventional digger. 104 00:06:41,968 --> 00:06:45,067 So, the team uses this special spider excavator. 105 00:06:47,501 --> 00:06:50,901 It has a pair of articulated hydraulic legs in place of 106 00:06:51,067 --> 00:06:52,100 its two front wheels. 107 00:06:53,467 --> 00:06:55,667 This allows it to climb down the mountain 108 00:06:55,834 --> 00:06:57,567 to the precarious excavation site. 109 00:07:01,701 --> 00:07:04,100 The next task is for the engineers to dig 110 00:07:04,267 --> 00:07:05,567 the foundation for the tower. 111 00:07:07,601 --> 00:07:10,467 But sinking them into the mountain will be difficult. 112 00:07:12,501 --> 00:07:14,467 [Raphael] This is a very hard alpine rock. 113 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:19,200 Explosives is the only way to dig these hard rocks 114 00:07:19,367 --> 00:07:20,467 here in the Alps. 115 00:07:22,367 --> 00:07:24,767 The engineers start by clearing the loose rock 116 00:07:24,934 --> 00:07:26,367 and debris from the blast area. 117 00:07:28,267 --> 00:07:32,567 They use the special temporary cableway to ferry equipment in 118 00:07:32,734 --> 00:07:33,934 and loose rock out. 119 00:07:36,267 --> 00:07:39,767 Once the site is clear, a specialized crew drills 120 00:07:39,934 --> 00:07:42,100 14 boreholes for the explosives. 121 00:07:43,100 --> 00:07:46,534 Each one is between three and eight feet deep. 122 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,267 They calculate that this detonation requires 123 00:07:51,434 --> 00:07:53,100 15 pounds of explosive. 124 00:07:54,667 --> 00:07:58,000 That should blast away over 700 cubic feet of rock. 125 00:08:02,501 --> 00:08:04,100 A worker called a blaster 126 00:08:04,267 --> 00:08:06,367 connects the charges to a detonator, 127 00:08:06,534 --> 00:08:08,067 positioned a safe distance away. 128 00:08:12,067 --> 00:08:16,367 The rest of his team lays giant mats over the blast area. 129 00:08:16,534 --> 00:08:19,033 These protect the workers from flying debris. 130 00:08:21,467 --> 00:08:24,067 The team retreats to a safe distance 131 00:08:24,234 --> 00:08:26,000 and prepares for the blast. 132 00:08:26,167 --> 00:08:28,868 [siren wailing] 133 00:08:29,033 --> 00:08:30,667 [muffled explosion] 134 00:08:34,300 --> 00:08:36,701 The detonation is successful. 135 00:08:38,667 --> 00:08:41,501 Now we can make the foundations of the tower, 136 00:08:41,667 --> 00:08:44,267 and then we can assemble the tower itself. 137 00:08:45,667 --> 00:08:47,367 The team assembles a lattice 138 00:08:47,534 --> 00:08:49,467 of one-inch-diameter steel rods. 139 00:08:53,367 --> 00:08:55,868 Workers pour tons of concrete in this mesh 140 00:08:56,033 --> 00:08:57,367 to form the foundation. 141 00:09:02,868 --> 00:09:06,100 The engineers must haul up all of the huge beams 142 00:09:06,267 --> 00:09:10,567 that make the tower, a total weight of over 110 tons. 143 00:09:12,167 --> 00:09:14,367 The only way to erect this structure 144 00:09:14,534 --> 00:09:16,267 is for workers to bolt it together. 145 00:09:18,601 --> 00:09:21,467 All the components are lifted into place. 146 00:09:21,634 --> 00:09:25,534 The largest weigh nearly two and a half tons. 147 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,467 [Raphael] If the assembly team drops some material or some tools, 148 00:09:32,634 --> 00:09:35,467 it's 600 meters deeper in the valley, 149 00:09:35,634 --> 00:09:37,234 so it's very dangerous. 150 00:09:39,667 --> 00:09:42,000 It takes the team four months to assemble 151 00:09:42,167 --> 00:09:44,434 the 100-foot-tall tower. 152 00:09:46,868 --> 00:09:49,767 The engineers must now install the final elements, 153 00:09:51,601 --> 00:09:53,901 the cable shoes that sit on top. 154 00:09:56,367 --> 00:09:59,067 These hold the cables at a specific height and angle 155 00:09:59,234 --> 00:10:01,667 to allow the cabins to pass over the tower 156 00:10:01,834 --> 00:10:02,767 without hitting it. 157 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:10,901 Both shoes arrive in pieces. 158 00:10:17,667 --> 00:10:20,767 The on-site crane lifts each component of the shoes 159 00:10:20,934 --> 00:10:23,000 to a team of workers on the tower. 160 00:10:25,467 --> 00:10:29,400 All 27 tons of the cradle shoes are slowly assembled 161 00:10:29,567 --> 00:10:30,701 over two weeks. 162 00:10:32,567 --> 00:10:35,801 Tower 1 is now finished, but it's just the beginning. 163 00:10:35,968 --> 00:10:37,300 Now we take the next step. 164 00:10:38,667 --> 00:10:42,567 The challenge for engineers is to demolish the old station 165 00:10:42,734 --> 00:10:45,767 and build a super-strong new one in its place. 166 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,000 Engineers in Switzerland are building 167 00:10:57,167 --> 00:10:58,801 the world's steepest cableway. 168 00:11:00,067 --> 00:11:02,100 Their next challenge is to complete the section 169 00:11:02,267 --> 00:11:05,601 from the mighty Tower 1 to Birg station, 170 00:11:05,767 --> 00:11:08,167 three-quarters of the way up Schilthorn Mountain. 171 00:11:14,868 --> 00:11:16,901 The station here is part of the existing 172 00:11:17,067 --> 00:11:18,400 60-year-old cableway. 173 00:11:20,267 --> 00:11:23,067 Its foundations and winch equipment are strong enough to 174 00:11:23,234 --> 00:11:25,767 pull its two small cabins up and down the mountain. 175 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,467 But the new cableway will operate larger 176 00:11:30,634 --> 00:11:31,701 and heavier cabins. 177 00:11:33,567 --> 00:11:35,567 They need a pair of cables to carry them. 178 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,167 The new system must also be faster to ferry up 800 people 179 00:11:42,334 --> 00:11:44,000 every hour to the top of the mountain. 180 00:11:47,868 --> 00:11:50,267 The foundations of the old station are too weak 181 00:11:50,434 --> 00:11:54,334 to withstand the 1,000-ton pull of the new system. 182 00:11:56,767 --> 00:12:00,367 The challenge for engineers is to demolish the old station 183 00:12:00,534 --> 00:12:03,267 and build a new one with a super-strong base. 184 00:12:05,667 --> 00:12:07,567 Sabrina Benkert leads the team 185 00:12:07,734 --> 00:12:10,167 on this crucial part of the project. 186 00:12:10,334 --> 00:12:15,367 Working on this station is such a responsibility 187 00:12:15,534 --> 00:12:19,000 because the cable forces are so big, 188 00:12:19,167 --> 00:12:22,400 and it's difficult to anchor it in the rock. 189 00:12:23,467 --> 00:12:25,834 This is how Sabrina's team will do it. 190 00:12:28,267 --> 00:12:31,767 The new Birg station sits on the edge of an alpine cliff, 191 00:12:31,934 --> 00:12:33,801 8,800 feet above sea level. 192 00:12:36,267 --> 00:12:38,467 The four two-and-a-half-inch diameter, 193 00:12:38,634 --> 00:12:40,200 high-tension cables it carries 194 00:12:41,467 --> 00:12:43,567 constantly pull downwards on the structure. 195 00:12:44,567 --> 00:12:46,267 Their huge weight will drag 196 00:12:46,434 --> 00:12:49,501 the station over the cliff edge. 197 00:12:49,667 --> 00:12:53,100 To prevent this, engineers must reinforce the foundation of 198 00:12:53,267 --> 00:12:57,467 the new station with 660 tons of concrete and steel. 199 00:12:58,601 --> 00:13:00,667 They drill through the concrete slab 200 00:13:00,834 --> 00:13:03,501 and nearly 50 feet into the rock. 201 00:13:03,667 --> 00:13:06,501 Into these holes, they install six vertical 202 00:13:06,667 --> 00:13:10,501 and six inclined super-strong anchors and then attach them 203 00:13:10,667 --> 00:13:12,367 to the pylons that hold the cables. 204 00:13:15,901 --> 00:13:18,567 The first challenge for engineers is to tear down 205 00:13:18,734 --> 00:13:19,667 the existing station. 206 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:24,701 They use special demolition machines 207 00:13:24,868 --> 00:13:26,167 to speed up the process. 208 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,868 It takes them three months to complete the job. 209 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,901 The team is now ready to build the mega foundation 210 00:13:41,067 --> 00:13:42,567 for the new Birg station. 211 00:13:46,367 --> 00:13:47,968 A temporary cableway delivers 212 00:13:48,133 --> 00:13:51,167 about 160 tons of steel reinforcement. 213 00:13:53,601 --> 00:13:56,501 A team of fabricators turns these bars into boxes. 214 00:13:58,167 --> 00:14:00,968 The on-site crane places these into the shuttering. 215 00:14:04,868 --> 00:14:08,767 The new foundation requires 660 tons of concrete. 216 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,100 So engineers build a special plant on site 217 00:14:14,267 --> 00:14:15,767 to deliver a steady supply. 218 00:14:17,868 --> 00:14:19,868 It takes the team one and a half months 219 00:14:20,033 --> 00:14:21,501 to complete the concrete pour. 220 00:14:23,868 --> 00:14:26,601 The giant foundation slab sticks out 10 feet 221 00:14:26,767 --> 00:14:27,934 from the rock face. 222 00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,501 The unsupported section is an obvious weak point. 223 00:14:36,267 --> 00:14:38,501 The engineers' solution is to make a series 224 00:14:38,667 --> 00:14:40,300 of mega-sized supports 225 00:14:40,467 --> 00:14:42,167 to hold up the front of the foundation. 226 00:14:45,667 --> 00:14:48,601 Workers create two sets of steel frames 227 00:14:48,767 --> 00:14:49,968 and fill them with concrete. 228 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,667 These supports stabilize the overhang, 229 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,267 redirect the load of the structure above 230 00:15:00,434 --> 00:15:01,667 back into the mountain, 231 00:15:03,100 --> 00:15:05,467 and prevent the foundation from snapping in two. 232 00:15:10,067 --> 00:15:12,667 The final challenge for the engineers is to anchor 233 00:15:12,834 --> 00:15:14,100 the cable into the rock. 234 00:15:16,467 --> 00:15:19,200 Workers use a special remote-controlled drill 235 00:15:19,367 --> 00:15:22,968 to punch 12 holes through the concrete foundation 236 00:15:23,133 --> 00:15:25,100 and nearly 50 feet into the bedrock. 237 00:15:28,968 --> 00:15:33,367 They install a super-strong cable anchor into each hole. 238 00:15:33,534 --> 00:15:36,100 These anchors transfer the load on the cable 239 00:15:36,267 --> 00:15:37,601 into the mountain itself. 240 00:15:43,167 --> 00:15:45,067 Over the next 16 months, 241 00:15:45,234 --> 00:15:47,667 the team builds the new Birg station 242 00:15:47,834 --> 00:15:49,100 on top of the foundation. 243 00:15:51,167 --> 00:15:54,067 Workers install the cable car pylons and machinery. 244 00:15:58,100 --> 00:16:01,801 They wrap the walls and roof in copper panels to protect 245 00:16:01,968 --> 00:16:03,567 the structure from the extreme weather. 246 00:16:05,067 --> 00:16:08,868 With the major components in place, it's time for engineers 247 00:16:09,033 --> 00:16:12,367 to construct the next part of this mega alpine endeavor, 248 00:16:13,868 --> 00:16:16,901 a massive tower on the route's longest stretch. 249 00:16:23,968 --> 00:16:26,400 In Switzerland, engineers are building 250 00:16:26,567 --> 00:16:28,968 an ambitious new alpine cableway. 251 00:16:29,968 --> 00:16:31,467 Their next mission is to construct 252 00:16:31,634 --> 00:16:33,367 a single massive tower 253 00:16:33,534 --> 00:16:36,501 on the route's longest nearly two-mile stretch. 254 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,601 The tower must be 180 feet high to lift the full weight 255 00:16:42,767 --> 00:16:44,167 of the cabins clear of the slope. 256 00:16:46,467 --> 00:16:50,100 But building a super-sized tower at this location presents 257 00:16:50,267 --> 00:16:53,067 Daniel Hunziker and his team with a big problem. 258 00:16:54,901 --> 00:16:56,667 The challenge here is that we are on a slope 259 00:16:56,834 --> 00:16:59,067 with muddy ground, 260 00:16:59,234 --> 00:17:01,801 and this is moving slowly a little bit over the years. 261 00:17:03,467 --> 00:17:05,868 The tower's architects design a structure 262 00:17:06,033 --> 00:17:08,167 with an innovative three-legged system 263 00:17:08,334 --> 00:17:10,334 to counteract ground movement. 264 00:17:12,767 --> 00:17:16,167 To anchor the tower to the mountain, first the teams 265 00:17:16,334 --> 00:17:19,567 must use excavators to dig three shafts. 266 00:17:19,734 --> 00:17:22,868 The shaft that points up the mountain must be 10 feet 267 00:17:23,033 --> 00:17:26,467 in diameter and 36 feet deep. 268 00:17:26,634 --> 00:17:28,701 The two shafts that point down the mountain 269 00:17:28,868 --> 00:17:32,000 must be 20 feet wide and 20 feet deep. 270 00:17:33,367 --> 00:17:36,000 All three shafts will be filled with concrete to create 271 00:17:36,167 --> 00:17:39,300 firm foundations and then connected to each other 272 00:17:39,467 --> 00:17:41,100 to help hold the legs in place. 273 00:17:43,267 --> 00:17:46,067 The team will use a helicopter to lift a giant crane 274 00:17:46,234 --> 00:17:47,467 up to the build site. 275 00:17:48,667 --> 00:17:51,667 The crane will then raise 200 tons of steel 276 00:17:51,834 --> 00:17:53,801 to assemble the tower's legs. 277 00:17:56,267 --> 00:17:59,801 Engineers will then adjust each of the legs to fine-tune 278 00:17:59,968 --> 00:18:03,801 the tower's position and ensure that it can carry the huge load 279 00:18:03,968 --> 00:18:06,534 of the cable without collapsing. 280 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,000 The first task is to dig the foundation for the tower. 281 00:18:16,767 --> 00:18:21,067 Excavators remove over 175,000 cubic feet of earth 282 00:18:21,234 --> 00:18:22,868 to dig all three shafts. 283 00:18:27,467 --> 00:18:30,367 But digging deep holes here presents a dangerous problem 284 00:18:30,534 --> 00:18:31,734 for the engineers. 285 00:18:33,567 --> 00:18:36,968 The muddy, fractured rock could collapse in on them. 286 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,367 To prevent this, workers line the shaft wall 287 00:18:42,534 --> 00:18:44,067 with a mesh of steel rebar. 288 00:18:47,868 --> 00:18:50,868 It takes the team eight weeks to dig and reinforce 289 00:18:51,033 --> 00:18:53,434 all three foundation holes. 290 00:18:55,868 --> 00:18:59,300 The next step is to fill them with concrete. 291 00:18:59,467 --> 00:19:02,167 The site is inaccessible to cement trucks, 292 00:19:02,334 --> 00:19:04,868 so engineers use the temporary cableway 293 00:19:05,033 --> 00:19:09,000 to haul in over 35,000 cubic feet of concrete, 294 00:19:09,167 --> 00:19:10,968 nearly nine tons at a time. 295 00:19:15,267 --> 00:19:17,667 It takes the team six and a half months 296 00:19:17,834 --> 00:19:19,167 to fill the foundation holes 297 00:19:20,467 --> 00:19:22,100 and complete the concrete base. 298 00:19:28,601 --> 00:19:31,200 Now the teams face their next big challenge, 299 00:19:31,367 --> 00:19:35,000 building a huge 215-foot-high crane. 300 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,267 We need a crane which is higher than the tower itself. 301 00:19:41,601 --> 00:19:44,734 The only way to do this is by helicopter. 302 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:48,701 If you're scared of heights, 303 00:19:48,868 --> 00:19:51,033 this is maybe the wrong job for you. 304 00:19:53,467 --> 00:19:56,167 The helicopter has to bring up the crane in sections. 305 00:20:00,167 --> 00:20:02,267 The workers must quickly bolt the sections 306 00:20:02,434 --> 00:20:05,100 of the crane together before the next one arrives. 307 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:13,367 The helicopter has to get precariously close to dangle 308 00:20:13,534 --> 00:20:14,767 the crane parts within reach. 309 00:20:21,367 --> 00:20:23,367 Now the workers must attach the cabin. 310 00:20:27,267 --> 00:20:30,300 Next, they need to attach the beams that hold 311 00:20:30,467 --> 00:20:32,100 the counterweights and lifting mechanism. 312 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,501 Finally, the last counterweight arrives. 313 00:20:39,667 --> 00:20:42,367 The workers must grab hold and quickly detach it 314 00:20:43,868 --> 00:20:46,801 while working 215 feet off the ground. 315 00:20:53,367 --> 00:20:54,501 With the crane assembled, 316 00:20:56,300 --> 00:20:58,868 the team can begin work on the tower itself. 317 00:21:02,667 --> 00:21:05,667 The engineers use the temporary cableway to bring in 318 00:21:05,834 --> 00:21:09,300 all 3,600 pieces of steel that make up the tower. 319 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:18,868 The crane lifts each one up, 320 00:21:19,868 --> 00:21:22,267 and workers use hand tools to fit them together. 321 00:21:30,767 --> 00:21:32,801 Four weeks into the tower build, 322 00:21:32,968 --> 00:21:34,567 and the workers are ready to install 323 00:21:34,734 --> 00:21:36,200 its critical rope shoes. 324 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,100 These will ensure the cabin and cables 325 00:21:40,267 --> 00:21:41,667 run smoothly over the tower. 326 00:21:43,901 --> 00:21:45,367 [Daniel] Today it's windy 327 00:21:45,534 --> 00:21:46,968 and we have snowfall 328 00:21:47,133 --> 00:21:48,667 and cold temperatures. 329 00:21:48,834 --> 00:21:50,601 As an engineer, you can plan everything 330 00:21:50,767 --> 00:21:51,934 except for the weather. 331 00:21:54,100 --> 00:21:56,868 The team assembles all four shoes on the ground. 332 00:22:01,167 --> 00:22:03,701 They then start the difficult task of mounting them 333 00:22:03,868 --> 00:22:05,267 onto the giant structure. 334 00:22:07,467 --> 00:22:10,467 Because the rope shoes are too heavy for the crane, 335 00:22:10,634 --> 00:22:14,467 we have to pull them up with this chain hoist construction. 336 00:22:15,667 --> 00:22:18,868 The assembled shoe weighs almost 15 tons 337 00:22:19,033 --> 00:22:21,400 and is over 80 feet long. 338 00:22:23,868 --> 00:22:28,000 The most difficult thing is to keep your fingers warm. 339 00:22:28,167 --> 00:22:29,901 With cold fingers, it's really difficult 340 00:22:30,067 --> 00:22:32,300 to tighten bolts. 341 00:22:34,767 --> 00:22:37,367 It takes two months to complete the tower build. 342 00:22:38,467 --> 00:22:42,100 Now the engineers must take on their next challenge, 343 00:22:42,267 --> 00:22:44,267 installing the cables which support 344 00:22:44,434 --> 00:22:46,667 this entire colossal project. 345 00:22:56,801 --> 00:22:58,968 Engineers in Switzerland are building 346 00:22:59,133 --> 00:23:00,667 a state-of-the-art cableway. 347 00:23:02,467 --> 00:23:04,467 It links the village of Stechelberg 348 00:23:04,634 --> 00:23:06,267 in the Lauterbrunnen Valley 349 00:23:06,434 --> 00:23:08,267 to Piz Gloria on the summit 350 00:23:08,434 --> 00:23:09,767 of the mighty Schilthorn. 351 00:23:11,667 --> 00:23:14,367 Their next challenge is to install the cables 352 00:23:14,534 --> 00:23:17,167 that will carry the cable cars up and down the mountain. 353 00:23:23,868 --> 00:23:26,167 The new cableway uses two types of cable. 354 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,367 Track cables are static. 355 00:23:30,534 --> 00:23:32,868 They bear the weight of the cabins and help to keep 356 00:23:33,033 --> 00:23:34,567 them upright and stable. 357 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,367 Haul cables are moving steel loops. 358 00:23:40,968 --> 00:23:43,868 Huge bull wheels at the stations drive them around 359 00:23:44,033 --> 00:23:45,200 like a conveyor belt. 360 00:23:47,100 --> 00:23:50,367 Each cable car attaches to this super-strong wire. 361 00:23:55,868 --> 00:23:59,267 The workers must install a total of 770 tons 362 00:23:59,434 --> 00:24:02,367 of haul and track cable from the valley floor 363 00:24:02,534 --> 00:24:03,834 to the summit of Schilthorn. 364 00:24:06,300 --> 00:24:08,167 Overseeing this massive job 365 00:24:08,334 --> 00:24:10,567 is rope technician Werner Lengacher. 366 00:24:12,667 --> 00:24:15,467 The volume of this project is very challenging 367 00:24:15,634 --> 00:24:17,767 because of the size itself. 368 00:24:17,934 --> 00:24:20,100 It's not just one section, it's three sections. 369 00:24:20,267 --> 00:24:24,100 So when we're pulling rope here, that is also tool-wise 370 00:24:24,267 --> 00:24:26,067 or machine-wise, a very big challenge, 371 00:24:26,234 --> 00:24:27,334 how to coordinate everything. 372 00:24:28,467 --> 00:24:31,167 The first challenge for Werner's team is to drag 373 00:24:31,334 --> 00:24:33,667 the track and haul cables 374 00:24:33,834 --> 00:24:35,868 from the station at Stechelberg to Mürren. 375 00:24:37,067 --> 00:24:39,267 The distance is over half a mile 376 00:24:39,434 --> 00:24:42,868 with a massive 2,500-foot vertical rise. 377 00:24:44,801 --> 00:24:47,033 This is how they'll do it. 378 00:24:49,467 --> 00:24:52,267 A low loader delivers drums of steel cable 379 00:24:52,434 --> 00:24:53,868 to the station at Stechelberg. 380 00:24:56,167 --> 00:24:59,167 Next, engineers tie a lightweight pilot line 381 00:24:59,334 --> 00:25:00,667 to a helicopter. 382 00:25:02,367 --> 00:25:05,501 The helicopter takes this line up and over the edge of 383 00:25:05,667 --> 00:25:08,834 the cliff and pulls it through the towers and stations. 384 00:25:11,267 --> 00:25:13,767 Workers on the ground tie a slightly thicker rope 385 00:25:13,934 --> 00:25:15,868 to the end of the pilot line, 386 00:25:16,033 --> 00:25:17,767 which workers then winch up to Mürren. 387 00:25:21,701 --> 00:25:25,100 They repeat the method with progressively thicker ropes 388 00:25:25,267 --> 00:25:27,000 until they have a rope that's strong enough 389 00:25:27,167 --> 00:25:28,767 to haul up the steel cables. 390 00:25:32,367 --> 00:25:34,367 The final stage is to splice together 391 00:25:34,534 --> 00:25:36,400 the ends of the steel haul cable 392 00:25:37,667 --> 00:25:38,667 to create a loop. 393 00:25:44,300 --> 00:25:46,367 A convoy of giant low loaders 394 00:25:46,534 --> 00:25:49,100 delivers the spools of cable to Stechelberg. 395 00:25:51,367 --> 00:25:54,267 A team at the top of Tower 1 installs a set 396 00:25:54,434 --> 00:25:57,400 of temporary rollers to guide the pilot line 397 00:25:57,567 --> 00:25:59,868 over the tower and across the mountain. 398 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,167 The distance from the valley floor to Tower 1 399 00:26:05,334 --> 00:26:06,701 is about 2,000 feet. 400 00:26:08,467 --> 00:26:12,167 The only way to take the pilot line up there is by helicopter. 401 00:26:14,367 --> 00:26:17,601 An engineer attaches the nearly half-inch-thick pilot line 402 00:26:17,767 --> 00:26:18,667 to the helicopter. 403 00:26:23,267 --> 00:26:26,067 And it climbs up to the workers waiting on Tower 1. 404 00:26:33,567 --> 00:26:35,767 The helicopter must keep a safe distance. 405 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:42,200 Venture too close, and its rotor blades 406 00:26:42,367 --> 00:26:44,133 could strike the cliff face. 407 00:26:46,601 --> 00:26:48,801 The workers successfully thread the rope 408 00:26:48,968 --> 00:26:51,000 through the rollers on Tower 1. 409 00:26:57,868 --> 00:27:00,667 On Tower 2, team members ready themselves 410 00:27:00,834 --> 00:27:01,767 for their turn. 411 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,567 The helicopter now advances up the mountain and delivers 412 00:27:10,734 --> 00:27:12,901 the end of the pilot line to Mürren station, 413 00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:16,367 where it is attached to a powerful winch. 414 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:20,901 The first stage of the operation is complete. 415 00:27:22,167 --> 00:27:23,868 [Werner] The first rope pull is always the hardest. 416 00:27:24,033 --> 00:27:25,868 The 12-millimeter has gone up well. 417 00:27:26,033 --> 00:27:27,367 After the 12-millimeter, 418 00:27:27,534 --> 00:27:29,367 we'll put a 16-millimeter rope in 419 00:27:29,534 --> 00:27:31,367 and then a 32. 420 00:27:31,534 --> 00:27:33,667 And once that one's up, then we can hook onto 421 00:27:33,834 --> 00:27:36,434 the track rope and pull that up. 422 00:27:38,868 --> 00:27:41,367 Engineers attach the giant track cable. 423 00:27:45,567 --> 00:27:47,801 The winch at Mürren pulls it up the mountain 424 00:27:52,667 --> 00:27:54,167 and anchors it into the station. 425 00:27:59,701 --> 00:28:01,868 When all the cables are in position, 426 00:28:02,033 --> 00:28:04,667 the team's next challenge is to turn 427 00:28:04,834 --> 00:28:07,701 the one-and-a-half-mile-long haul cable into a loop. 428 00:28:09,467 --> 00:28:12,767 To do this, workers first thread both ends through 429 00:28:12,934 --> 00:28:17,534 a suspended platform that's nearly 200 feet up in the air. 430 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:24,200 Next, they unwind 200 feet of cable. 431 00:28:26,667 --> 00:28:29,968 [Werner] Every five to six meters, we have a person lifting 432 00:28:30,133 --> 00:28:31,667 the rope up and pulling the strand underneath it. 433 00:28:33,067 --> 00:28:34,968 Everybody is in the same rhythm, 434 00:28:35,133 --> 00:28:36,501 and it sounds -- it's like a beat. 435 00:28:36,667 --> 00:28:40,300 Dum-dum. Sounds pretty cool. 436 00:28:42,767 --> 00:28:46,167 Next, the team carefully intertwines the strands 437 00:28:46,334 --> 00:28:47,601 from both ends of the cable. 438 00:28:54,067 --> 00:28:56,300 Workers use hammers and clamping plates 439 00:28:56,467 --> 00:28:57,801 to bind them tightly together. 440 00:29:01,567 --> 00:29:03,801 It takes a whole day to splice the cable 441 00:29:03,968 --> 00:29:07,200 into a super-strong loop that can lift cable cars 442 00:29:07,367 --> 00:29:09,267 from the valley floor up the mountain. 443 00:29:14,868 --> 00:29:18,567 The team threads the track cable and installs loops 444 00:29:18,734 --> 00:29:19,968 of haul cable 445 00:29:21,501 --> 00:29:25,100 all the way to Piz Gloria at the summit of Schilthorn. 446 00:29:27,167 --> 00:29:29,367 We're all very excited. It's time to go have a beer. 447 00:29:29,534 --> 00:29:31,067 This mighty new cableway 448 00:29:31,234 --> 00:29:33,167 is ready for the next phase of construction, 449 00:29:35,267 --> 00:29:37,767 building an entirely new station 450 00:29:37,934 --> 00:29:40,000 around their world-famous restaurant. 451 00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:53,767 Engineers in Switzerland are building a brand-new cableway 452 00:29:53,934 --> 00:29:54,868 up Schilthorn Mountain. 453 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:02,267 At its summit sits Piz Gloria station. 454 00:30:04,501 --> 00:30:06,968 The 1969 James Bond movie, 455 00:30:07,133 --> 00:30:09,300 "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," 456 00:30:09,467 --> 00:30:10,968 made it world famous. 457 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,467 It houses a revolving restaurant 458 00:30:18,634 --> 00:30:20,501 with panoramic views of the mountains. 459 00:30:25,767 --> 00:30:28,601 But this iconic structure is incompatible 460 00:30:28,767 --> 00:30:30,367 with the new cableway system 461 00:30:30,534 --> 00:30:32,801 that will ferry double the number of visitors 462 00:30:32,968 --> 00:30:33,901 to the top of the mountain. 463 00:30:37,567 --> 00:30:41,601 The engineers' plan is to keep the famous restaurant intact 464 00:30:41,767 --> 00:30:44,234 while they build a whole new station around it. 465 00:30:46,667 --> 00:30:50,067 Chief architect Jürg Beutler oversees construction. 466 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,300 [Jürg] We have to make new foundations, new reservoirs, 467 00:30:55,467 --> 00:30:59,000 new electrical stairways and the big windows 468 00:30:59,167 --> 00:31:00,968 to have a big view. 469 00:31:01,133 --> 00:31:05,467 Here we see the view from Piz Gloria, the old museum. 470 00:31:06,767 --> 00:31:12,300 At the middle, we make the new station here and this octagon 471 00:31:12,467 --> 00:31:15,801 just around a new basement. 472 00:31:15,968 --> 00:31:20,100 Biggest risk here will be the construction 473 00:31:20,267 --> 00:31:21,434 under the restaurant. 474 00:31:22,667 --> 00:31:25,200 The team's challenge is to enlarge and strengthen 475 00:31:25,367 --> 00:31:27,200 Piz Gloria's foundations 476 00:31:27,367 --> 00:31:29,767 without destroying the iconic structure above. 477 00:31:34,167 --> 00:31:36,601 Building the new station is no easy task. 478 00:31:38,868 --> 00:31:42,000 The team has only five months to complete the construction, 479 00:31:43,267 --> 00:31:46,167 and it must do it between October and March, 480 00:31:46,334 --> 00:31:47,801 when the weather is at its worst. 481 00:31:49,901 --> 00:31:52,801 Within these five months, everything has to be done. 482 00:31:52,968 --> 00:31:55,701 It's cold, minus 20, 25 degree. 483 00:32:01,467 --> 00:32:04,767 The team's first task is to demolish the existing basement 484 00:32:04,934 --> 00:32:05,968 and clear away the rubble. 485 00:32:11,467 --> 00:32:14,868 Next, workers install steel girders to support 486 00:32:15,033 --> 00:32:15,968 the existing structure 487 00:32:19,567 --> 00:32:21,801 and make the frame for the enlarged foundation. 488 00:32:28,367 --> 00:32:32,100 Then, they pour concrete into frames to make a solid floor. 489 00:32:37,767 --> 00:32:40,367 Once dry, a steel crew moves in 490 00:32:40,534 --> 00:32:42,968 to build the new cableway station. 491 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,667 The weather is good and progress is fast. 492 00:32:48,834 --> 00:32:51,567 The team is on track to complete the new structure 493 00:32:51,734 --> 00:32:52,767 before the deadline. 494 00:33:01,667 --> 00:33:04,868 Piz Gloria offers an unrivaled panoramic view 495 00:33:05,033 --> 00:33:06,367 of the Swiss Alps. 496 00:33:08,701 --> 00:33:11,667 The designers of the cableway want to increase the size of 497 00:33:11,834 --> 00:33:15,601 the windows so that more people can enjoy the spectacular sight 498 00:33:15,767 --> 00:33:16,901 from the summit. 499 00:33:18,901 --> 00:33:22,067 The new glass must be super strong to keep out 500 00:33:22,234 --> 00:33:23,667 the worst alpine weather. 501 00:33:25,367 --> 00:33:27,901 [Jürg] These windows, they are thicker 502 00:33:28,067 --> 00:33:29,467 because of the wind. 503 00:33:29,634 --> 00:33:32,667 Here, up in 3,000 meters is very hard wind. 504 00:33:40,300 --> 00:33:44,267 Today, the team must install two supersized windows. 505 00:33:46,667 --> 00:33:49,868 Each one measures 16 feet by 16 feet. 506 00:33:53,868 --> 00:33:56,767 The only way to get something this large up to the summit 507 00:33:56,934 --> 00:33:58,000 is by helicopter. 508 00:34:02,667 --> 00:34:05,167 Installing it is a challenge for the pilot 509 00:34:05,334 --> 00:34:06,667 and crew on the ground. 510 00:34:08,367 --> 00:34:11,667 The most dangerous thing when the helicopters come up here is 511 00:34:11,834 --> 00:34:16,467 when he's near the building and he has to put the glass 512 00:34:16,634 --> 00:34:18,200 between the scaffolding and the wall. 513 00:34:19,767 --> 00:34:24,267 If unexpected wind comes up, it can be smashing the window 514 00:34:24,434 --> 00:34:26,501 into the wall, and it would be very dangerous. 515 00:34:35,467 --> 00:34:38,467 The helicopter delivers the frame without a scratch. 516 00:34:44,701 --> 00:34:46,767 The team's next challenge is to install 517 00:34:46,934 --> 00:34:50,434 the three super-sized pieces of glass into the frame. 518 00:34:52,868 --> 00:34:56,000 Workers attach a bracket with special suction pads 519 00:34:56,167 --> 00:34:58,000 to a 1,000-pound pane. 520 00:35:01,701 --> 00:35:04,868 The mighty on-site crane then lifts the glass 521 00:35:05,033 --> 00:35:05,901 to where it's needed. 522 00:35:15,167 --> 00:35:18,067 The team can then install it precisely into the frame. 523 00:35:29,767 --> 00:35:32,000 Jürg inspects the window for defects. 524 00:35:33,767 --> 00:35:36,801 You have a spectacular view here. 525 00:35:36,968 --> 00:35:38,367 It's wonderful. 526 00:35:38,534 --> 00:35:41,067 This whole project was a challenge, 527 00:35:41,234 --> 00:35:44,767 and the result we are proud of. 528 00:35:44,934 --> 00:35:47,434 We get good feedbacks from everywhere. 529 00:35:49,901 --> 00:35:52,000 Piz Gloria's modern facelift 530 00:35:52,167 --> 00:35:54,000 and new cable car station 531 00:35:54,167 --> 00:35:57,167 completes the cableway's ground-based infrastructure. 532 00:35:58,667 --> 00:36:03,067 Next, engineers will need to find a way to attach the cabins 533 00:36:03,234 --> 00:36:06,000 that will carry up to 800 passengers an hour 534 00:36:06,167 --> 00:36:07,901 to visit this stunning summit. 535 00:36:15,567 --> 00:36:18,801 On Schilthorn Mountain, cableway engineers 536 00:36:18,968 --> 00:36:21,467 are getting ready for the final phase of construction. 537 00:36:23,267 --> 00:36:25,868 They must now attach the cabins that will carry 538 00:36:26,033 --> 00:36:28,400 up to 800 passengers an hour to the summit. 539 00:36:31,968 --> 00:36:35,100 All six cabins have a lightweight aluminum frame. 540 00:36:37,167 --> 00:36:39,567 Each is coated with layers of protective paint, 541 00:36:41,467 --> 00:36:43,400 complete with panoramic windows, 542 00:36:45,567 --> 00:36:47,400 and weighs five and a half tons. 543 00:36:52,901 --> 00:36:55,701 The next challenge for the engineers is to secure 544 00:36:55,868 --> 00:36:57,501 the first two onto the cableway. 545 00:37:02,267 --> 00:37:04,100 Every cabin on a cableway 546 00:37:04,267 --> 00:37:07,567 attaches to a special metal frame called a hanger. 547 00:37:09,868 --> 00:37:11,868 The hanger attaches to a carriage unit. 548 00:37:13,501 --> 00:37:15,968 This rolls along the cable 549 00:37:16,133 --> 00:37:18,100 to move cabins up and down the mountain. 550 00:37:24,367 --> 00:37:26,501 A team at Mürren station installs 551 00:37:26,667 --> 00:37:29,501 a four-and-a-half-ton carriage unit to the pair of cables. 552 00:37:33,868 --> 00:37:35,467 The workers attach the hanger 553 00:37:35,634 --> 00:37:37,167 to the bottom of the carriage unit. 554 00:37:44,100 --> 00:37:47,968 Next, they run the carriage unit and hanger down the cable 555 00:37:48,133 --> 00:37:49,868 to Stechelberg in the valley below. 556 00:37:59,267 --> 00:38:02,167 Workers tie ropes from the hanger to a waiting cabin. 557 00:38:13,968 --> 00:38:15,968 And a winch hauls it into the air. 558 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,767 When we lift up the cabin to the running gear, 559 00:38:20,934 --> 00:38:23,868 we are normally a little bit nervous because everything 560 00:38:24,033 --> 00:38:25,968 has to fit very precisely. 561 00:38:28,067 --> 00:38:32,000 The team installs two cabins wrapped in protective covers 562 00:38:32,167 --> 00:38:35,000 onto the first section of cableway. 563 00:38:35,167 --> 00:38:38,801 Next, they must fit the cabins to the second section 564 00:38:38,968 --> 00:38:40,801 between Mürren and Birg stations. 565 00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:44,400 Now we have the cabins here in the valley. 566 00:38:44,567 --> 00:38:46,667 That was the easy part on the highway. 567 00:38:46,834 --> 00:38:49,968 Now we have to go up with the material ropeways 568 00:38:50,133 --> 00:38:51,767 to the top. 569 00:38:51,934 --> 00:38:54,167 And that will be a big challenge. 570 00:38:56,601 --> 00:38:59,467 The team uses the temporary cableway to transport 571 00:38:59,634 --> 00:39:00,934 each cabin to Mürren. 572 00:39:02,267 --> 00:39:05,601 These cabins are larger, so they must run on a pair of 573 00:39:05,767 --> 00:39:08,067 cables called a funifor system. 574 00:39:10,467 --> 00:39:13,901 This is the first funifor we built in Switzerland, 575 00:39:14,067 --> 00:39:16,601 and it's because of the wide rope gauge. 576 00:39:17,601 --> 00:39:21,667 This system is going to be very stable in alpine winds 577 00:39:21,834 --> 00:39:28,634 and can take winds till 80 or 85 kilometers per hour. 578 00:39:31,067 --> 00:39:34,567 When the two cabins arrive at Mürren, workers lift and attach 579 00:39:34,734 --> 00:39:36,300 them to cables that will ferry 580 00:39:36,467 --> 00:39:38,501 passengers along the second section of the route. 581 00:39:52,868 --> 00:39:55,000 Now, it's time to install the cabins 582 00:39:55,167 --> 00:39:56,567 to the third section, 583 00:39:56,734 --> 00:39:59,868 from Birg station to Piz Gloria at the summit. 584 00:40:02,167 --> 00:40:04,868 This will be the biggest challenge yet. 585 00:40:05,033 --> 00:40:06,801 [Raphael] It's a very dangerous transport. 586 00:40:06,968 --> 00:40:09,968 We have to bring them across the snow fields 587 00:40:10,133 --> 00:40:11,601 to the installation place. 588 00:40:15,467 --> 00:40:18,100 Special snow-tracked vehicles haul the cabins 589 00:40:18,267 --> 00:40:19,300 along tight ski runs. 590 00:40:31,467 --> 00:40:33,367 The engineers begin at daybreak. 591 00:40:37,667 --> 00:40:40,667 They mount the cabin to the temporary cableway 592 00:40:40,834 --> 00:40:43,400 and ride it up the last mile run from Birg 593 00:40:43,567 --> 00:40:45,667 to the very top of Schilthorn Mountain. 594 00:40:49,667 --> 00:40:52,167 It's to attach the funifor carriage and hanger. 595 00:41:03,567 --> 00:41:05,767 The team makes their final adjustments, 596 00:41:08,968 --> 00:41:10,000 raises the cabin, 597 00:41:12,868 --> 00:41:13,968 and bolts it on. 598 00:41:15,868 --> 00:41:18,400 The epic cableway is finally complete. 599 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:26,601 To build this spectacular sky train, 600 00:41:27,701 --> 00:41:31,767 this team of skilled engineers has worked at dizzying heights 601 00:41:31,934 --> 00:41:34,701 to construct mighty steel towers, 602 00:41:37,167 --> 00:41:39,767 haul hundreds of tons of steel cable 603 00:41:39,934 --> 00:41:41,100 to the top of a mountain, 604 00:41:43,467 --> 00:41:46,601 and secure new stations deep into the bedrock. 605 00:41:50,367 --> 00:41:54,000 Now, this revolutionary cableway is ready to shuttle 606 00:41:54,167 --> 00:41:56,868 visitors to the top of Schilthorn Mountain 607 00:41:57,033 --> 00:41:58,667 for decades to come.