RIDE TO THE TOP - Germany's Highest Construction Site | Full Documentary

Germany's highest peak is the site for the construction of a remarkable cable car. The project involves precision work at an elevation of 3000 meters, with its steelwork pylon reaching an impressive height of 127 meters. This new cable car will surpass all previous records by climbing to an unmatched altitude of 1945 meters.

At an elevation of nearly 3,000 meters on Germany's highest mountain, a team of experts is preparing to assemble a rotating tower crane. The strong wind, lack of space, and steep precipice pose challenges. A special helicopter brings the components to the peak as it's the only option under these conditions. The assembly crew battles against wind while carrying out precision work.

Due to the limited space, the northern section of the summit station will extend 35 meters above the precipice. To ensure stability, a tie back structure will be used to shift forces towards the rear. Before constructing suspension cable towers, targeted blasts are carried out to clear an area for anchoring them.

A construction project relies heavily on a material cableway and crane for logistics. The material cableway transports five tons of materials per trip, while the crane moves them to the construction site. The crane operator faces challenges due to changeable weather and crowded surroundings.

The crowded site and the fact that the summit will remain open to visitors are challenges faced by the team. They receive many questions from visitors and try their best to answer them. The new mega cableway will replace the old cable car after more than 50 years of operation.

The construction site faces challenges such as a height difference of 1945 meters, limited storage space, and a tight schedule. Multiple companies are working simultaneously while dealing with crowds of tourists. The logistical balancing act is crucial due to the need for cranes to transport materials.

The transportation history of Tsukeshpitsa dates back to 1929 when the first cogwheel railway was opened. In 1962, a cable car was built up the summit, setting a world record for its aerial lift pylons at 65 and 86 meters. Over the years, it transported more than 21 million visitors.

After 54 years in operation, the old Ipse Aerial Tramway takes its final guests to the summit before being dismantled. The two pylons will be used for the construction of its successor.

The crew is dismantling the old cable car structure to make space for a larger summit station. They use blow torches and a construction crane to remove the old entryways and roof coverings. Despite challenging weather conditions, including wind, snow, and freezing temperatures, they successfully dismantle the steel roof into smaller pieces.

The demolition process is underway, with debris being transported down into the valley using a material cableway. The work in the valley is progressing rapidly, as the demolition equipment operates at full capacity to dismantle old structures forcefully. This juxtaposition of past and future can be seen just meters away from the new valley.

The delivery station is almost complete and the next milestone is approaching. A special cable, made in Switzerland, has been delivered for the new cable car project. The cable is 4900 meters long and weighs 153 tons. It takes two trucks to transport a single cable, carefully distributed by logistics specialists.

The construction crew faces a challenging task of unloading the large suspension cables, which are thick and strong with a diameter of millimeters. These cables have remarkable statistics, including a minimum braking force of nearly 700 tons.

A new pylon tower is being constructed to simplify the entire process. Countless trucks loaded with steel are making their way up the mountainside to another construction site at an elevation of 1,285 meters. The new cableways only pylon tower will be stronger, bigger, and higher than its predecessor.

The world's highest aerial tramway tower stands at 127 meters. It contains over 9,000 screws and more than 1,100 individual parts. The construction required over 18 truckloads of steel, weighing a total of 420 tons. Eleven specialists are assembling the tower with great precision and caution at such heights.

The saddle aerial tramway's 22-ton structure is hoisted into position using a winch and pulley system. A special crane brings it to the assembly area, where smaller cables are attached for careful positioning. This requires strength, skill, and a clear head for heights.

The cable car specialists face another challenging mission as they mount the guide pulleys at an elevation of over 2000 meters. These pulleys ensure that the new cables are protected from damage while being pulled up to the summit. The crew carefully positions the guide pulleys in a precarious location.

Hoisting the New Suspension Cable The crew prepares to hoist the new suspension cable into place for the upcoming launch. They use the old tramway cable to pull it up and join it with extreme force-resistant bushing.

Preparing and Joining Track Ropes "Harih", the chief assembly technician, opens and prepares each smaller steel cable of the track rope by bending them out. The cables are then cleaned from grease before being pulled into a sleeve where casting compound is poured over them.

Reconnecting Snarled Cables During their journey, two cables get snarled in trees causing an unexpected delay. The crew uses an extension lever to reconnect them securely before continuing.

The new cable car is a reversible aerial tramway with two cabins. When one cabin goes up the mountain, the other goes down. The track ropes remain stationary while the cabin's wheels roll along them.

After operating throughout the night, the linear pulley has successfully brought a 153-ton rope to the top of the pizza. However, this is only the first stage of their task. The crew now faces another challenge: pulling an additional 300 meters of rope into the summit station. With limited space and harsh conditions at such high altitude, multiple pulleys will be required for this operation.

The crew members are monitoring the new cable on the cliff face. A heavy-duty 20-ton winch is used to wind the track rope onto it. The tight quarters and numerous pulleys make navigation challenging.

The construction crew faces a major technological challenge in moving the track rope upwards. Clear communication is crucial among team members, especially between those at the pulleys who can't see where the rope is. They rely on each other's instructions to ensure smooth operation.

To ensure that none of the smaller cables shift out of position, we need to cut off the bushing used for pulling. This will allow us to weld it together properly. We use several clamps to securely hold everything in place before cutting and welding.

The crew welds together the end of the track rope and secures it with clamps. They also weld an eyelet onto the rope for easier winding later.

The track rope needs to be wound around a smaller spool and secured with additional rope. This ensures that all 180 tons are securely held in place. A reserve of 100 meters is also needed for future adjustments every 12 years.

As part of the planned launch date, one of the landmarks, an 85-meter tower in the old ipse aerial tramway, is being retired. The crew is using blow torches to dismantle smaller steel parts and ensure that the tower tips over in a specific direction. They have also mounted a steel cable at the top for controlled demolition.

To topple the tower, we span a cable at the top and apply between 40 and 50 tons of force using a winch. The tower's wide base makes it difficult to tip exactly where planned, but we got close. Predicting the direction of fall is challenging due to weight distribution on two legs.

The rope supports are mounted to the new track rope, fastening it with the haul rope. They prevent oscillation and tangling of the ropes along the 4.5-kilometer route. The supports are spaced every 180-230 meters to avoid oscillation.

The cable winches in the valley are used to pull the auxiliary gondola to the summit. Each rope support is fastened to the track rope at four points, creating a V-shape with a pulley in the center.

Despite bad weather expected tomorrow, the crew works tirelessly to finish mounting rope supports on the tower. With precision and cooperation from good weather, they are confident in completing their task today.

The running gears, consisting of hangers and wheels, are carefully mounted to support the cabins. Each gear weighs seven tons and has 24 wheels that will drive on the track ropes. Chief assembly technician Harry Reich closely supervises the process to prevent any damage to the track rope.

After three weeks of preparation, the crew is ready to mount the first cabin. Despite pouring rain, they use a rope winch to position it beneath the track rope. Before that, they remove the auxiliary gondola and its running gear.

The crew uses pallets to create a level surface. They carefully position the new cabin, ensuring that the valuable gondola is not damaged. The ground being uneven poses a challenge.

The crew mounts the cabin by securing bolts and applying grease. The process takes longer due to challenging conditions caused by rain. Removing the straps proves difficult because of a stubborn knot.

After a tight fit, the cabin is finally in place and slowly returning to the station. However, there is an issue with the width of the entryway not being set correctly.

The assembly crew is unresponsive and the cabin cannot remain in its current position overnight. The Bavarian Soukspitzer Railway crew offers assistance to move it safely. They attempt to shift the central platform at the valley station, but it doesn't work.

The side rails need to be moved to create enough space for the cabin. Despite initial difficulties, releasing screws and using a hammer allows for some adjustment. However, brute force is required as the side rail refuses to cooperate.

On December 21st, 2017, the new Tsukeshpitsa cable car celebrated its grand opening. It is a spacious and modern structure made of glass and steel that graces the mountain top. The floor-to-ceiling glazing offers a spectacular view with heated windows for unobstructed visibility even in bad weather.