Whispers of coal dust and clanging metal still cling to this Pfeiler einer ehemaligen Zechen-Seilbahnanlage. This is a relic from a time when the Ruhrgebiet pulsed with industrial might. These pillars once held a lifeline for the mines. They facilitated the transport of raw materials across the landscape.
Seilbahnen were widespread in the Ruhrgebiet. This Pfeiler einer ehemaligen Zechen-Seilbahnanlage is a testament to that past. They emerged as an alternative to railway lines. This was especially true where topography made construction too expensive. Shorter seilbahnen with adjustable supports often led to mine dumps. They also replaced underground connections between shafts. These were shorter and became obsolete as underground mining operations expanded.
The advantage of seilbahnen was their low maintenance. Their drive systems did not require much power. Like ski lifts, they carried the Förderwagen. Less frequently, they transported tilting containers. This Pfeiler einer ehemaligen Zechen-Seilbahnanlage was part of such a system.
The mines of Dortmund relied heavily on these systems. The Zeche Dorstfeld in Dortmund operated two seilbahnen. One ran between plants 2/3 and 5/6. It was mainly for transporting pit timber and shaft equipment. Heckel from Leipzig built it around 1927/28. It was used for material transport until 1958. It was approximately 1.3 km long. Another seilbahn crossed the extensive trackage at Dorstfeld from plant 1/4. This Pfeiler einer ehemaligen Zechen-Seilbahnanlage may have been part of it.
North of it lay the mine dump. The fairly high line created several cones, some still preserved. The line was built from 1913 to 1915. It was for removing material from the excavation of shaft 4. It operated into the 1920s and closed around 1933. Seilbahn GmbH from Dortmund likely built it. It was about 600 m long. Its height made it particularly noticeable.
The Zeche Margarethe in Dortmund operated a 1400 m long seilbahn. It ran between the Förderanlage and the Luftschacht 3. Topography prevented other solutions. Pohlig built it. It transported rock for backfilling the northern mining field. The ventilation shaft began operating in 1913. The mine closed in 1926. So did the seilbahnbetrieb. This Pfeiler einer ehemaligen Zechen-Seilbahnanlage would have fallen silent.
The Zeche Wiendahlsbank in Dortmund had coking coal. Quantities were too small for a profitable coking plant. This Pfeiler einer ehemaligen Zechen-Seilbahnanlage might recall that era. A 1630 m long seilbahn transported these coals to the Zeche Kaiser Friedrich coking plant. Pohlig built it in 1911. It ran at 1.5 m/sec. Wagons held 450 kg. Capacity was 450 t of fine coal per eight hours.
Consider the miners. Imagine their daily reliance on these aerial systems. High above the ground, coal and rock traversed. The Pfeiler einer ehemaligen Zechen-Seilbahnanlage ensured their work. Now, only echoes remain. These pillars are silent witnesses to Dortmund’s mining legacy. They are a reminder of an era of innovation. A time when the city thrived on coal.