The winch is suited for long-distance up and downhill cable extraction.
The W-40 has higher sidewalls than the W-30 which allows a larger cable drum to be fitted for increased cable holding capacity. It is mainly used as a driving unit for long distance cableways. It is designed to operate with the Wyssen HY-4 (slack-pulling carriage) and the Wyssen MSK2 motorised skyline carriage. The standard motor used it the Deutz 55 kW (75 hp) turbo-diesel motor, suited for uphill or downhill extraction. If more power is required, the W-40 can be fitted with a 129 kW (175 hp) Deutz engine, which lets heavy loads be transported at high speeds during uphill extraction. It is also available with a 75 kW (102 hp) VW turbo diesel engine. It has a continually adjustable hydrostatic drive and a mechanical 6-speed gearbox with a fluid turbo coupling.
Intermediate supports and end-points can be entered into the system, allowing the cable to automatically slow down when passing these points. The winch assembly is modular in construction, resulting in it being adaptable to the requirements of each customer. The W-40 weighs only 1,690 kg (3,726 lb) with the two smaller engines, and can quickly be separated into two parts (the chassis and the engine) to allow it to be transported with smaller helicopters. The W-40 with the larger engine weighs 2,490 kg (5,490 lb). Braking is with a shoe brake mounted directly onto the drum. Cable drum capacity ranges from 3,250 m (10,700 ft) when using a 9 mm (0.35 in) cable, to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) when using a 16 mm (0.6 in) cable. Source: http://www.wyssenseilbahnen.com/en/