At the beginning of the sixteenth century in picturesque Austria built a new cable-drawn vehicle. With its help, fresh products were raised to the castle, located on a steep mountain (as it should be for any self-respecting castle). And although this design is suitable for use only on very specific stretches of the path, the invention was so successful that it was used in other places. This is how the world's first funicular appeared. More than five centuries have passed since then. And in the castle of Hohensalzburg, the very first funicular continues to function permanently. What is a funicular? Where can you see it today? How practical is its design? Why is it still used today? But why are there relatively few funiculars?

What is a funicular

The funicular is a small railroad located on a steep slope. Its fundamental difference from the railway in principle of work. On the railway, the driving force is the locomotive in which the engine is located. The operation of the funicular is based on cable traction. From this came its name - funiculus in Latin rope or rope.

The rope is rigidly attached to the car, and a winch is installed at the top of the lift, which serves as a lifting mechanism. However, only a person who has no idea what a funicular is can confuse a cable car with it. The most obvious difference is the mode of transportation. The funicular rides on rails. And the cable car trolleys hang on a rope.

Design practicality

To pull a car with passengers or cargo on a steep slope, you need to apply a lot of force. To facilitate the task, the designers attached a second car as a counterweight. That is, while one car is going up, the other is going down. And since the slope is steep, this to some extent compensates for the effort to lift the first car. Essentially, the winch expends power to overcome the force of friction, braking, and the difference in load between the cars. Therefore, the funicular is a very economical mode of transport. However, it is practical only on steep sections of the road. Where it is impractical to lay a conventional railway.

Attractive attraction

In addition to their practicality, funiculars invariably attract tourists. And this is not surprising. Small neat wagons move slowly, allowing you to fully enjoy the landscapes that open from a height. Within the boundaries of the city, the length of funicular lines, as a rule, does not exceed several hundred meters. And in the mountains, the funicular road can stretch for a couple of kilometers.

In the capital of Hungary, Budapest, there is one of the most popular funiculars among tourists. It stretched from the Danube embankment to the Buda Castle. It was built in 1870, and reconstructed after the Second World War. However, during the reconstruction, it was decided to leave the trailers their old look. True, the steam engine was still changed to an electric one. Climbing to the castle is not long and on foot, but during the operation of the funicular there is no end to passengers. Although often you have to spend more time in line than it would take to go up and down on foot.

Funicular in Vladivostok

Vladivostok funicular is one of the most famous sights of the city. This was greatly facilitated by the fact that he is the only one of his kind on Far East. In the sixties of the last century, Nikita Khrushchev, inspired by a visit to San Francisco, decided to turn Vladivostok into an even more beautiful and modern city. He began by building a funicular. Unfortunately, things didn't go further than that. But the funicular is still functioning properly to this day. In addition to aesthetic pleasure, it also brings very tangible practical benefits, lifting up to 40 people at a time in less than two minutes at 180 meters. This does not seem like such an achievement, if you do not take into account the vertical drop, which in this short period reaches a full seventy meters.

To understand how much effort this saves for pedestrians, imagine a steep staircase with 368 steps. It is this number that has to be overcome in order to climb to the top of the hill, on which the upper station of the funicular is located. But, apparently, according to the sensations, this figure is very significantly increased, since the locals called this place the staircase of 1001 steps.

The beauty of cool

A ride on the Swiss Helmerbahn funicular is not an adventure for the faint of heart. Overcoming steep slopes, when you literally look into the abyss that spreads nearby, gives unforgettable experience. Those tourists who have been there can proudly declare that they know what a funicular is. Initially, it was designed exclusively for technical needs. With its help, people and goods were delivered to the local hydroelectric power station. But in 2001 it was decided to use it for tourism needs. The one way trip takes approximately 10 minutes. And the angle of inclination in some areas reaches 106 degrees.

The name "funicular" has Latin roots, "funiculus" is a rope or rope. In its classic form, a funicular consists of two carts connected by a long cable, one of which is at the top and the other at the bottom. Rails are used as the roadway for the funicular. This is done for two reasons - firstly, the coefficient of rolling friction along the rails is lower than in other types of movement, and secondly, the rails eliminate the need to choose the direction of movement. The only significant limitation for the funicular is the length. Usually funiculars are made of small length, no more than two hundred meters. This is determined by the value of the specific elasticity of the traction rope, which, with a large length, can break under its own weight.

Device

To propel the funicular, an electric winch is usually used, mounted on top. Before the invention of the electric drive, the funicular was powered by filling the tank of the upper car with water, which was emptied after lowering down. In some ways, the principle of its operation is similar to the operation of a conventional elevator, the movement of the cabin of which accompanies the movement of the counterweight opposite in direction. To increase the throughput of the funicular, the counterweight of the raised car is the lowered car. This kind land transport is discrete in principle. Each work cycle has different directions movement.

Since a classic funicular consists of two cars, their classification is usually made according to the number of tracks. There can be four of them - two for each car, three when the cars move on the same rail on the right and left side, and two when there is only one track for each car. Three and double-track funiculars are supplied with sidings controlled by arrows. The funicular is always designed for each specific case. This is determined, in particular, by the fact that the cargo or passenger platform must have a strictly horizontal position.

Advantages

The funicular, as a lifting device, allows solving the problem of delivering passengers and goods in areas with large elevation changes with maximum efficiency and minimum costs. It is not as heavy as a conventional wheeled vehicle, but it does not need to build a road, causing damage environment. At the same time, relying on rails makes its carrying capacity significantly greater than that of a cable car. Its demand allows many companies, such as Optima Lift, to build their business on the design and construction of funiculars.

The company "Optima Lift" designs and creates both classic funiculars and devices similar to it in principle of operation. For example, funiculars with one carriage supported by a monorail. This technical solution allows you to create a lift with minimal cost and damage to the environment. A further development of funiculars was rack railways, which use a rack and pinion instead of a traction cable. Optima Lift manufactures rack railways of any configuration, including those with an individual cabin with its own drive mechanism. Such railways make it possible to create a path to a place of rest that fits into the surrounding nature as much as possible.

If you watch old films about the future, then they almost always show taxis, buses and cars that do not drive on the road, but fly in the air. And if you think about it, then in reality we have such a mode of transport and now it is funiculars. And although this transport cannot be called new and revolutionary, because the first prototypes appeared back in 1854 in Italy and Austria, nevertheless, these trailers soaring in the air evoke a sense of awe. But, over time, their main function has changed a little, and instead of delivering their passengers to their destination, despite the difficult and impassable paths, the funicular has become one of the indispensable tourist features of the 21st century.

Let's make ourselves virtual tour the best funiculars in the world and try to find out what is so interesting you can see in them.

Venezuela

The longest cable car in the world is located in Venezuela, and not somewhere in Switzerland and America, as one might think. And it's open funicular was quite recently, in the summer of 2014. You can ride it for only 43 cents. cable car passes at an altitude of 3200 and up to 4000 meters above sea level! Travel time is 10 minutes, and you can get in this way from the city of La Paz to the city of Alto. During the trip, you can get a good look at these towns, dotted with colorful houses, which from a bird's eye view resemble a goosebump. Also, passengers will be able to admire the beautiful and majestic snow-capped peaks of the mountains. Ilmani.

India

To compete for the title of the highest funicular in the world, maybe Indian Gulmarg. Its wagons take tourists directly to the largest ski resort in the Himalayas. The cable car has been operating since 1998, and can lift its passengers to a height of up to 3100 meters, although its second part was recently opened, which surpassed the Venezuelan funicular with a height of 4114 m. You can ride this funicular for only $ 2.7, and get colorful emotions for millions, because there are few places where you can see the beauty of the Himalayas so close and so clearly.

China

It is here that you can find another leader, which differs in the length of the road (7.5 km) and the duration of the trip (40 minutes).

But, judging by the panoramic view, here " road to heaven” (as the Chinese informally call her), the undisputed winner. After all, the funicular ride itself passes through national park Zhangjiajie, right above the mountains Tianmen.

This cable car got its romantic name due to the fact that going up, the funicular disappears from time to time in thick fog and it seems as if it is floating among the clouds.

Brazil

See Rio and statue of Christ the Redeemer and the bay in all its glory is possible thanks to the modern funicular, which is located at an altitude of approximately 400 m above sea level. But, no less interesting is another cable car in Rio, located in the most disadvantaged areas of the city (including Alemao), where crowds of bandits and drug addicts live and roam the streets, so it’s not very safe to see these places in another way.

And, although for now this transport serves more as a means of transportation, and not a tourist attraction, it’s worth a ride here, because the Brazilian slums look very interesting from a height. By the way, the fare is only $0.5.

Israel

View from the funicular window Masada, somewhat reminiscent of photographs from Mars - yellow earth cracked from the heat and harsh rocks. But, and this has its own charm, it all looks especially beautiful at sunset. You can see and appreciate all the beauties with the help of a funicular that takes its tourists right to the top of the plateau, where the ancient Masada fortress. And although the maximum height of the cable car is 257 meters, this does not prevent you from admiring the endless desert and appreciating the beauty Dead Sea. But, the price of a round-trip ticket is $19, which is a bit expensive compared to other funiculars.

France

This is probably the most unusual cable car in the world, because the wagons are shaped like huge glass balls, which the French themselves call “bubbles”. The road was opened back in 1934, but it was the most ordinary funicular that served as a means of transportation for the townspeople, but in 1976 the old cars were replaced with these very “bubbles” and the cable car turned into a famous tourist attraction, which makes it possible to admire the city in very comfortable conditions.

You can ride back and forth for 6.8 euros.

Malaysia

You can fly over the jungle and see how monkeys climb trees in Malaysia, namely in the city Genting. This is one of the first mountain resorts in Malaysia, where the gambling business is also flourishing. So there are a lot of tourists here. And in order to surprise and amaze them even more since 1997, cable car, which is considered one of the fastest in the world - the speed of the funicular is 6 meters per second, and the price of a round trip is only $3.

Ukraine

There are funiculars in Ukraine, they are, of course, not the most panoramic, or fast and high, but you don’t have to go far. quite famous, and you can ride it from Podil to Upper city to admire the old part of the city and the view of the Dnieper. You can also ride over the city in Kharkov. Kharkov cable car was opened in 1971 and still remains not only tourist attraction but also a means of transportation for citizens.

Maybe this article will inspire you to travel to one of these countries, where, among other attractions, you will also ride the funicular, and then share your impressions and photos with us.

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Last week we told you about how the cable car works, but today we will talk about another type of cable car - rail. Vehicles that carry passengers or goods on them are called funiculars. For the first time, the funicular was used as passenger transport was proposed in 1825, and almost 30 years later the idea was implemented simultaneously in Italian city Genoa and the Austrian Sommering. Today, there are about 400 rail cable cars operating in the world. Most of them are located in the USA and Switzerland. How does the rail cable car work - about this in today's issue!

There are two main types of funiculars: one-car and two-car. The principle of operation of the first of them is quite simple: the engine, located at the top of the cable car, alternately raises and lowers the car with the help of a rope. On some roads, the operator controls the movement using a mechanical gripper. The grip compresses the rope, which moves in a special recess under the surface. In order to stop the car, the operator just needs to release the grip. The rope continues to move without stopping.

The most common type of funicular with two non-motor cars. They are rigidly connected by a rope thrown over a pulley. The pulley itself and the engine that rotates it are also located at the top station of the funicular. The engine sets in motion a rope laid between the support rails, at the ends of which the cars are fixed. Thus, they always move and stop at the same time, and part exactly in the middle of the line. Such a scheme is the most economical: energy is spent not on lifting and lowering the cars, but actually on moving the difference in weight of two cars loaded differently by passengers, as well as on overcoming the friction force and braking. It should be noted that the movement of the rope moving the wagons is reversible. Its direction changes whenever the wagon or wagons reach the end of the line.

If a two-car cable car has only one pair of rails, then a two-track section is made in the middle of the route so that oncoming cars can disperse. The wagons on such roads have different wheels on opposite sides. The wheels on the left side have a double ridge rim and the right side has a smooth rim. When approaching a siding, the double-ridged wheels force the car to always change to the left track.

If a rope breaks on the cable car or its tension is weakened, then a spring is automatically activated, squeezing the rail with wedges on both sides. In the event of an accident, this prevents the wagon from rolling downhill uncontrollably.

Funicular routes are usually made quite short - usually a few hundred meters - with a steep slope, reaching 35 degrees. The slope of the cable car is usually constant, but sometimes changes slightly in different sections. Funicular cars are designed individually for each route, taking into account its steepness. At the same time, the lines of the funicular never form networks, do not branch out and do not intersect.

Funiculars are not only one of the most impressive modes of transport in terms of panoramas that open from the windows, but also allow you to organize the transportation of people and goods along the steepest routes. We will tell you about the fourteen most amazing lifts.

(Total 13 photos)

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Source: venividi.ru

1. Funiculars "Dakvesn" and "Monongiela" (Pittsburgh, USA)

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, travel in the Rust Belt area of ​​Pittsburgh was carried out on inclined railroads, which, in the absence of safe ordinary roads, served to transport goods and residents. Today, only two of Pittsburgh's legendary cable cars are still in service. Both of them ascend to the summit from the south side of Mount Washington. These are the super-cool 193-meter "Monongiela" (1870) - the oldest funicular in the United States, as well as the 242-meter "Dakwesn" (1877), which was restored local residents closing post in early 1960. Both are owned by the City of Pittsburgh, but Duckwesn is operated by a non-profit organization. Both funiculars are included in the National Register historical sites USA. Now these vehicles attract quite a lot of tourists, especially "Dakvesn", which leads to a small museum, souvenir shop and observation deck at the very top of Mount Washington. Most Pittsburgh residents can show you many ways to admire Steel City. But to see it in all its glory, you will have to ride an old funicular at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour to climb to the top of Mount Washington. Even acrophobes can handle it.

2. Funicular "Artillery" (Valparaiso, Chile)

Those who have been to the colorful Chilean city of Valparaiso can say that without a funicular, you will not be able to get to the Paseo 21 de Mayo observation deck. This crazy bohemian paradise by the sea - world heritage UNESCO since 2003. The city has many inclined railways that go around the quarters located on steep slopes. Despite the fact that there are only about 30 funiculars in Valparaiso (most of them appeared in the 1890s and early 1900s), only a small part of these famous "acensores" (elevators) are now actively used. Many of them have been announced national treasure. So which one to choose? Let's stop at the Artillery funicular (1893). It is not the oldest (the first were "Concepción" and "Cordillera") and not the longest in the city (round trip lasts only 80 seconds), nevertheless, it was he who became the most the best place for photos in Valparaiso. Perhaps this popularity is due to the brightly painted wooden carriages or the fact that Paseo 21 de Mayo opens the most best view to the city. Unfortunately, it seems that the Artillery will soon be out of action, but there are other alternatives besides it.

3. "Flight of Angels" (Los Angeles, USA)

The bright and artsy center of Los Angeles is not famous for its cable cars, here you will find only the "Flight of the Angels" (1901) - the last inclined railway of the city, which once had a lot of them. Built on a steep but short slope, it connected Hill Street and Olive Street in Bunker Hill - central area Los Angeles. In 1969, after 68 years of service, the 90-meter funicular and its two carriages "Sinai" and "Olivet" were dismantled to make way for the ongoing redevelopment of the area. Almost 30 years later, in 1996, the Flight of the Angels was finally remembered and restored near its original location. And then problems began: in 2001, a man died as a result of an accident on a funicular, and several more were injured. After an investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the reason for this was failures in the new transportation system. In 2010, when Sinai and Olivet repaired and replaced the faulty system, Angels Flight resumed operations. In 2011, it was briefly taken out of service for restoration work, and then closed again indefinitely in September 2013 after one of the cars derailed (no one was killed this time). Meanwhile, Los Angeles was forced to restore the lift again, and it remains to be seen when the iconic Railway greet passengers again. After the last closure, the Los Angeles Times published an article in which it said the following: "Angels Flight" is one of the few cable cars left in the country, it is a historical landmark of the city. In 1901, people traveled up and down for a penny. Today, a one-minute and four-second ride is still as cheap as 50 cents. As long as it's safe, let's keep driving."

4. "Carmelite" (Haifa, Israel)

Although most of the funiculars on our list offer unique views that can be observed while climbing the side of the mountain, in the case of the Carmelit, everything is different. This inclined railway, completely hidden underground, has earned the honorary title of the smallest subway in the world. "Carmelit" is the only underground transport in Israel. The tunnel through which the traffic goes is laid in Mount Carmel. Its construction began in 1956, and in 1959 the first passengers were received. From 1986 to 1992, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out, after which the funicular was opened again. There are four cars on the line (two for each train) and six stations. The upper station "Gan A-Em" is located at an altitude of 274 meters above sea level. "Kikar-Paris" - the lower station, where the depot and repair shops are located. The trip down the Carmelita from top to bottom takes about eight minutes.

5. "Fleibanen" (Bergen, Norway)

The 850-meter Fløibanen funicular transports visitors to the top of Fløien, one of the seven mountains that surround the Norwegian city of Bergen. Many people would like this short (8 minutes) trip upwards with three stops along the way to last forever. The views from the panoramic windows of two carriages (blue and red) with glass ceilings are simply indescribable. If the weather permits and there is enough time, be sure to rent a canoe to swim around Skumakerdike (the Shoemaker's Ditch). Grab a map and hike the forest paths or dine on traditional Norwegian seafood at a restaurant 300 meters above sea level.

6. Fourth Street Elevator (Dubuc, Iowa, USA)

The Fourth Street Elevator, also known as the Fenelon Elevator, was built because a wealthy guy really wanted to drive home for his lunch break, but couldn't spend the full 30 minutes riding a horse-drawn cart to get there each time. The house of J. C. Graves (a banker and former senator) was at the top of a steep cliff, and from 1882 he began to ride back and forth in some kind of cable car. Although the fare has increased greatly since then, the funicular is still in operation. In 1978, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

7. Central Funicular (Naples, Italy)

If you plan to visit the third largest city in Italy with a hilly landscape, be sure to ride the Metropolitana di Napoli and one of the four famous funiculars - "Chiaia" (1889), "Montesanto" (1891), "Central" (1928) and "Mergellina" (1931) - or at all in turn. Due to the chaotic landscape of the city and constant traffic jams, most residents prefer to ride the Central Funicular, which connects the four most important stations. This is the busiest and largest (1219 meters) inclined railway. The journey from Piazza Fuga at the station in Chichi Vomero to Augusteo takes just over 4 minutes. Speaking of the funiculars of Naples, it is worth mentioning the Vesuvius funicular, which has ceased to exist (guess why), built in 1800.

8. "Jonestown" (Jonestown, Pennsylvania, USA)

An hour and a half drive east to Cumbria County Airport, you will find "the steepest transport route in the world." With a total length of 273 meters, the system's spacious cable cars lead up the slope of Yoder Hill at an incredibly steep angle (70.9 degrees), reaching a mark of more than 487 meters. During major floods in 1936 and 1977, the track was used in its own way. intended purpose- to evacuate from the city. The rest of the time it is very popular with tourists - a round trip costs $4.

9. Lookout Mountain (Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA)

Called "America's most amazing mile," Lookout Mountain (1895) stretches just over a kilometer from Chattanooga's historic St. Elmo district to the top of Lookout Mountain. Those with a fear of heights can close their eyes during the entire 15-minute up and down trip, but this is simply unforgivable given the scenic panoramic views that open from the windows of the 42-seat carriage. Given that the round trip costs $15, only tourists use this technical miracle. The funicular is especially popular with visitors interested in American civil war who seek to get into the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Park.

10. Montmartre (Paris, France)

The 108-meter Montmartre funicular in the 18th arrondissement of Paris is one of the most recognizable funiculars in the world and carries more than 2 million passengers a year. In 1991, the system became fully automatic and began to attract visitors with its super-modernity. The Montmartre funicular is considered part of the Paris metro system and is an alternative to the 300-step staircase leading to the Sacré-Coeur Catholic Church. The current "Montmartre" is no longer a funicular in the traditional sense, but an inclined elevator, given that it now operates on its own, not using counterweighted inclined lift technology, as classic funiculars do. The whole trip takes 90 seconds.

11. "Niesenbahn" (Bern, Switzerland)

"Niesenbahn", funicular in the Oberland region Swiss Alps, connects the village of Melenin with the top of the "Swiss Pyramid". It is neither the oldest funicular in Switzerland (the oldest is the Giesbach opened in 1879), nor the steepest (its maximum angle of inclination is 68 degrees, while the Helmerbahn reaches 106), but it is the Nisenbahn that is the most long - 2.2 kilometers. Next to this funicular is built the most long staircase in the world, which consists of 11,767 steps.

12. Funicular Tram (Hong Kong)

Delivering tourists to Victoria Peak (1364 meters), this funicular tram starts its journey from a platform next to Hong Kong Park. It plays the role of an attraction for tourists, the trip on which costs about $5 in both directions. At the end station there is a shopping and entertainment center with many restaurants with viewing platforms. The trip to the "Peak Tower" - the very top of Victoria Peak - lasts 15 minutes, during which the funicular overcomes a distance of 3 kilometers at an angle of up to 45 degrees.

13. Wuppertal cableway (Dresden, Germany)

The 1,448 meter long Wuppertal cableway is a monorail tram system on overpasses. This is one of the oldest monorails. Most of it passes over the Wupper River at a height of 12 meters, and the train moves along it with maximum speed at 60 km/h. Nowadays, the entire system has been modernized, but tourists are offered a ride on a real Kaiserwagen, the train that transported the emperor in 1900. There is also a second cable car in Dresden, but already on the ground. It leads from the Körnerplatz to the Weiser Hirsch quarter. On a 547-meter long track, the funicular passes through two tunnels, and the maximum slope of this road is only 29 degrees.