59-516: The Fløibanen is a funicular railway , owned by Fløibanen AS , in the Norwegian city of Bergen . It connects the city centre with the mountain of Fløyen , with its mountain walks and magnificent views of the city. It is one of Bergen's major tourist attractions and one of Norway 's most visited attractions. The line is 848 m (2,782 ft) long, covers a height difference of 302 m (991 ft), and carries nearly two million passengers
118-418: A drive bullwheel – which then controls the movement of the haul rope using friction. Some early funiculars were powered in the same way, but using steam engines or other types of motor. The bullwheel has two grooves: after the first half turn around it the cable returns via an auxiliary pulley. This arrangement has the advantage of having twice the contact area between the cable and the groove, and returning
177-559: A Swiss manufacturer of gondola lifts, chairlifts, and cable cars. In 2002, Doppelmayr acquired CWA, a Swiss maker of gondola and cable car cabins. The merger of Doppelmayr and Garaventa was announced in 2001 and completed in 2002. In 2016 they broke two world records in Vietnam: Called the Ha Long Queen Cable Car, the largest cable car cabins (produced by Swiss company CWA) travel on the tallest ropeway support of
236-440: A mobile device screen. Ticket barriers are in place at all stations, and tickets must be optically scanned to gain access to the platforms. The stepped floor of each car matches up with the line's stepped platforms, with doors on each side at each level. Wheelchairs and strollers/buggies are carried on the level of the car accessed through the uppermost door, and can board and exit at the terminal stations only. The facilities at
295-589: A pole to strike a signal wire suspended over the line. The stations were designed by Einar Oscar Schou , who also designed the Folkerestaurant [ no ] at the summit, opened in 1925. During World War II , the German occupying forces constructed many bunkers and other defensive features on the Fløyen mountain. The funicular was used to transport supplies and personnel, causing wear and tear to
354-406: A second cable – bottom towrope – which runs through a pulley at the bottom of the incline. In these designs, one of the pulleys must be designed as a tensioning wheel to avoid slack in the ropes. One advantage of such an installation is the fact that the weight of the rope is balanced between the carriages; therefore, the engine no longer needs to use any power to lift the cable itself. This practice
413-575: A sewage plant at the upper part of the city. Some funiculars of this type were later converted to electrical power. For example, the Giessbachbahn in the Swiss canton of Bern , opened in 1879, was originally powered by water ballast. In 1912 its energy provision was replaced by a hydraulic engine powered by a Pelton turbine . In 1948 this in turn was replaced by an electric motor. There are three main rail layouts used on funiculars; depending on
472-425: A short distance down from the passing loop as well, for the sole purpose of allowing the other car to call at Nebozízek. A number of cable railway systems which pull their cars on inclined slopes were built since the 1820s. In the second half of the 19th century the design of a funicular as a transit system emerged. It was especially attractive in comparison with the other systems of the time as counterbalancing of
531-503: A standstill. The line is owned and operated by Fløibanen AS. As of 2023, the company had some 100 employees, of whom 36 were full time, and 473 shareholders. The largest shareholders were the City of Bergen (47.6%) and GC Rieber (13.67%). The company's office is located at Fløyen. The line runs every day from early morning to late evening. In the early morning and late evening, departures are half-hourly, increasing to quarter-hourly during
590-440: A system of pulleys at the upper end of the line. If the railway track is not perfectly straight, the cable is guided along the track using sheaves – unpowered pulleys that simply allow the cable to change direction. While one car is pulled upwards by one end of the haul rope, the other car descends the slope at the other end. Since the weight of the two cars is counterbalanced (except for the weight of passengers), no lifting force
649-538: A tunnel 1.8 km (1.1 mi) long, is claimed by the Guinness World Records as the "least extensive metro " in the world. Technically, it is an underground funicular. The Dresden Suspension Railway ( Dresden Schwebebahn ), which hangs from an elevated rail, is the only suspended funicular in the world. The Fribourg funicular is the only funicular in the world powered by wastewater. Standseilbahn Linth-Limmern , capable of moving 215 t,
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#1732790564695708-564: A two-rail layout (with a single conduit shared by both cars). Another example is the Peak Tram in Hong Kong , which is mostly of a two-rail layout except for a short three-rail section immediately uphill of the passing loop. Some four-rail funiculars have their tracks interlaced above and below the passing loop; this allows the system to be nearly as narrow as a two-rail system, with a single platform at each station, while also eliminating
767-485: A year. Fløyen is a 400 metres (1,300 ft) high mountain near the centre of the Norwegian city of Bergen. The view of the city, its harbour, and the larger Bergen peninsula have long made it a popular attraction. There are also a number of walking trails on the mountain. The idea to build a funicular was first put forward in 1895 by John Lund , a local resident and member of the Norwegian legislature . Permission
826-413: Is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope . The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, which is looped over a pulley at the upper end of the track. The result of such a configuration is that the two carriages move synchronously: as one ascends,
885-552: Is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Doppelmayr Garaventa Group, having been established by Doppelmayr in 1996. Up until 2019, the subsidiary was referred to as DCC Doppelmayr Cable Car. The first installation was completed at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in 1999. In 2003, after the world's first maglev transport system (opened in 1984 at Birmingham International Airport ) fell into disrepair, DCC installed
944-426: Is required to move them; the engine only has to lift the cable itself and the excess passengers, and supply the energy lost to friction by the cars' wheels and the pulleys. For passenger comfort, funicular carriages are often (although not always) constructed so that the floor of the passenger deck is horizontal, and not necessarily parallel to the sloped track. In some installations, the cars are also attached to
1003-455: Is said to have the highest capacity. Some inclined elevators are incorrectly called funiculars. On an inclined elevator the cars operate independently rather than in interconnected pairs, and are lifted uphill. A notable example is Paris ' Montmartre Funicular . Its formal title is a relic of its original configuration, when its two cars operated as a counterbalanced, interconnected pair, always moving in opposite directions, thus meeting
1062-975: Is the Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway in Bournemouth , England, which is 39 metres (128 ft) long. Stoosbahn in Switzerland, with a maximum slope of 110% (47.7°), is the steepest funicular in the world. The Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway , built in 1888, is the steepest and longest water-powered funicular in the world. It climbs 152 metres (499 ft) vertically on a 58% gradient. The city of Valparaíso in Chile used to have up to 30 funicular elevators ( Spanish : ascensores ). The oldest of them dates from 1883. 15 remain with almost half in operation, and others in various stages of restoration. The Carmelit in Haifa , Israel, with six stations and
1121-482: Is used on funiculars with slopes below 6%, funiculars using sledges instead of carriages, or any other case where it is not ensured that the descending car is always able to pull out the cable from the pulley in the station on the top of the incline. It is also used in systems where the engine room is located at the lower end of the track (such as the upper half of the Great Orme Tramway ) – in such systems,
1180-515: The Tünel has been in continuous operation since 1875 and is both the first underground funicular and the second-oldest underground railway. It remained powered by a steam engine up until it was taken for renovation in 1968. Until the end of the 1870s, the four-rail parallel-track funicular was the normal configuration. Carl Roman Abt developed the Abt Switch allowing the two-rail layout, which
1239-560: The passing loop ) and the Carmelit in Haifa , Israel (six stations, three on each side of the passing loop). A few funiculars with asymmetrically placed stations also exist. For example, the Petřín funicular in Prague has three stations: one at each end, and a third (Nebozízek) a short way up from the passing loop. Because of this arrangement, carriages are forced to make a technical stop
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#17327905646951298-524: The " AirRail Link " to replace the maglev and temporary replacement bus-service that had been operating since 1995. The company is contracted to operate some of the systems it builds. A newer system is Luton DART , opened in March 2023. Doppelmayr Transport Technology GmbH develops and sells material-handling ropeway systems . Initially, these systems were similar to cable cars and chairlifts designed for people, but fitted with specially designed carriers. In
1357-571: The "3S" tricable gondola lift , having acquired the technology from Von Roll Seilbahnen, and built lifts including those located in Kitzbühel ( Austria ), Koblenz ( Germany ) and Whistler-Blackcomb ( Canada ). Doppelmayr Cable Car GmbH manufactures automated people movers . Their main product is the rope-propelled Cable Liner system, used in airports , city centres , intermodal passenger transport connections, park and ride facilities, campuses, resorts, and amusement parks . The company
1416-477: The autumn of 1914, with a planned construction period of 12 to 18 months. An overhead rail line was used to take spoil from the tunnel at the lower end of the line to barges in the harbour. However, with the cars being built by Maschinenfabrik Esslingen in Germany, and the rails being supplied from Switzerland, shortages caused by the outbreak of World War I delayed the work. The fire of 1916 also contributed to
1475-414: The cable that runs through the top of the incline is still necessary to prevent the carriages from coasting down the incline. In most modern funiculars, neither of the two carriages is equipped with an engine of its own. Instead, the propulsion is provided by an electric motor in the engine room (typically at the upper end of the track); the motor is linked via a speed-reducing gearbox to a large pulley –
1534-467: The carriage's wheels during trailing movements (i.e. away from the passing loop); this procedure also sets the route for the next trip in the opposite direction. The Great Orme Tramway is an example of a funicular that utilizes this system. Another turnout system, known as the Abt switch, involves no moving parts on the track at all. Instead, the carriages are built with an unconventional wheelset design:
1593-427: The cars and infrastructure. After the occupation ended, the two cars were painted in contrasting colours, with one car in red and the other in blue. These colours, together with the white painted lower station building, represented the Norwegian flag , and have been used ever since. In 1950, the cable wheels and electric motor were replaced, allowing an increase in speed to 3.3 metres per second (11 ft/s). In 1954
1652-559: The cars are also equipped with spring-applied, hydraulically opened rail brakes. The first funicular caliper brakes which clamp each side of the crown of the rail were invented by the Swiss entrepreneurs Franz Josef Bucher and Josef Durrer and implemented at the Stanserhorn funicular [ de ] , opened in 1893. The Abt rack and pinion system was also used on some funiculars for speed control or emergency braking. Many early funiculars were built using water tanks under
1711-489: The cars exchanging roles. The movement is controlled by a brakeman using the brake handle of the rack and pinion system engaged with the rack mounted between the rails. The Bom Jesus funicular built in 1882 near Braga , Portugal is one of the extant systems of this type. Another example, the Fribourg funicular in Fribourg , Switzerland built in 1899, is of particular interest as it utilizes waste water, coming from
1770-596: The cars was deemed to be a cost-cutting solution. The first line of the Funiculars of Lyon ( Funiculaires de Lyon ) opened in 1862, followed by other lines in 1878, 1891 and 1900. The Budapest Castle Hill Funicular was built in 1868–69, with the first test run on 23 October 1869. The oldest funicular railway operating in Britain dates from 1875 and is in Scarborough , North Yorkshire. In Istanbul , Turkey,
1829-413: The day and more frequently at times of high demand. Some journeys run non-stop. Depending on speed and stops, the journey can take from 3 min to 8 minutes, and at its maximum capacity the line can carry 1,530 passengers per hour. The line has a staffed ticket office at its lower terminus, and self-service ticket machines at all stops. Tickets can also be bought online, and either printed out or presented on
Fløibanen - Misplaced Pages Continue
1888-500: The definition of a funicular. However, the system has since been redesigned, and now uses two independently-operating cars that can each ascend or descend on demand, qualifying as a double inclined elevator; the term "funicular" in its title is retained as a historical reference. Garaventa AG Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group is an international manufacturer of ropeways and people movers for ski areas, urban transport , amusement parks , and material handling systems. As of 2023,
1947-416: The delays, and the line was not opened until 15 January 1918. The original cars accommodated 65 passengers, were finished in oiled teak , and were partly open to the elements. A 95 horsepower (71 kW) electric motor hauled the cable at up to 2 metres per second (6.6 ft/s). Each car carried a driver, but an operator at Fløyen controlled the motor, with the drivers communicated to the operator by using
2006-598: The distinction of being the first funicular in the United States for strictly passenger use and not freight. In 1880 the funicular of Mount Vesuvius inspired the Italian popular song Funiculì, Funiculà . This funicular was destroyed repeatedly by volcanic eruptions and abandoned after the eruption of 1944. According to the Guinness World Records , the smallest public funicular in the world
2065-422: The downward-moving cable in the same plane as the upward-moving one. Modern installations also use high friction liners to enhance the friction between the bullwheel grooves and the cable. For emergency and service purposes two sets of brakes are used at the engine room: the emergency brake directly grips the bullwheel, and the service brake is mounted at the high speed shaft of the gear. In case of an emergency
2124-646: The early 2000s, Doppelmayr developed a cable-driven material-handling ropeway called RopeCon. RopeCon is a conveyor system that can transport materials over long distances with little ground disturbance. Such installations can be found in Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, Sudan, Switzerland, and Austria. CWA Constructions SA of Olten , Switzerland, was acquired by Doppelmayr in 2001. The subsidiary manufactures cabins, such as gondola and people mover cabins, for most Doppelmayr Garaventa Group installations as well as for systems built by other manufacturers. Frey AG Stans
2183-405: The floor of each car, which were filled or emptied until just sufficient imbalance was achieved to allow movement, and a few such funiculars still exist and operate in the same way. The car at the top of the hill is loaded with water until it is heavier than the car at the bottom, causing it to descend the hill and pull up the other car. The water is drained at the bottom, and the process repeats with
2242-519: The group had produced over 15,400 installations in 96 countries. Their annual revenue in 2022/2023 was 946 million euros. The Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group was formed in 2002 when Doppelmayr of Wolfurt , Austria merged with Garaventa AG of Switzerland to form the world's largest ropeway manufacturer. Doppelmayr was founded in Wolfurt , Austria in 1893 (originally as Konrad Doppelmayr & Sohn), and started manufacturing ropeways in 1937. Garaventa
2301-417: The line is in tunnel, and there is a short tunnel above the passing loop, but the rest of the line is in the open air. The track is of 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) gauge and the gradient varies between 15 and 26 degrees. There are two cars, each of which can carry 120 passengers. The cars have a stepped floor, large windows and a glass roof, in order to maximise visibility of
2360-404: The line was upgraded to provide better barrier-free access and higher capacity. The line was extended by 5 metres (16 ft) at its upper end to allow step-free access between the car and the viewing platform. New cars were provided with a capacity of 120 passengers, and the maximum speed was increased from 6 metres per second (20 ft/s) to 7 metres per second (23 ft/s). The new cars carry
2419-507: The need for the costly junctions either side of the passing loop. The Hill Train at the Legoland Windsor Resort is an example of this configuration. In the case of two-rail funiculars, various solutions exist for ensuring that a carriage always enters the same track at the passing loop. One such solution involves installing switches at each end of the passing loop. These switches are moved into their desired position by
Fløibanen - Misplaced Pages Continue
2478-411: The original cars were replaced with new cars supplied by Von Roll (underframes) and Hønefoss Karosserifabrikk (bodies). These cars accommodated 80 passengers, and the line was operated by drivers on each car, with no need for an operator at Fløyen. In 1974, the cars on the line were again replaced, with the new cars supplied by Von Roll and also able to carry 80 passengers. In 1987, the electric motor
2537-595: The other car has them on the right-hand side, meaning it follows the rightmost rail and runs on the right branch of the loop. This system was invented by Carl Roman Abt and first implemented on the Lugano Città–Stazione funicular in Switzerland in 1886; since then, the Abt turnout has gained popularity, becoming a standard for modern funiculars. The lack of moving parts on the track makes this system cost-effective and reliable compared to other systems. The majority of funiculars have two stations, one at each end of
2596-467: The other descends at an equal speed. This feature distinguishes funiculars from inclined elevators , which have a single car that is hauled uphill. The term funicular derives from the Latin word funiculus , the diminutive of funis , meaning 'rope'. In a funicular, both cars are permanently connected to the opposite ends of the same cable, known as a haul rope ; this haul rope runs through
2655-406: The outboard wheels have flanges on both sides, whereas the inboard wheels are unflanged (and usually wider to allow them to roll over the turnouts more easily). The double-flanged wheels keep the carriages bound to one specific rail at all times. One car has the flanged wheels on the left-hand side, so it follows the leftmost rail, forcing it to run via the left branch of the passing loop; similarly,
2714-595: The space required for building a funicular, reducing grading costs on mountain slopes and property costs for urban funiculars. These layouts enabled a funicular boom in the latter half of the 19th century. Currently, the United States' oldest and steepest funicular in continuous use is the Monongahela Incline located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . Construction began in 1869 and officially opened 28 May 1870 for passenger use. The Monongahela incline also has
2773-405: The summit are also accessible, and a selection of the mountain trails are usable. The following points are served: 60°23′46.90″N 5°19′42.33″E / 60.3963611°N 5.3284250°E / 60.3963611; 5.3284250 Funicular railway A funicular ( / f juː ˈ n ɪ k j ʊ l ər , f ( j ) ʊ -, f ( j ) ə -/ few- NIK -yoo-lər, f(y)uu-, f(j)ə- )
2832-412: The system, the track bed can consist of four, three, or two rails. Some funicular systems use a mix of different track layouts. An example of this arrangement is the lower half of the Great Orme Tramway , where the section "above" the passing loop has a three-rail layout (with each pair of adjacent rails having its own conduit which the cable runs through), while the section "below" the passing loop has
2891-534: The track. However, some systems have been built with additional intermediate stations . Because of the nature of a funicular system, intermediate stations are usually built symmetrically about the mid-point; this allows both cars to call simultaneously at a station. Examples of funiculars with more than two stations include the Wellington Cable Car in New Zealand (five stations, including one at
2950-471: The traditional blue and red colours and names, and like their predecessors have large windows and glass roofs. The upgrade was undertaken by Garaventa , with the cars being built by CWA Constructions . The Fløibanen has an overall length of 848 m (2,782 ft) with a height difference between the two terminal stations of 302 m (991 ft). The line is single track with a central passing loop. The lower terminal and first 150 m (492 ft) of
3009-463: The upper terminus. In normal service the cars operate at 4 m/s (13 ft/s), but at times of high demand this can be increased to 7 m/s (23 ft/s). The cable itself is 960 m (3,150 ft) long, has a diameter of 45 mm (1.8 in), and has a breaking load of 66.5 tonnes. In the unlikely event of the cable breaking, the loss of cable tension would automatically cause track gripper brakes on each car to be deployed to bring them to
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#17327905646953068-440: The view whilst in transit. The cars are individually named and painted, with Blåmann in blue and Rødhette ( Little Red Riding Hood ) in red. Each car is operated by a driver, who occupies a cabin at the uphill end of the car irrespective of direction of travel. The drivers remotely control the speed of the cable, which is powered by a 355 kW (476 hp) electric motor and slowed by redundant braking systems, all located at
3127-835: The world. In 2017, produced by Garaventa and CWA, the steepest funicular railway came into effect in Stoos , Switzerland . Doppelmayr Garaventa Group operates subsidiaries in 50 countries manufacturing ropeways under the Doppelmayr and Garaventa brands. Seven of these are responsible for manufacturing parts, namely Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH (Austria), Garaventa AG (Switzerland), Doppelmayr Canada Ltd., Sanhe Doppelmayr Transport Systems Co., Ltd. (China), Doppelmayr France SAS, Doppelmayr Italia Srl, and Doppelmayr USA, Inc. The company's core ropeway products include cable cars , funiculars , gondola lifts , detachable chairlifts , fixed grip chairlifts , and surface lifts . The company developed
3186-491: Was founded in 1928. In 1967, Artur Doppelmayr [ de ] , grandson of the founder Konrad and son of Emil, who was a businessman, became managing director of the company. As alpine recreation rapidly expanded around the world during the last half of the 20th century, Artur led and established the Vorarlberg cable car company as the world leader. In 1996, Doppelmayr Holding AG acquired Von Roll Seilbahnen AG ,
3245-509: Was founded in 1966 and was acquired by Doppelmayr Garaventa Group in April 2017. The subsidiary manufactures various electrical components and control systems for ropeways. Gassner Stahlbau GmbH is a subsidiary based in Bürs , Austria, that manufactures steel for pylons, chairs, and suspension, as well as various plastic parts. Gassner Stahlbau has manufactured parts for Doppelmayr since 1969, and
3304-528: Was granted by the city council, but the project was shelved after the necessary capital failed to be raised. A further proposal was put forward in 1907 and the company Fløibanen AS was founded to construct and operate the line in 1912. The line was modelled after lines in Germany, Switzerland and Italy, the design being most similar to that of the Merkur funicular in Baden-Baden . Work on the line started in
3363-581: Was later acquired by Doppelmayr. The Input Projektentwicklungs GmbH division produces mountain systems and amusement rides , such as the experimental Mountain Glider roller coaster in Walibi , Belgium . This project was plagued with problems and the ride was eventually removed. In December 2013, the company's Swedish division, Doppelmayr Scandinavia AB, acquired Swedish lift manufacturer Liftbyggarna AB, which has retained its own separate branding. The company
3422-410: Was replaced with a new 190 horsepower (140 kW) one, whilst at the same time the brakes and electrical systems were replaced. In 1997, the lower terminus was refurbished and extended. In 2002, a fourth generation of car was introduced to the line, built by Doppelmayr (underframes) and Gangloff (bodies), capable of carrying 100 passengers, and equipped with larger windows and glass roofs. In 2022,
3481-765: Was used for the first time in 1879 when the Giessbach Funicular opened in Switzerland . In the United States, the first funicular to use a two-rail layout was the Telegraph Hill Railroad in San Francisco, which was in operation from 1884 until 1886. The Mount Lowe Railway in Altadena, California, was the first mountain railway in the United States to use the three-rail layout. Three- and two-rail layouts considerably reduced
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