Dangerous and beautiful: why should you ride the funicular? What is a funicular and what is its role in the modern world How does a funicular work

Residents of some cities in the world can boast that there is such an attraction in their small homeland as a funicular. It's not just a vehicle. It can be confidently called an attraction, in which the utilitarian function of the lift is combined with entertainment.

How is the funicular?

The fundamental device of the funicular is characterized by its name (the word "funicular" is translated as a rope from Latin and Italian). It consists of a traction system and wagons, usually moving in opposite directions. This scheme allows you to balance the load. The engineering structure also includes rails, gearboxes, electric drives and a braking system, including an emergency one, which is activated automatically if the rope breaks or another emergency occurs. The designs of the funiculars are varied, in each of the cities they were built according to their own project, with a unique architecture of the stations and the design of the rolling stock.

The revived Odessa funicular

For example, in Odessa, next to the Giant Stairs (later renamed the Potemkin Stairs), a funicular operated since 1902, the first in the Russian Empire. In the 60s of the XX century, an escalator was installed in its place, similar to those that work in the subway. increased, but the overly modern look did not fit well with the historical appearance of the southern city. In the end, the modern "running stairs" wore out, and now the funicular has started working again in its original place. This building enjoys well-deserved success among Odessa residents and guests of the city, it offers a wonderful view of the port and harbor, and besides, it facilitates the path to Primorsky Boulevard, because climbing 192 steps for some people, especially the elderly, is tiring.

Tram in San Francisco - a model for a funicular in Vladivostok

The funicular in Vladivostok was conceived as one of the measures to turn this wonderful seaside city into a "Soviet San Francisco". During a visit to the United States in 1959, First Secretary N. S. Khrushchev was impressed by the urban transport system of this California metropolis, which has no equal in the whole world. Like Vladivostok, San Francisco is located on a terrain with difficult terrain, and it is quite difficult to walk along it, you have to go up and down steep slopes. Some of these ascents might not have been possible for ordinary urban transport, and then an interesting decision was made. All city trams in San Francisco move on rails, between which a rope is laid. To stop the car, the driver must open the coupling device and apply the brake, and movement begins when the opposite actions are performed. It is even difficult to determine exactly whether it is a funicular or a tram, but this system works wonderfully, and restored old cars without motors brought from different countries are used as rolling stock, which makes any trip a fun adventure.

Funicular - attraction "Vladika"

It is possible that the funicular in Vladivostok, commissioned in 1962, is inferior in scale and branching to the American one, but it is also very good. The only one in the Far East, it connects the bay with the Orlina Hill along V. Sibirtsev Street. Students like to get to the Higher Technical School along it, tourists certainly visit this attraction, and city residents overcome a steep hill if they don’t want to go up the “thousand and one steps” stairs (in fact, there are 368 of them, but this is also a lot). The funicular ride to a height of 70 m lasts one and a half minutes, during which time it overcomes 183 m of the path. Thus, the average slope exceeds 22 degrees, which is quite a lot.

Funiculars in Prague - a road for lovers

Unlike the modern and extremely useful funicular for the locals, the railway to Petřín Mountain is an exclusively entertaining attraction, and it has a respectable age - it began working in 1891. At the same time, another famous funicular was opened in Prague, on Letna Hill. The route is romantic and picturesque. On its 510-meter length, the carriage overcomes a small tunnel under the wall of the old fortress, and at the final stop, in addition to the observation tower, a sculpture dedicated to the kiss awaits visitors. This is a favorite meeting place for young Praguers.

Barcelona funiculars

Tibidabo is the oldest funicular in Barcelona (there are three in total). Its route leads to the top of the mountain, after which it is named, another station is located on Dr. Andreu street. Another cable train goes to Tibidabo - Vaividrera, which leaves from the Peude station, but it is much smaller, it can accommodate only fifty passengers. The lifting height of both funiculars is approximately the same, more than 160 meters, but the length is different (1152 and 729 meters, respectively), from which it follows that the movement occurs at different slope steepness. Therefore, the more gentle Tibidabo, despite its venerable age (it has been in operation since 1901), takes four hundred passengers, and its younger brother Peude takes eight times less.

Funicular Montuica - urban transport and attraction at the same time

The third funicular - "Montuica" - is part of the municipal transport of Barcelona, ​​it is automatic and high-speed. Its purpose is to connect the local with the Parallel metro station. The track is very beautifully located, its 758-meter route passes through lush thickets and lifts passengers to a height of 76 meters. The desire of the city administration of Barcelona to ensure that the attraction brings as much money to the treasury as possible is worthy of imitation. The pilgrimage of tourists is facilitated by a developed infrastructure full of restaurants, cafes and other entertainment venues that create all the conditions for enjoying the beautiful views from Mount Montuica. The funicular was built in Barcelona on the occasion of the world exhibition held there in 1929, but its excellent technical condition allowed it to be used as an Olympic facility after more than six decades.

Kyiv funicular - idea and implementation

The funicular in Kyiv is one of the symbols of the city. He had to endure many historical upheavals. Revolution, civil war, directory, Makhnovshchina, Austrian intervention, the Ukrainian republic, devastation, the Great Patriotic War and a couple of “Maidans” - this is just an incomplete list of events that the Kiev cable car went through. And his life began in 1905, when, after two years of construction, the Belgian Joint-Stock Company took it into operation. The authors of the project, Russian engineers N. I. Baryshnikov and N. K. Pyatnitsky, planned a length of a quarter of a kilometer, but the owner of one of the houses in the lower part of the highway refused to sell his property to the city authorities, and the plan had to be revised, shortening the path by fifty arshins. However, the general task, namely, to make life easier for the people of Kiev, who were forced to climb from Podil along paths and stairs with hundreds of steps, was solved. The tram could not pass through the steep Kyiv hills. After Odessa, Kyiv became the second city in Russia, the improvement system of which included such an electromechanical miracle as the Mikhailovsky rise (as this technical innovation was originally called).

The second birth of the Kyiv funicular

The Kiev funicular worked in its original form until 1928, when during routine maintenance one trailer broke down, which, rolling along the rails, broke the second one. Fortunately, there were no casualties in this incident, but the structure required serious reconstruction. The cable lines and the brake system were replaced. In addition, the lower station was finally relocated and the route extended by another 38 meters. The power unit, consisting of two Swiss-made DC electric motors (65 hp each, manufactured in 1903), as well as a cable drive pulley, served until 1984.

In 1986, the third major reconstruction was completed, which the Kiev funicular has undergone in its history. This structure now raises a car with a hundred passengers to a height of 75 m at a speed of 2 m/s. The power-to-weight ratio has significantly increased, the power of the installed engine is 100 kW. The total length of the track has reached 222 m. Carriages depart every seven minutes. Approximately 15,000 passengers use this convenient form of transportation every day.

Works to improve the funicular are carried out regularly, they relate to improving safety and improving the awareness of passengers. Much attention is paid to the aesthetic side, because this building has long been a part of the historical appearance of the Ukrainian capital.

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, a new cable-drawn vehicle was built in picturesque Austria. 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 it is the only one of its kind in the 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 you have to 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 Gelmerbahn funicular is not an adventure for the faint of heart. Overcoming steep slopes, when you literally look into the abyss that spreads nearby, gives an 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.

A funicular is a vehicle that travels on rails. Only it is set in motion not by a locomotive, like a train, but by means of ropes. Funiculars are most often used to transport passengers on steep slopes over short distances - in the mountains, in resorts. But there are funiculars in some cities.

The funicular cars move with the help of a steel cable rigidly connected to these cars. At the end points, this cable is thrown over a winch and is continuously wound on drums driven by an electric motor. The electric motor is usually located at the top station.

Why can't normal trains run on these rails? First, because the funicular, as mentioned above, is used for short distances. Secondly, railway trains cannot overcome steep slopes without additional mechanical traction or even special mechanical means - holds that prevent the train from rolling down.

The funicular, on the other hand, is able to move along very steep slopes (with a slope of up to 35 degrees), using much less energy, therefore it is a more economical and environmentally friendly mode of transport in such conditions. For the convenience of passengers, funicular cars are designed in such a way that with any inclination of the rail track, the position of their floor remains close to horizontal.

There are different schemes for funiculars, but the most common is a two-car scheme. Such a funicular works on the principle of a double elevator: when one car rises, the other descends towards it.

According to the device, the funicular is close to the cable car. The difference lies in the fact that cable-drawn trams travel along the cable without touching the ground:

The funicular requires a lot of time for the entry and exit of passengers and moves quite slowly - 3 meters per second, or 180 meters per minute. The capacity of the passenger funicular does not exceed 600 people per hour (for comparison: the cable car - up to 2000 people per hour). Therefore, funiculars are of limited use, but, thanks to these features, they are used not only as a means of transporting passengers. but also as a kind of attraction.

The rope-driven funicular system in Vladivostok has been operating since 1962, built on the initiative of N. S. Khrushchev and has no analogues in the Far East.

The idea to build a funicular in Vladivostok came from the then head of the USSR after a business trip to the USA, and specifically to San Francisco. Inspired by the views of the relief streets of the coastal American metropolis and finding in it a resemblance to Vladivostok, he decided to make the latter a “second San Francisco”. Thus began the creation of the Greater Vladivostok project. Which, by the way, was never completed, but they still managed to build a funicular.

It was originally planned to build two funiculars. According to the project, the second route was supposed to run from Nagorny Park to Gaydamak. But these plans were not destined to come true - construction stopped as soon as it began.

The mountain tram in Vladivostok attracts many tourists, thanks in part to its stunning views of the bay and the famous cable-stayed bridge. It is especially colorful here in the evening, when the lights of the city and the illumination of the bridge across the bay are lit.

Local residents use the funicular as a regular public transport. Despite the short duration of the journey, it greatly facilitates the climb uphill for people with limited mobility. Most of all, the funicular fell in love with the students of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), whose educational buildings are located near the end stations of the funicular.

The length of the tracks of the Vladivostok funicular is 183 meters, the height difference is 70 meters. The duration of the trip in the trailer is 1.5 minutes.

The paths pass over Vsevolod Sibirtsev Street. The lower station is located on Pushkinskaya Street near the theater, the upper station is on the Eagle's Nest hill, near the viewing platform and the Funicular bus stop. From the height of the site, a panorama of the city center and the Golden Horn Bay opens.

There are two trailers with cable traction along the route. The rail tracks are single track with a siding in the middle. The cars were brought from Leningrad, and the lifting mechanism was brought from Donetsk. The capacity of each carriage is up to 40 people.

In the mid-2000s, the overhaul of the Vladivostok funicular ended, and the cars were painted in different colors - blue and red. Before the repair, they had a white color with horizontal stripes - green on one car and red on the other.

The Vladivostok funicular is maintained by Electric Transport OJSC. Head - Maxim Dubrovsky.

There are two operating funiculars in Russia - in Vladivostok and Sochi. The peculiarity of the Far East is in the "historical" cars that have survived to this day since they were launched in the 60s.

Excursions are organized for tourists. Groups of 10 or more people can visit the machine room, where they will talk in detail about the principles of the funicular and show the internal structure and mechanisms. Polite and positive car drivers will tell you about the history of construction, answer any questions and even let you into the driver's cab.

The funicular of Vladivostok is a real attraction of the Far East and all of Russia. It will be interesting for both adults and children to get acquainted with it.

The Far Eastern mountain tram is even dedicated to the song "Funicular", performed by the group "Foggy Moan".

An alternative to climbing the hill on the funicular is a staircase with 368 steps located parallel to the tracks. It was built earlier than the funicular - in 1957. Taking into account the elevation difference on the way to Orlinaya Sopka, the stairs are very steep, and only a few tourists use it, mostly preferring the funicular. Now it is used mainly at night, or on those days when the stations are closed for repairs and annual maintenance. Citizens often call it the "funicular ladder" or "health ladder".

Opening hours of the funicular in Vladivostok in 2020

The Vladivostok funicular serves passengers all year round, from 7:00 to 20:00. There are two cars - red and blue, the duration of parking at the stations is up to 3 to 5.5 minutes. The ascent is close, the view from the trailers is beautiful, but still inferior to the view from the site.

Scheduled maintenance, equipment repairs are carried out during June - the funicular is closed all this month.

Ticket price for the Vladivostok funicular

Ticket price - 14 rubles, payment at the entrance. There are no benefits or discounts. Before the start of the summer season, prices must be clarified.

How to get to the funicular in Vladivostok

You can get to the funicular by public transport. Buses run from Vladivostok railway station to the ski lift. The average travel time is 15-20 minutes.

From the Central Square you can walk or drive a couple of stops along Svetlanskaya Street towards the bridge to the Politekhnichesky stop (FESTU). Drive around 10 minutes.

You can easily get there by bus from all parts of the city. But the most convenient way will be on a personal car, or by calling a taxi through one of the applications: Yandex.Taxi, Maxim, Gett, Taxi Vostok. Primorye" and others.

You can drive up to the upper station from the side of Sukhanov Street, to the lower one - along Pushkinskaya Street.

Lower station, panorama

Video (side view)

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 bit, 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 a virtual tour of 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. His trailers 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 Zhangjiajie national park, 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 of the 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 high-altitude 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 the Upper Town 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 a 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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