The Turmbergbahn is a

funicular railway A funicular (, , ) 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 en ...

Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

. It is the oldest operating funicular in Germany. From Karlsruhe's former center Durlach, the line climbs the Turmberg, which on a clear day provides a lookout point with views of the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

Valley, the Palatinate forest and the adjacent parts of

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

. The line first opened in 1888 by the ''Turmbergbahn Durlach AG'', and its original form used the water ballast system of propulsion, similar to that still used by the

Nerobergbahn The Nerobergbahn is a funicular railway in Wiesbaden, Germany. The line links the city, with a station at the north of the Nerotalanlagen, with the Neroberg hill to its north, which offers a panorama view. History The line opened in 1888, and ...

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...

. Operation of the funicular was interrupted twice during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, once near the beginning, and again from 1945 to 1946. The line was comprehensively rebuilt in 1966, and the water ballast drive was replaced by a conventional electric drive. In 2019 it was decided to extend the tracks of the funicular railway to the foot of the hill bringing it closer to the terminal station of the tram in Durlach. It is now run by the

Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe The Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe (Karlsruhe Transport Company, VBK) is the municipal transport company of the city of Karlsruhe in Germany. It runs the tram and bus network within the city, as well as the Turmbergbahn funicular railway. The VBK is ...

, the operator of Karlsruhe's

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport ...

s. The funicular has the following technical parameters: *Length: ' *Height: ' *Maximum steepness: ''36.2 %'' *Configuration: '' single track with

passing loop A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...

'' *Journey time: ''3 minutes'' *Cars: ''2'' *Capacity: ''52 passengers per car'' *Track gauge: ' *Traction: ''Electricity''

References

External links

*
Page on the Turmbergbahn from its operator
(in German)
Article on the Turmbergbahn from funiculars.net
(in English)
{{coord, 48, 59, 52.34, N, 8, 28, 59.92, E, region:DE_type:landmark, display=title Former water-powered funicular railways converted to electricity Funicular railways in Germany Rail transport in Karlsruhe Metre gauge railways in Germany Railway lines opened in 1888 1888 establishments in Germany

See also

References

External links