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The Ritom funicular ( it, Funicolare del Ritom) is a
Web site of the Region Ritom-Piora with information on the funicular and surroundings
The Ritom funicular's entry on the Swiss Inventory of Ropeways
{{Coord, 46.517074, 8.67524, region:CH_type:landmark, display=title Funicular railways in Switzerland Metre gauge railways in Switzerland Transport in Ticino Railway lines opened in 1921
The Ritom funicular ( it, Funicolare del Ritom) 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 e ...
in the canton of Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
, Switzerland. It links a lower terminus at Piotta, in the valley of the Ticino River near the southern portal of the Gotthard Tunnel, with an upper terminus at Piora, a walk from Ritom Lake
__NOTOC__
Lago Ritom is a lake in the Piora valley, Ticino, Switzerland. The natural lake is used as a reservoir by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) to generate hydro-electric power for the Gotthard line. The first dam was built in 1918 ...
. There is also an intermediate stop at Altanca.
History
The Ritom Lake is in fact areservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including control ...
, constructed in 1917 in order collect the waters of the Saint-Gotthard Massif for a power station at Piotta, in order to produce electricity for the Gotthard railway. The funicular was originally constructed to facilitate the building of the pipeline carrying this water, which it parallels, but was opened for public use in 1921.
The line was extensively rebuilt in 1977/8, and the original car was replaced by a new one in 1985. The original car, replaced in 1985, is displayed at the lower station.
At its opening, and until the opening of the Gelmerbahn funicular
The Gelmer Funicular is a cable railway in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It links a lower terminus at Handegg, in the Haslital (the valley of the upper Aar River), with an upper terminus at the Gelmersee lake.
The Gelmerbahn was the steep ...
, the Ritom funicular was the steepest funicular in Switzerland.
Operation
The line has the following parameters:See also
*List of funicular railways
This is a list of funicular railways, organised by place within country and continent. The funiculars range from short urban lines to significant multi-section mountain railways.
A funicular railway is distinguished from the similar incline elev ...
* List of funiculars in Switzerland
References
External links
Web site of the Region Ritom-Piora with information on the funicular and surroundings
The Ritom funicular's entry on the Swiss Inventory of Ropeways
{{Coord, 46.517074, 8.67524, region:CH_type:landmark, display=title Funicular railways in Switzerland Metre gauge railways in Switzerland Transport in Ticino Railway lines opened in 1921