The World’s steepest funicular opened in Schwyz- Stoos, Switzerland with a steep gradient of 110 percent this weekend. It beat the Gelmer funicular in Bern by a close range, which has a maximum gradient of 106 percent. This magnificent piece of engineering has revolutionized the design of funiculars with its rotatable cabins which align itself with the steep gradient and maintain floor balance; hence, the passengers remain straight even in inclination. So basically, you don’t need to worry too much. The climb is 743 meters vertical and the cylindrically shaped carriage can travel at a speed of 10m/s. It can seat up to 34 passengers at a time in its 4 cabins. It took 14 years to design and develop and is estimated to cost a whopping £44 million, although the actual construction started in 2013.Ivan Steiner who is the current spokesman for the railway said during an interview:
“After 14 years of planning and building, everyone is very proud of this train,”
The total length of the railway track stretches to 1,720 meters from the town famous for Swiss knives, Schwyz to the hilltop village of Stoos, which has a population of 100. This service will not only be beneficial for the locals of the area but also for tourists. Head of Transport Ministry in Switzerland, Swiss President Doris Leuthard stated:
“This is what characterizes Switzerland, that we offer a service that everyone can use.”
So, get your ski gear ready and head for the Alps in Switzerland for an utmost enjoyable experience on your upcoming holidays.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.