Dietschibergbahn

Last updated

Dietschibergbahn
Overview
StatusCeased operation
OwnerDietschibergbahn AG
Locale Lucerne,
Switzerland
Termini
  • "Luzern, Halde"
  • Dietschiberg
Stations2
Service
Type Funicular
Operator(s)Dietschibergbahn AG
History
Opened10 August 1912 (1912-08-10)
Fire at upper station26 April 1977 (1977-04-26)
Closed30 September 1978 (1978-09-30)
Technical
Line length1,240 m (4,070 ft)
Number of tracks1 with passing loop
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Electrification from opening
Operating speed2.1 metres per second (6.9 ft/s) [1]
Highest elevation628 m (2,060 ft)
Maximum incline 24.7% (min. 9%) [1]

Dietschibergbahn was a funicular railway at Lucerne, Switzerland. The line lead from the city to Dietschiberg at 628 m. The hill, 210 m above Lake Lucerne, was also known as "Little Rigi" (Kleiner Rigi). The line had length of 1240 m and an incline between 9 and 25%. [1] The funicular with two cars had a single track with a passing loop. After the restaurant burned down in 1977, the funicular ceased operations in September 1978.

Contents

History

The history of the funicular begins on the 21st of March 1869 when Alexander Trautweiler and Max Stocker submitted an application for a license for a funicular from Warten street to Landhaus Dietschuberg. [2] The license was established on the 17th of June 1896 for 80 years with the condition that construction began at the latest within 18 months and that the funicular was operational within 18 months after the beginning of construction. [2]

The ground work projects took five years alone and so the deadline for the project had to be extended a total of seven times. On June 16, 1911 the revised plans were submitted to the Federal Post and Railway Department. Although there were objections to the plans, construction began on November 24th, 1911. The funicular opened to passengers on August 10, 1912.

At the upper station, there was a restaurant and a railroad model installation. On April 26th 1977 a fire destroyed the restaurant. [2] The exact circumstances of the fire are still not well understood. The restaurant was not rebuilt or replaced. With fewer tourists the funicular ceased operations on September 30, 1978 due to lower ridership. The model railway system was also removed to make way for a parking lot of a golf club. Despite efforts by the association Pro Dietschibergbahn and the company DBB-Betriebs AG, it was never revived.

The funicular had been owned by Dietschibergbahn AG. The company was wound up from 1999 to 2002. [3] The lower station was converted into a private home. [4] The cars were donated to the Swiss Museum of Transport.

Current use

Today the train cards, cables, and rails have almost all been removed or overgrown with grass. In the lower areas there are remnants of the tracks, masts, and old arched route. The mountain station was converted to a residential building in 2008 and in 2016 the valley station was also converted to a residential building.

Location of stations:

Further reading

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Dietschibergbahn at Zeno.org . Article by: Viktor von Röll (ed.): Enzyklopädie des Eisenbahnwesens (Encyclopaedia of the Railway), 2nd edition, 1912–1923, Vol. 3, p. 371
  2. 1 2 3 "Stadtarchiv Luzern". Stadtarchiv Luzern (in German). Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  3. ↑ Dietschibergbahn AG in Liquidation (in German), Handelsregister des Kantons Luzern, CHE-100.303.926
  4. ↑ Scheitlin Syfrig Architekten, Talstation Dietschibergbahn (in German)


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