Giessbachbahn
{{Short description|Historic funicular at Lake Brienz, Switzerland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width =
| name = Giessbachbahn
| other_name = Drahtseilbahn Giessbach
| color =
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = Giessbachbahn 2012-08-21 1.jpg
| image_width =
| caption = Looking downwards, with car and passing loop (2012)
| type = Funicular
| system =
| status = In operation
| locale = Canton of Bern, Switzerland
| start = "Giessbach See (Talstation)"
| end = "Giessbach Hotel"
| stations = 2
| routes =
| open = {{start date and years ago|1879|7|21|df=y|br=y|p=y}}
| event1label = New Abt switch
| event1 = 1891
| event2label =
| event2 =
| event3label =
| event3 =
| close =
| owner =
| operator =
| character =
| depot =
| stock = 2 for 40 passengers each
| linelength =
| tracklength = {{convert|363|m}}
| tracks = 1 with passing loop
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1000mm|lk=on}}
| minradius =
| maxincline = 32%
| racksystem = Riggenbach
| electrification = 1948 (water counterbalancing 1879-1912, Pelton wheel)
| speed =
| elevation_m = 656
| map =
| map_state =
| website = [https://www.giessbach.ch/en/giessbach-bahn-1 giessbach.ch]
}}
The Giessbach Funicular ({{langx|de|Giessbachbahn}}) is a historic funicular in the Swiss canton of Bern and municipality of Brienz. It links a landing stage on Lake Brienz, served by shipping services on the lake, to the Grand Hotel Giessbach and Giessbach Falls above. The funicular is owned by the hotel, but since 1983 has been operated by a preservation foundation.{{cite journal | first =Richard | last = Green | title = Railways in the Berner Oberland - Part 3 | journal = Today's Railways Europe | issue = 134 | date = February 2007 | publisher =Platform 5 Publishing Ltd}}{{cite map | publisher = Swiss Confederation | title = map.geo.admin.ch | url = http://map.geo.admin.ch/?selectedNode=node_ch.swisstopo.gg25-land-flaeche.fill1&Y=644709.5&X=175936&zoom=6&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo.pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisstopo.gg25-gemeinde-flaeche.fill,ch.swisstopo.gg25-kanton-flaeche.fill,ch.swisstopo.gg25-land-flaeche.fill&layers_opacity=1,1,1&layers_visibility=true,true,true&lang=en | access-date = 2012-01-27}}{{cite web | url = http://www.seilbahn-nostalgie.ch/giessbach.html | title = Die Giessbachbahn | language = de | work = Seilbahn-Nostalgie | publisher = C. Gentil | access-date = 2 March 2014}}
Description
The Giessbach funicular was designed by the Swiss engineer Carl Roman Abt. When it was opened in 1879, it was the first funicular with a two-rail single track layout with a relatively short passing loop in the middle. Its turnouts had no moving parts, which was quite a remarkable achievement for the time. Abt had later developed its modification which became known as the Abt Switch.{{Cite book |url=http://www.asme.org/wwwasmeorg/media/ResourceFiles/AboutASME/Who%20We%20Are/Engineering%20History/Landmarks/259-Bro-Standseilbahn.pdf |title=The Giessbach Funicular with the World's First Abt Switch |date=2015 |publisher=The American Society of Mechanical Engineers}}
Originally the funicular was powered by water ballast, and the Riggenbach rack rail in the middle of the track was used for speed control. In 1912 the water ballast system was replaced by a hydraulic engine powered by a Pelton turbine. Which is in its own turn was replaced in 1948 by an electric drive. The rack rail is currently used for emergency braking. The funicular's two wooden cars are restored back to their original appearance in 1879.
In 2015 the funicular was included in the list of Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers under number 259.{{cite web|url=https://www.asme.org/about-asme/who-we-are/engineering-history/landmarks |title=Landmarks|publisher=American Society of Mechanical Engineers |access-date=2013-09-16}}
Characteristics
The main characteristics of system are:
{{row hover highlight}}
| class="wikitable sortable mw-datatable plainrowheaders" |
| Feature
! Value |
|---|
| Number of cars
|2 |
| Number of stops
|2 |
| Configuration
|Single track with passing loop |
| Track length
|{{convert|363|m}} |
| Rise
|{{convert|98|m}} |
| Maximum gradient
|32% |
| Track gauge
||{{RailGauge|1000mm|lk=on}} |
| Speed
|{{convert|1.9|m/s}} |
| Journey time
|4 mins |
| Capacity
|40 passengers per car; 480 persons in each direction per hour |
See also
Further reading
- {{citation|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|date=1879|periodical=Die Eisenbahn, Le chemin de fer|title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach|issue=17–22|pages=97–99, 103–105, 109–110, 112, 118, 121–123, 127–129, Tafel I–IV}}
- {{citation|date=1897-10-25|doi=10.5169/SEALS-7729 |title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach; Teil 1: Einleitung, Tracé und Unterbau|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|periodical=Die Eisenbahn|volume=11|issue=17|pages=97–99}}
- {{citation|date=1897-10-25|title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach; Tafel I: Längeprofil|url=https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sbz-001:1879:10::429#1587|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|periodical=Die Eisenbahn|volume=11|issue=17}}
- {{citation|date=1897-11-01|doi=10.5169/SEALS-7731 |title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach; Teil 2: Oberbau|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|periodical=Die Eisenbahn|volume=11|issue=18|pages=103–105, Tafel II: Brücke}}
- {{citation|date=1897-11-08|doi=10.5169/SEALS-7733 |title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach; Teil 3: Hochbau, Bauzeit, Verkehr|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|periodical=Die Eisenbahn|volume=11|issue=19|pages=109–110, 112, Tafel III: Kreuzung, Zahnstangenweiche}}
- {{citation|date=1897-11-15|doi=10.5169/SEALS-7734 |title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach; Teil 4: Wagen|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|periodical=Die Eisenbahn|volume=11|issue=20|pages=118, Tafel IV}}
- {{citation|date=1897-11-22|doi=10.5169/SEALS-7736 |title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach; Teil 5: Wagen, mechanische Einrichtungen|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|periodical=Die Eisenbahn|volume=11|issue=21|pages=121–123}}
- {{citation|date=1897-11-29|doi=10.5169/SEALS-7738 |title=Die Seilbahn am Giessbach; Teil 6: Betriebssicherheit, Baukosten, Betriebskosten, Rentabilität|author-link=Carl Roman Abt|last=Abt|first=Roman|language=de|periodical=Die Eisenbahn|volume=11|issue=22|pages=127–129}}
- {{citation|first=Adolf| last=Wild|date=2013|oclc=861206078|publisher=Ad. u. El. Wild-Salvisberg|title=Die Standseilbahn am Giessbach|language=de}}
- {{citation|date=2015|editor=Grand Hotel Giessbach|title=Giessbach Standseilbahn|url=https://www.giessbach.ch/de/abtsche-weiche.html?file=files/doc/div/Giessbach%20Standseilbahn.pdf|language=de|access-date=3 March 2023|archive-date=13 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813183301/https://www.giessbach.ch/de/abtsche-weiche.html?file=files/doc/div/Giessbach%20Standseilbahn.pdf|url-status=dead}}
References
{{cite web | url = https://www.seilbahninventar.ch/objekt.php?objid=40366&lang=de | title = 61.019 Giessbachbahn, Giessbach, Standseilbahn | language = de | work = Schweizer Seilbahninventar = Inventaire suisse des installations à câbles = Inventario svizzero degli impianti a fune |trans-work=Swiss Inventory of Cableways | publisher = Federal Office of Culture | access-date = 2010-11-03}}
External links
- [https://community.asme.org/cfs-file.ashx/__key/telligent-evolution-components-attachments/01-1793-00-00-00-00-15-43/2015-04-03-Giessbachbahn-slide-show-Etest_2D00_compressed.pptx Funicular turnout with Abt Switch, first installed at Giessbach 1879, Switzerland] — a slide show by the ASME with drawings and diagrams
- [https://www.funimag.com/suisse/giessbach01.htm Giessbach Bahn page from Funimag]
- [https://www.giessbach.ch/ Grand Hotel Giessbach web site]
- {{cite web | url = https://www.seilbahninventar.ch/objekt.php?objid=40366&lang=de | title = 61.019 Giessbachbahn, Giessbach, Standseilbahn | language = de | work = Schweizer Seilbahninventar = Inventaire suisse des installations à câbles = Inventario svizzero degli impianti a fune |trans-work=Swiss Inventory of Cableways | publisher = Federal Office of Culture | year= 2011}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|46.7349|8.0225|display=title}}
Category:Funicular railways in Switzerland
Category:Former water-powered funicular railways converted to electricity
Category:Metre-gauge railways in Switzerland
Category:Transport in the canton of Bern
Category:Railway lines opened in 1879