Penang Hill Funicular Railway, Malaysia

 

Bayerisch, Germany.

Peak Tramways, Hongkong.

On 20th August 2012, I have written about the Peak Trams in Hongkong. Here is another view of the tram along Kennedy Road in Hongkong.

New Blue Train - Penang Hill Railway, Malaysia

The Penang Hill Railway is a funicular railway which climbs Penang Hill from Air Itam near George Town in Penang, Malaysia The total journey which used to take about 20 minutes earlier now takes only less than 10 minutes after the old Red train was replaced with the new blue trains in 2011.  The new train and current railway, unlike the railway before 2010, does not require passengers to change trains halfway up. Passengers have non-stop service in air conditioned cars. The postcard shows (Top) the New blue train approaching the Lower Station, (Bottom) the train passing on the railway track built on archers and the train approaching the Upper Station.

Fløibanen Funicular, Bergen, Norway.

The Fløibanen Funicular in Bergen is one of the most popular attractions in all of Norway. The funicular runs from the city center to the top of Fløyen mountain  - 320 metres above sea level). It takes 5-6 minutes for the entire ride. The ride itself is spectacular.  The funicular runs day in day out all year round, from early morning to late in the evening.

Peak Tramway, Hongkong.

The Peak Tramway operating since 1926  is a funicular railway in Hongkong,  which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hongkong Island. Running from Central District to Victoria Peak via the Mid Levels, it provides the most direct route and offers good views over the harbour and skyscrapers of Hong Kong.

The Peak Tram's route from Central district to Victoria Peak covers a distance of about 1.4 kilometres and a height difference of just under 400 metres. The line has two pronounced curves, one to the left immediately after leaving the lower terminus, and the other to the right in the upper half of the ascent. The gradient also varies considerably throughout the ascent. It is a single track route and a passing loop, with two trams.

Gornergratbahn, Switzerland.

The Gornergratbahn (GGB) is a 9 KM long meter gauge  mountain rack railway. It leads from  Zermatt, Switzerland (1,604 m/5,262 ft), up to the  Gornergrat (3,089 m/10,135 ft). The Gornergrat is a starting point for many hikes, as it lies surrounded by 29 peaks rising above 4,000 m (13,123 ft) in the Alps and several glaciers, including the  Gorner Glacier (which is billed as the second longest glacier in the Alps). At the end of the line on Gornergrat, the Matterhorn  is visible on a clear day. It is also a popular  skiing area. Work on the railway started in 1896, it opened on August 20, 1898 for summer only operation. Year round operation to the summit began in 1942. The upper terminal was remodelled in 2004. The Gornergratbahn has always been electrified. The entire line is 9,339 m (30,640 ft) in length, including 3,790 m (12,434 ft) of double track, and traverses an altitude difference of 1,469 m (4,820 ft). The railway typically operates two-railcar units that can carry approximately 2,400 passengers per hour from Zermatt to the mountain summit. The railway is owned by the BVZ Holding and under common management with the  Matterhorn -Gotthard Bahn.

Elevador da Gloria, Lisbon, Portugal.

 

 

The Glória Funicular is a  funicular that links  Baixa with  Bairro Alto in Lisbon, Portugal. It is operated by  Carris.   The Glória Funicular was opened to the public on October 24, 1885. At first it was designed as a water powered  system, then in 1886 it was replaced by a steam power one, and finally in 1915 it was electrified. In 2002 it was designated a National Monument.

Funicular Railways of Valparaíso, Chile.

Valparaiso in  has had up to 26 working  funicular railways  - most are now inactive, as of 2009 fewer than 10 are in active use.  The funicular railways were mainly constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Here you can see some of them still functiong at Monjas, Artilleria, Lecheros, Baron, El Peral, Espiritu Santo and Polanco.

Elevador da Bica, Lisbon, Portugal.

 The Bica Funicular in Lisbon forms the connection between the Calcada do Combro/Rua do Loreto and the Rua de S. Paulo. The funicular was opened on 28th June 1892. It climbs the Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo for 245 meters from Rua S. Paulo. The lower station of this funicular is hidden behind a facade on the Rua de S. Paulo with the inscription "Ascensor da Bica". In 2000 it was declared a National Monument.

Penang Hill Railway, Malaysia.

The Penang Hill Railway is a two section funicular railway which climbs Penang Hill from Air Itam near George Town on the island of Penang in Malaysia. The total journey takes about half an hour, with passengers changing cars at the mid-point station. Construction of the railway took place between 1906 to 1923. The railway was opened to the public on October 21, 1923. New cars were provided in 1977.

The Niesenbahn, Swis Alps, Switzerland.

Niesenbahn is funicular, also known as a inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railways in which a cable like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope: the ascending and descending vehicles counter balance each other. The construction of the Niesenbahn was completed in 1910. Alongside the path of the Niesenbahn is the longest stairway in the world with 11,674 steps.The journey between Valley Station Mulenen 693 meters above sea level and Niesen Kulm the terminus station at 2362 meters above sea level takes 30 minutes. The journey is devided into two sections Mulenen to Schwandegg (1699 meters above sea level) taking 14 minutes and Schwandegg to Niesen Kulm taking 12 minutes.`