Funiculaire du Havre

The funicular Le Havre (French Funicular du Havre, colloquially: Funi ) is a funicular railway in Le Havre, a city in the Seine-Maritime department in northern France. The operation is performed by the transport company CTPO.

Technology and Operations

The railway connects the Place Thiers in the city center with the Rue Félix Faure. It is 343 meters long and overcomes a height difference of 77 meters. The journey takes about three minutes. The standard gauge line is single track and has in the center a passing loop. In the upper part of the trail a short tunnel crosses under the Rue Georges Lafaurie. Connecting flights to several bus lines at both stations. The funicular runs Monday to Saturday every six to ten minutes from 7:30 clock to 19:30 clock; on Sundays and public holidays, rest of the operation.

History

The city of Le Havre is dominated by the French, a plateau that is more than 80 meters above the city center and is traditionally used as a residential area. The steep slope and population growth were in the second half of the 19th century, a demand for an efficient forms of transport. 1879 at the city council to build a kind of tram elevator was requested, but the strange-looking project did not materialize due to financial reasons. 1886 presented a Parisian engineer named Lévêque a more serious project, which provided for the construction of a funicular. The city granted a concession and Lévêque founded the company Chemin de Fer de la Cote, whose main shareholder he was.

On April 23, 1889, the authorities provided the public benefit fixed ( déclaration d' utilité publique ), after which construction could begin. The opening took place on August 17, 1890. Were available for two cars, each with 48 seats. The drive was carried out by a steam engine. Given the ongoing success the company decided in 1911 the conversion to electric operation. 1944 suffered the web on account of the Allied Bombardementen great damage. On July 25, 1945, the Company entered into the possession of the city. Due to extensive modernization work, the operating rested between 1969 and 1972. The belt it received new vehicles with rubber wheels.