Heidelberger Bergbahn
Heidelberger mountain railway (actually: Heidelberger mountain railways ) is a combination of two funiculars in Heidelberg. The " Molkenkurbahn " leads from the grain market on the edge of the old town past the Heidelberg Castle to Molkenkur. There is increasing to around in the " Königstuhlbahn " king chair. The trains are operated by the Heidelberg Road and Mountain Railroad, Inc. ( HSB) and have a track width of 1,000 mm. The difference in height grain market Molkenkur is 173 m, the path length 454.6 m and the driving time 5 minutes at a speed of 5 m / s On the route Molkenkur King chair of the difference in height is 260.5 m, the path length 974.5 m and the running time for 9 minutes at a speed of 2 m / s
History
Planning and construction
Around 1873 began plans for a cable car up to the Heidelberg Castle and the Royal throne, but failed again and again because of lack of funds or of unsuccessful land purchase. Early plans, including the famous Swiss mountain railway pioneer Niklaus Riggenbach, envisaged a cog railway. Only the brothers had with Leferenz which was founded on March 23, 1885 Heidelberg Road and mountain railway company Leferenz and Co. (HSB ) Success: Your license application from 1883 was approved in 1888.
On March 30, 1890, the lower section of the Heidelberg mountain railway was opened, a funicular railway from the grain market Molkenkur, which has a station at the castle in the middle. The drive was carried out first with water ballast. The line was opened with a three -rail track. A rack serving to brake and regulate the driving speed. The cable car system was built by Maschinenfabrik Esslingen, the two cars were delivered from the wagon factory Fuchs, who also produced trams for Heidelberg.
1905, work began on the upper section of the mountain railway from the Molkenkur king chair. The plant was built by Von Roll and opened on June 1, 1907. The cars also supplied by the wagon factory Fuchs exist today and are in March 2005 after a major renovation with adaptation to the latest safety regulations back in action.
The bottom line was reopened after a brief interruption due to renovation work in 1907, as it surrounded the water ballast to drive the electric drive is already used in the upper track. The work was carried out by Von Roll, who had also created the upper sheet. Both tracks ran in the following years without any major problems, so that operational settings occurred only by force majeure such as energy shortages, war, or change the safety rules.
Modern times and conversions
In the 1950s, the replacement was planned by an escalator at a higher transport capacity to the castle for the rapidly increasing tourism. Ultimately, the cable car was given preference and so in 1961 the old lower section of the mountain railway was shut down and built a corresponding to the then state of the art cable car. This also the stations grain market and castle were built after the then prevailing taste in exposed aggregate concrete construction, which formed a contrast to the largely preserved old town. In addition, the HSB built on the mountain railway station grain market a car park.
The cars were delivered this time of the wagon factory in Rastatt. The new lower mountain railway was put into operation in 1962.
Closure and reopening
2002 arranged a surprise to the setting of the upper mountain lift 30 April 2003, the State Agency for Geology, Mining and raw materials Baden- Württemberg in Freiburg, as they no longer - enough safety provisions of the European Union - amended after the Kaprun accident; and this, although in 2000, during an inspection, the reliability was confirmed. Although an attempt was made by the operator to obtain a dispensation to secure the operation, at least over the summer season, but this was refused. For this reason, the upper cable car went end of April 2003 - at first - for the last time.
The lower mountain railway was allowed to continue to operate thanks to an exemption until 31 October 2003. In spring 2004, but their cars were removed and scrapped. The cars of the upper cable car were transferred to Switzerland, where they were thoroughly refurbished and adapted to the latest safety regulations carefully. They also received the historical painting again.
The end of 2004 the new and larger cars were supplied for the lower cable car and also the renovated cars of the upper cable car came back from Switzerland. The ( two ) cable cars were taken to start the season on 24 March 2005 back into operation and now meet the current safety regulations.
Conservation
The upper mountain railway is the oldest funicular in Baden- Württemberg and in addition to the recent Stuttgart forest graveyard orbit the only one in which the original technology has received functional. 2004, the upper cable car was entered in its entirety as a cultural monument of special importance in the memorial book of the State of Baden- Wuerttemberg.
Pictures
New car of the lower cable car station at the Molkenkur
Passing place with Abtscher Soft
Renovated carriage of the upper cable car station at the Molkenkur (2007)
Drive wheels at the mountain station Koenigsstuhl