Polybahn funicular

The Polybahn, also called Polybähnli or student - Express, is a narrow gauge funicular in the Swiss city of Zurich. It connects the Central with the Polyterrasse and at the same time ( formerly known as Polytechnic, hence the name of the track ) with the main building of the ETH Zurich.

History

In 1886, the concession for the mountain railway was granted. But it was only on 8 January 1889, the Zurich mountain railway took (ZB), which was driven by water ( water ballast train), to operate on. A mere eight years later, in 1897, the railway was converted to electric drive. 1950 Zurich slipped the cable car for the first time in the red. After a few years with high operating deficit Zurich Mountain Railroad Company decided in the early 1970s, not to renew the license on. The Club Pro Polybahn Founded in 1972 tried to get the train.

1976 saved the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS ) the train at the last minute and founded the SBG Polybahn AG. The railway was restored in a short time and the Zurich Public Transport ( VBZ) pledged as leading business enterprise. 1990 Polybahn " smallest " member of the Zurich Transport Network was.

Meanwhile, the problem of financing was not solved, especially as the old railway no longer met the new safety standards. After 107 years the web has been completely renovated, converted to fully automatic and the track system from three to two rails rebuilt. Also the emergency brake system was rebuilt from rack to clamp brake. The original red wooden vehicles were replaced, despite the opposition of monuments with new ones. On 21 October 1996, the plant was reopened under the name of UBS Polybahn.

Specifications

Trivia

A brief but important scene of the French feature film The Mole was filmed in 1981 in the valley station: Sébastien Grenier (played by Lino Ventura ) shoots in a car Polybahn his supposed opponent Jean -Paul Chance (played by Michel Piccoli ).