The Niesenbahn is a funicular railway above Lake Thun in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It links a lower terminus, in the village of Mülenen at 693 m and adjacent to Mülenen station on the Lötschberg railway line, with an upper terminus at 2336 m near the summit of Niesen, a viewpoint above the lake and Bernese Oberland. The funicular is divided into two portions with a total length of 3.5 kilometers, an elevation difference of 1643 meters, and a maximum slope of 68%.
| Niesenbahn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Status | in operation |
| Owner | Niesenbahn AG (since 2011); Niesen-Bahn-Gesellschaft (‥–2011, name change) |
| Locale | Canton of Bern Switzerland |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 3 (including "Schwandegg") |
| Website | niesen.ch |
| Service | |
| Type | funicular with 2 sections |
| Route number | 2405[1] |
| Operator(s) | Niesenbahn AG |
| Rolling stock | 4 (2 per section, for 60 passengers each) |
| History | |
| Opened | 15 July 1910 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 3.5 km (2.2 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 1 (each section with a passing loop) |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) |
| Electrification | from opening |
| Highest elevation | 2,336 m (7,664 ft) |
| Maximum incline | 68% |
Construction of the line commenced in 1906, and it opened in 1910.[2]
The service stairway for the Niesenbahn funicular is listed by Guinness Book of Records as the longest stairway, with 11,674 steps and a height of 1,669 m (5,476 ft).[3] The stairs are usually employee-only, but there is a public run called "Niesenlauf" once a year.[4]
The line is owned and operated by the Niesenbahn AG.[5][6][7]
Operation
editThe line operates from late April to mid November, with cars operating every 30 minutes between 08:00 and 17:00. A 15-minute interval service is provided at busy periods, and evening services are operated on some days.[8]
The line comprises two sections, with an interchange station at Schwandegg, and has the following parameters:[5][6][7]
| Feature | Lower section | Upper section |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cars | 2 | 2 |
| Number of stops | 2 | 2 |
| Configuration | Single track with passing loop | Single track with passing loop |
| Track length | 2,112 m (6,929 ft) | 1,388 m (4,554 ft) |
| Rise | 975 m (3,199 ft) | 667 m (2,188 ft) |
| Maximum gradient | 66% | 68% |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge |
| Speed | 2.9 m/s (9.5 ft/s) | 2.0 m/s (6.6 ft/s) |
| Journey time | 13 mins | 12.5 mins |
| Capacity | 60 passengers per car; 120 persons in each direction per hour | 60 passengers per car; 120 persons in each direction per hour |
Further reading
edit- Doyon, Josy (1984), Ein Königreich am Fuss des Niesen (in German), Bern: Verlag Blaukreuz, ISBN 3-85580-169-X
- Petroni, Bruno (2010), Der Niesen und seine Bahn (in German), Interlaken: Verlag Schlaefli & Maurer, ISBN 978-3-85884-082-0
- Niesenbahn at Zeno.org. Article by: Viktor von Röll (ed.): Enzyklopädie des Eisenbahnwesens (Encyclopaedia of the Railway), 2nd edition, 1912–1923, Vol. 7, p. 360
References
edit- ^ "2405: Niesen Kulm - Mülenen" (PDF), Fahrplanfelder.ch, Tableaux-horaires.ch (in German), 2022, 2405
- ^ "Infos Niesen Funicular". Niesenbahn AG. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ "Science and Technology/Structures/Long Stairway". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 19 November 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ "Niesen-Treppenlauf". Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ a b "NB Neisenbahn". Funimag. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ a b "61.034 Mülenen - Schwandegg, Mülenen funicular". Schweizer Seilbahninventar = Inventaire suisse des installations à câbles = Inventario svizzero degli impianti a fune [Swiss Inventory of Cableways] (in German). Federal Office of Culture. 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ a b "61.035 Schwandegg - Niesen Kulm, Mülenen funicular". Schweizer Seilbahninventar = Inventaire suisse des installations à câbles = Inventario svizzero degli impianti a fune [Swiss Inventory of Cableways] (in German). Federal Office of Culture. 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ "Timetable Niesen Funicular". Niesenbahn AG. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ Suppes, Bernd (1994). Suppes 94/95 Historische Wertpapiere (ISSN 0936-9406). Wiesbaden-Bieberich: WWA Bernd Suppes. p. 467.
External links
edit
Media related to Niesenbahn at Wikimedia Commons- Official website of the Niesenbahn
- Video of a round trip from the driver's point of view
