Vintage Cable Car
From Pioneering Efforts to Becoming a Well-Respected Oldtimer - A Whiff of Nostalgia
In 1893, the Stanserhorn Funicular held the World record for its audacious construction. Today, the beautifully preserved vintage rack-and-pinion funicular is an impressive testimony to time gone by, fusioned to modern aerial cable car technique.
The masterpiece was enginieered by cable car pioneers Josef Durrer and Franz Josef Bucher-Durrer. The two divided the nearly 4-kilometer-long track up in three segments for technical reasons. There were changing stations in Kälti and Alp Blumatt. The lower segment, still in use today, is the longest one, at 1556 meters.
In Kälti (714 m.a.s.l.) you will leave the historical realm and swing up in modern aerial cable car.
History:
The beginning
The initiators and promoters of Mount Stanserhorn Railway, Josef Durrer and Franz Josef Bucher-Durrer, opened the railway on August 23, 1893. The first electronic mountain railway was just one of their many other objects, for example the tramway in Genua or hotels in Cairo, Luzern, Basle, Rome and Lugano.
 
Funicular in three sections
Starting from Stans (454 m.a.s.l.) the first section run to Kälti (714 m.a.s.l.). The second stage to Blumatt stretched up to 1221 m.a.s.l. This was where you had to change for the last time before reaching the Kulm with its hotel at 1900 m.a.s.l.
Each of the three sections was single-track with an electronic crossing construction, allowing two cable cars could operate at the same time.
Due to the cable-mechanism, the cable cars could begin their descent / ascent from the mountain stations.
The platforms at the in-between stations have been built parallel to make changing funiculars as easy as possible.
Destiny and new Beginning
In 1970 a bolt of lightning destroyed the Hotel and the third section of the funicular. This was the end of the three section railway. As from 1975 a new aerial cable car replaced the second and third section. Instead of reconstruct the hotel, a restaurant was built on the foundation wall. The giant wheel with its power station can still be seen on Mount Stanserhorn.
Technical Info
The automatic braking system, dated 1893, was of major importance, and it has since been adopted by many other railways. If the traction-cable were to break, a series of wheels and levers moved gently into place and a mechanism, like a simple vice, underneath the carriage clamped with extreme precision onto the rails.
Unfortunatly a bolt of lighting in October 1970 destroyed major parts of the funicular construction.
| Technical Data |
|
|
1st section |
2nd section |
3rd section |
aerial cable car |
| Construction year |
1893 |
1893 |
1893 |
1975 |
| Shut-down of facilites |
in operation |
1974 |
1974 |
in operation |
| Length |
1550 m |
1090 m |
1275 m |
2230 m |
Valleyside
station |
Stans
454 m.a.s.l. |
Kälti
714 m.a.s.l. |
Bluematt
1221 m.a.s.l. |
Kälti
714 m.a.s.l. |
| Mountainside station |
Kälti
714 m.a.s.l. |
Bluematt
1221 m.a.s.l. |
Stanserhorn
1851 m.a.s.l. |
Stanserhorn
1851 m.a.s.l. |
| Difference in altitude |
264 m |
507 m |
630 m |
1139 m |
| Max. ascent |
17 % |
52,5 % |
63 % |
|
| Journey time |
9 min. |
18 min. |
22 min. |
|
| Speed |
4,3 m/s |
|
|
7 m/s |
| Power |
electronic |
electronic |
electronic |
electronic |
| Suppl. Power |
vapor |
vapor |
vapor |
vapor |
Spotlight - A legendary "Ray of hope"
Until the sixties a mysterious spotlight illuminated the area around Mount Stanserhorn during the summer nights.
The spotlight was literally looking for guests: a memorable Stanserhorn promotion activity.
The people strolling along the Lake of Luzern were astonished at the spotlight, and wondered where it was coming from. Bucher and Durrer had attained their goal. More and more guests became attracted and visited Mount Stanserhorn.
Amongst lots of enthusiasm, the spotlight also caused annoyance and irritation. In old books from the Swiss lowlands you can find wondrous stories about the phenomenon.
The spotlight was destroyed during the fire night in 1970. Due to a lack of funds it was not possible to buy a new one. Until, however, in 1993 the old tradition was revived and the spotlight carries on illuminating the Luzern area.
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