Funicular: a specialized cable railway.
Since I spent the better part of the year 2004 reading Usbourne's Railways and Trains aloud to a certain member of our family who at that point in time could not read for himself (R&T is a fabulous book about trains around the world that appears to be no longer in print!), I am familiar with funiculars.
The basic concept is that two cars are permanently attached to each other by a cable, which runs through a pulley at the top of the incline. Counterbalancing of the two cars, with one ascending and one descending the slope minimizes the new energy input needed to lift the ascending car. Winching is normally done by an electric drive which turns the pulley. Sheave wheels guide the cable to and from the drive mechanism and the incline cars.
Got it? Here's what the one in Zagreb looks like:
It takes you from the Lower Town to the Upper Town (or visa versa). At a mere 66-meters long, it is one of the shortest public-transport funiculars in the world; it takes 55 seconds to go from point A to point B. Which means it is faster to walk.
It may be faster to walk 'down' the hill...but I'm pretty sure I would not be able to walk 'up' the hill in less than 55 seconds. ;)
Posted by: Debbie Hanson | February 27, 2011 at 09:11 PM
While perhaps an elevator would be faster these days, I do appreciate the handicapped accessibility feature. As someone on crutches for the past few weeks, I've gotten quite jealous of those with two correctly functioning legs!
Besides, it's just wicked cool! And isn't that the point of architecture? :)
Posted by: Gwynna | March 01, 2011 at 12:11 AM