Masadabahn

Masadabahn - רכבל מצדה
Masadabahn 2008
Location:	Masada , IsraelIsrael
Design type:	Cable car with 2 suspension ropes, 1 pull rope
Construction year:	1998
Mountain:	Masada fortress
Valley station:	Dead Sea −257 m
Height difference:	290 m
Mountain station:	Massada plateau 33 m
Route length:	900 m
Driving time:	3 min
Number of gondolas:	2 pieces.
Number of supports:	0 pcs.
Capacity:	80 people / cabin, 1200 people / hour
Manufacturer:	From roll
Operator:	Masada National Park ( Israel Nature and Parks Authority )
Website:	www.masada.org.il
1. Masadabahn - רכבל מצדה א (†)
first Masadabahn from 1971
Location:	Masada , IsraelIsrael
Design type:	Aerial tramway
Construction year:	1971, removed 2001
Mountain:	Masada fortress
Valley station:	Dead Sea −265 m
Height difference:	275 m
Mountain station:	a little below the Massada plateau 10 m
Route length:	800 m
Number of gondolas:	2 pieces.
Number of supports:	1 piece.
Manufacturer:	Karl Brandle

The Masadabahn ( Hebrew רכבל מצדה) in Israel is the deepest cable car in the world and runs almost completely below sea level , because the mountain station just below the Masada summit plateau is only 33 meters above sea level, while the valley station is 257 m below sea level. The railway connects the ruins of the 40 BC on the plateau. Until 30 BC A fortress with a valley station further to the east, allowing tourists to climb easily.

history

The construction of a cable car on Masada was very controversial, as it changed the appearance of the site significantly, even if the mountain station was not "hidden" on the plateau, but in the rock below. It also increased the number of visitors extremely. In 1971 the first Masadabahn was built by the Swiss manufacturer Karl Brändle . It had two cabins and a support. As there were long waiting times, the decision was made to build a new runway on the occasion of the millennium. This new aerial tramway was built parallel to the old one by the Swiss manufacturer Von Roll between 1995 and 2000 and cost over € 40 million. It started operations in 1999. For a while, both tracks existed side by side, after a while the old one was completely removed.

route

The railway overcomes a height difference of 290 meters over a length of 900 meters in 3 minutes. In contrast to the original one, the current one has no supports, which enables a suspension system that completely encompasses the two carrying ropes and the pull rope. The new mountain station is also located under the plateau in the rock, but a little higher than the old one and is connected to the Serpentine Gate by a gently ascending bridge. This means that barrier-free access is now possible; on the old railway, visitors still had to walk a serpentine path.