Merkurbergbahn

A current car of the Merkurbergbahn

Route number (DB) :

94003

Route length:

1.192 km

Gauge :

1000 mm ( meter gauge )

Maximum slope :

540 ‰

Legend

1.192	Merkur mountain station	657 m

	Abbot's switch

0.000	Valley station	287 m

The Merkurbergbahn , also known as the Merkurbahn , is a meter-gauge funicular railway that leads to the Merkur mountain near Baden-Baden . It overcomes an altitude of 370 meters over a distance of 1,192 meters . The route has a gradient of 23% to a maximum of 54%. The valley station is located at 287 m above sea level. NHN , the mountain station is 657 m above sea level. NHN , eleven meters below the actual summit of Mercury. The journey time is around five minutes.

history

When R. Holzapfel recommended a tram feeder line to Merkur in a preliminary study commissioned by the City Council of Baden-Baden on April 25, 1907, with the recommendation of an electrified funicular, he also laid the foundation for the Merkurbahn, which was operated by the Esslingen machine factory for the City council approved 251,000 marks was delivered. The Merkurbergbahn was opened on August 16, 1913. Back then, the train took about ten minutes to get there. The ticket revenues could cover the operating costs. Despite certain renovations in 1955/56 and 1958/59, deficiencies arose in the 1960s. Therefore, for safety reasons, the operation of the railway was stopped on November 1, 1967. After extensive renovations, the line went back into operation on April 27, 1979. Since then, the Merkurbergbahn has been running faster, remotely monitored and driverless. It is operated by the passengers themselves, similar to an elevator system . On good days, the runway is used by up to 3,500 passengers, including many paragliders. The mountain railway wagons were transported to Switzerland in 2002 and again in January 2011 for revision and maintenance. Such a general inspection is due every ten years; the inspection, which is due after five years, is carried out on site. From January 2019 to April 2020, the Merkurbergbahn will be renovated in several stages. The planning includes the barrier-free conversion of the valley and mountain stations, the creation of new escape routes and the use of new cable cars and new drive technology.

The operator of the Merkurbahn is the Stadtwerke Baden-Baden . From 1912 to 1949 the valley station of the Merkurbergbahn was connected to the tram, from 1950 to 1970 the trolleybus Baden-Baden took over this function. This was replaced by conventional buses. Today the city bus lines 204 and 205 end at the valley station.

photos

Valley station
Mountain station
The route seen from the mountain station
Drive pulley with drive pinion of the mountain railway from 1913–1967, now installed at the valley station