Fürigenbahn was a funicular railway above Lake Lucerne at Stansstad, Nidwalden, Switzerland. The line led from the resort in Harissenbucht, a bay of Lake Lucerne, at 437 m to the Hotel Fürigen at 639 m. The track had a length of 375 m with a difference of elevation of 202 m and a maximum incline of 73%.[1][2] The hotel built it for clients' use in spring 1924,[1][2] but opened it to the public in 1927, after the Swiss Federal Assembly granted a license for 80 years. The funicular ceased operations in October 2005, the license expired in March 2007, and the hotel closed in 2010.
| Fürigenbahn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fürigen with hotel, the funicular, the bay (1948) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other name(s) | Drahtseilbahn von der Harissenbucht bei Stansstad nach Fürigen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | ceased operation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Fürigen Hotel AG | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Stansstad, Nidwalden, Switzerland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | hotel-fuerigen.ch (archived) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Funicular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route number | 1552 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | 2 for 14 passengers each | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | spring 1924 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Concession | 1927 (for 80 years) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closure hotel | 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | 31 October 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 380 m (1,250 ft) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | 1 with passing loop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 800 mm (2 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | from opening | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest elevation | 639 m (2,096 ft) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maximum incline | 73% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History
edit
In 1910 a new resort hotel was opened at Stansstad and a funicular was built between the hotel and the sea for the hotel guests. This connection made the distance between the small public bath with bath and boat house more manageable for the hotel guests. The funicular opened in 1924 and was made available for public transport three years later. The construction of a road to the hotel began years of profit-losses for the operations. Paul Odermatt (1879-1970) forfeited the license in 1927. Following his death the hotel and the funicular were sold to the newly founded Fürigen Hotel AG. The last time the funicular operated was on October 31st, 2005.
Future
editAn association founded in 2020, Interessengemeinschaft Erhalt Fürigen Bahn (IG-EFB) seeks to enable the line to be opperational for the 100th anniversary in 2024.[3]
Further reading
edit- Peter, H.H. (1925), "Elektr. Kleinseilbahn Harissenbucht-Fürigen", Schweizerische Bauzeitung (in German), 85/86: 45–49
- Bernheim, R.C. (3 September 1994), "Recollections of the Fürigen Bahn", Swiss express: the Swiss Railways Society journal, 4 (3): 7
- "61.018 Harissenbucht (Stansstad) – Fürigen", Schweizer Seilbahninventar (in German), Bundesamt für Kultur
References
edit- ^ a b "Botschaft des Bundesrates an die Bundesversammlung über die Erteilung einer Konzession für eine elektrische Drahtseilbahn von der Harissenbucht bei Stansstad nach Fürigen. (Vom 3. Dezember 1926.)", Bundesblatt (in German), 1926/2 (49): 777–783, 8 December 1926
- ^ a b "Message du Conseil fédéral à l'Assemblée fédérale concernant la concession d'un chemin de fer funiculaire électrique de la baie de Harissen près de Stansstad à Fürigen. (Du 3 décembre 1926.)", Feuille fédérale (in French), 1926/2 (49): 813–820, 8 December 1926
- ^ Interessengemeinschaft Erhalt Fürigen Bahn (IG-EFB) (in German)
 | This article about transport in Switzerland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |