Text and Photos Michel Azéma

Fun'ambule
(Neuchatel, Switzerland)

Index
Funimag 20 index
Fun'ambule
Presentation
The carriages
The stations
The engine room
Technical datas
Expo.02
The carriages
Maxime & Léa
Each of the two carriages wears its own color.
Carriage number 1 is red and is using the left (west) track of the siding.
Carriage number 2 is yellow and is using of course the other track of the siding.

During the construction of the funicular two persons of the team became fathers of two babies whose names are Maxime and Léa and consequently ir was decided to call the carriages respectively Maxime (carriage 1) and Léa (carriage 2).
 
Underneath
Below the carriages, things are very classical. As usual the two kinds of wheels, double-flanged wheels, on the left side, to guide the cabin on the outside rail. Large flat wheels on the other side to passe over the inside part of the siding.
Between the wheels you can see the cable which pass through a vertical rod. This rod is used to force the cable to avoid the oblic rollers in the curves of the line.
After passing through the vertical rod the cable is fixed under the carriage (see the top of the picture).
Another remarkable thing, the carriage is put on two articulated bogies. The articulation was designed to pass the flat curves but also the concave and convex curves.

Between the two double-flanged wheels of each bogie you can see the 4 jaws of the emergency brake.
Enlargements

Click to enlarge
 
The plan of the carriage at the bottom station (0% gradient).
Note the two articulated bogies, the way how the two cables are attached to the carriage.
Note the way how the four compartments are suspended to main structure of the carriage. This structure is made of three brackets which support the articulation axles.
(Document Travaux publics de la ville de Neuchâtel)
The plan of the carriage with the maximum gradient position (34% gradient).
The four articulated compartments are linked to each other with rigid iron bars. This unique design of the carriage (CWA Olten) ensures that each compartment remains alway horizontal despite the variation of the gradient.
(Document Travaux publics de la ville de Neuchâtel)
December 2000
The arrival of the red carriage on a truck from CWA Olten.
On the foreground you can see the opening on the ground which is the roof of the bottom station. The crane is going to pass the carriage through the opening and put down it on the rails.
(Document Travaux publics de la ville de Neuchâtel)
December 2000
The arrival of the yellow carriage.
A nice view to understand how the carriage is designed
(Document Travaux publics de la ville de Neuchâtel)
December 2000
The yellow carriage is put down to the rails through the opening.
Today the opening is closed with a glass slab and it lights the bottom station with natural light.
(Document Travaux publics de la ville de Neuchâtel)
The two carriages at the siding.
(Document Travaux publics de la ville de Neuchâtel)
Details of one of the two bogies of a carriage.
Note the way how the cable is attached to the carriage.
(Document Michel Azéma)
Index
Funimag 20 index
Fun'ambule
Presentation
The carriages
The stations
The engine room
Technical datas
Expo.02
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