Things are stirring in the Bernese Jura!
Saint Imier - Mont Soleil (SMtS)
Technical Data
The engine room
Unquestionably the main charasteristic of the Saint
Imier - Mont Soleil new funicular is the single car pulled by a big winch
at the top station.
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| The winch : the cable wind around the
single big pulley. |
|
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The winch and the control
room behind the window.
|
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The top end of the cable
which is fixed with eigth bolts on the side of the winch.
|
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The bottom end of the cable which is fixed below
the car.
The cable is winded 3.5 times around a drum and then simply
locked with eight bolts. |
The surprise is below the car!
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What a surprise to discover that the single car
is in fact the same car as a funicular with two counterbalanced cars
and a passing loop!
The right side of the cabin has two wide flat wheels and the left
side of the cabin has two
double-flanged wheels to guide the cabin. The
jaws of the emergency brakes are fixed on the left side of
the cabin.
Of course such a system is unnecessary because there is no passing loop at all!
I guess this choice was made for economical reasons. Reusing an already designed
car was probably cheaper than designing a special car for Saint Imier - Mont
Soleil. |
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| Details of one of the wide flat wheels. |
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| Details of one of the two
double-flanged wheels and one of the emergency brakes,
the jaws which can squeeze the rail. |
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge
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| The modern control room at the Mont Soleil top
station. |
Technical Data
| Start |
August 8th, 1903 |
Nov 13th, 2003 |
| End |
August 8th, 2002 |
... |
| Status |
|
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| Type of funicular |
 |
 |
| Type of tracks |
 |
 |
| Energy |
 |
|
| Bottom station |
Saint Imier (832 m) |
Saint Imier (828 m) |
| Top station |
Mont Soleil (1173 m) |
Mont Soleil (1179 m) |
| Length |
728m |
743m |
| Gauge |
1m |
1m |
| Difference of levels |
341m |
351m |
| Maximum Gradient |
60% |
60% |
| Number of cars |
2 |
1 |
| Speed |
2,5 m/s |
5 m/s |
| Capacity |
54 passengers |
60 passengers |
| Car Manufacturer |
Gangloff |
Gangloff |
| Manufacturer |
Von Roll |
Garavanta |
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