The Rittnerbahn
This electric light railway opened in 1907 linking Bozen with Klobenstein, in Sudtirol, Austria. Originally trains ascended from Bozen on a rack section to Maria-Himmelfahrt on the plateau above. Here they continued on conventional track. After the First World War the area became part of Italy. Bozen is generally called Bolzano today, though over two thirds of the population remain German speakers. In the 60's the rack section was replaced by a cable car. This takes 12 minutes rather than the nearly 60 required by the train - though you have to walk to the terminal rather than boarding in the town centre. From the upper cable car terminus the Rittnerbahn runs as before - generally every 30 mins to Klobenstein (5.5 km) or six times a day to Maria-Himmelfahrt (1.1 km).
Inside the very clean maintenance depot at Soprabolzano/Oberbozen. The orange car was acquired from Esslingen, in Germany.
The Rittnerbahn
This electric light railway opened in 1907 linking Bozen with Klobenstein, in Sudtirol, Austria. Originally trains ascended from Bozen on a rack section to Maria-Himmelfahrt on the plateau above. Here they continued on conventional track. After the First World War the area became part of Italy. Bozen is generally called Bolzano today, though over two thirds of the population remain German speakers. In the 60's the rack section was replaced by a cable car. This takes 12 minutes rather than the nearly 60 required by the train - though you have to walk to the terminal rather than boarding in the town centre. From the upper cable car terminus the Rittnerbahn runs as before - generally every 30 mins to Klobenstein (5.5 km) or six times a day to Maria-Himmelfahrt (1.1 km).
Inside the very clean maintenance depot at Soprabolzano/Oberbozen. The orange car was acquired from Esslingen, in Germany.