Locale Portugal Line length 3.9 km (2.4 mi) | Closed April 1943 Highest elevation 850 m (2,790 ft) | |
Native name Caminho de Ferro do Monte Opened 16 July 1893 (1893-07-16) | ||
The Monte Railway (Portuguese: Caminho de Ferro do Monte) (commonly known as the Monte train or Monte Lift) was a rack railway connecting Pombal, in Funchal, to Terreiro da Luta in Monte (Madeira, Portugal), a distance of 3,911 metres, from 1893 to April 1943.
The Funchal Cable Car was built in 2000 and follows the old route of the Monte railway.
Project and construction
The railway was designed in 1886, by engineer Raul Mesnier Ponsard. The idea of building the railway came from António Joaquim Marques, who obtained permission from Funchal council on 17 February 1887. There was also a horsecar (known in Portuguese as the Caminhos de Ferro Americanos da Cidade do Funchal), which took passengers to the Pombal station from the pier.
References
Monte Railway Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA