Type Funicular Opened c. 1500 Line length 191 m | Stations 2 Maximum incline 67% Locale Salzburg | |
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Track gauge 1,300 mm (4 ft 3 ⁄16 in) Terminis Nonnberg Abbey, Hohensalzburg Castle | ||
The Reisszug (also spelt Reißzug or Reiszug) is a private funicular railway providing goods access to the Hohensalzburg Castle at Salzburg in Austria. It is notable for its extreme age, as it is believed to date back to either 1495 or 1504.
Contents
The Reisszug should not be confused with the Festungsbahn, a funicular that provides public access to the Hohensalzburg Castle, and which dates from 1892.
Early history
The line was first documented in 1515 by Cardinal Matthäus Lang, who would later become Archbishop of Salzburg. These dates make it the oldest known funicular in the world, and possibly the oldest existing railway.
The Reisszug still traces its original route through the castle's fortifications. It starts from the grounds of the Nonnberg Abbey, below the eastern walls of the castle. It then rises up at a gradient of 65% to the central courtyard of the fortress, on its way passing through five concentric defensive walls. At the point where the line passes through each wall is a gateway, each of which can be closed by a sturdy wooden door. The presence and obvious age of the gateways serves to confirm Cardinal Lang's description of the line.
Recent history
The line may have originally used sled-style runners, but wooden rails and wheels were soon adopted. Haulage was accomplished by a hemp rope. Until 1910 the line was operated by human or animal power. Over the years the line has been modified and rebuilt several times, most recently between 1988 and 1990. Today it uses steel rails and a steel cable. Traction is provided by an electric motor, and a closed circuit television system is used to monitor its operation.
Technical parameters
In its current incarnation, the line has the following technical parameters: