Funiculars of Lyon
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The Funiculars of Lyon (Funiculaires de Lyon) is a network of funicular railways in Lyon, France. Of the five lines once in existence, only the two routes on the Fourvière hill remain in operation, with the rest of the network now either closed, converted to road vehicle use, or integrated within the Lyon underground system.
History
No fewer than five funicular lines, nicknamed ficelles ("threads") were built.
- The first line opened in 1862 and linked Rue Terme and Boulevard de la Croix Rousse. The funicular was closed and converted to a road tunnel in 1968.
- The second line opened in 1891 and served the Butte de la Croix Rousse. The line was converted into a rack railway in 1972 and rebuilt and extended at both ends to become Line C of the Lyon Metro in 1978.
- The third line opened in 1878 linking Saint-Jean to Saint-Just with an intermediate station at Minimes, climbing the Fourvière hill. The line was converted to a rack railway in 1901 and back to a funicular in 1958.
- The fourth and fifth lines were opened in 1900, linking the Tour Metallique on Fourvière hill to Saint-Paul and the Basilica on Fourvière with Saint-Jean. The first was closed in 1937 and the second was modernised in 1970 with a change of gauge from 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) to 1,300 mm (4 ft 3 3⁄16 in). The Fourvière - Saint-Jean line is 431 metres (1,414 ft) long with a 30% incline.
Both lines still in service were modernised again in 1986 and 1987. A new station at Saint-Jean was built in 1991 to serve the new line D of the Metro and both funicular lines, and the whole complex named Vieux-Lyon.
Current lines
Route map
F1 (Saint-Jean - Saint-Just)
| Saint-Jean - Saint-Just | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge |
| Length | 791 metres (2,595 ft) |
| Height | 91.2 metres (299 ft) |
| Number of stops | 3 |
| Fleet | 2 funicular cars |
| Capacity | 216 passengers |
| Length of journey | 3 minutes 20 seconds |
| Opening times | 05:00 to 24:00 |
| Frequency of services | 5 to 10 minutes |
F2 (Saint-Jean - Fourvière)
| Saint-Jean - Fourvière | 1,300 mm (4 ft 3 3⁄16 in) |
| Length | 404 metres (1,325 ft) |
| Height | 116 metres (381 ft) |
| Number of stops | 2 |
| Fleet | 2 funicular cars |
| Capacity | 70 passengers |
| Length of journey | 2 minutes |
| Opening times | 06:00 to 22:00 |
| Frequency of services | 5 to 10 minutes |
Funicular cars in preservation
Funicular car n°1 is preserved at the AMTUIR. It operated on the single track line from Saint-Jean to the Basilique de Fourvière. The line it served on was modernised in 1970 and equipped with new cars.
The car was given to the AMTUIR (Musée des Transports Urbains) by the Transports en Commun de la Région Lyonnaise (TCRL) on 27 May 1970.
| Tramcar n°11 data | |
| Length | 8.62 metres (28 ft 3 in) |
| Width | 2.10 metres (6 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 3.60 metres (11 ft 10 in) |
| Gross weight | 6.2 t (6.1 long tons; 6.8 short tons) |
| Capacity | 12/44 |
| Current | By pantograph for lighting only. |
| Gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge |