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Further Funiculars in Latin America On this page you will find not so well-known funiculars in Latin America known to us. Further pictures are always welcome and should be sent to info@fahrplancenter.com Puerto Rico: Las Croabas I, II + III
Puerto Rico is not really Latin America, but part of the USA Technical Data: Originally opened as Las Croabas I around 1945. Manufacturer unknown. Track gauge 1.166 Meter, length 170 Meter, difference of altitude 70 Meter: Gradient 44 per Cent, speed 1 Meter/Second, electrical drive, three phase current 400 Volt, 60 Hz, about 20 HP. 16 seated passengers, 4 standing passengers, total 20 passengers. Length of car 5,2 Meter, wheel base 2,5 Meter. Empty weight about 3 Tons, gross weight 4,5 tons. Has been replaced by Las Croabas II. Las Croabas II and III are two parallel lines. Opened 1969, manufacturer Bell AG at Kriens/Lucerne, Switzerland Length 169 and 167 Meter, gradient minimal 40 per Cent, maximal 48,3 and 46,9 per Cent Speed 1,5 Meter/Second, electrical drive direct current Ward-Leonard 40 HP, 1400 revolutions/minute. 20 seated passengers, 10 standing pass., total 30 pass.. Car Length 7,7 Meter, wheel base (2 axles) 3 Meter. Empty weight 4,4 tons, gross weight 6,7 tons, for other data see under Las Croabas I. Mexico: Acapulco Hotel Puerto Arturo
Private Condominium
Acapulco is built on rocks. Therefore there large numbers of funiculars which should rather be called inclines. For example, the Radisson hotel has such an incline which connects the various levels of the hotel. Vila de García: Grutas de García Not very much is known about this funicular. Dr. John A. Kirchner has made some photographs in 1978. Vila de García lies in the province of Nueva León, about 40 km from the province's capital, Monterrey. For many years the funicular transported visitors to the stalactite cave García up to the entrance high up along the mountain. In the meantime the line has been replaced by an aerial ropeway. Difference of altitude is 750 Meter. The central track both above and below the passing loop was common. Drive was electric. The cars were two-axled , with the outer wheel on each axle double-flanged forming a groove and the inner wheels flat and cylindrical (Abt system). The photographs can be found under http://www.mexlist.com/photo/funicular/1.htm .
The world's highest capital has opened the world's highest funicular at 3600 Meter above sea level (the second-highest funicular can be found above Saas Fee in Switzerland, the "Metro Alpin", at 3400 Meter above sea level). Recently, the funicular was handed over to the authorities. Official opening was in March 2003. The funicular connects the town with the Kusillo museum which belongs to the Quipus cultural centre, and this also contains a handicraft centre an a school for informatics and will later also feature a cafeteria. The cost of USD330'000 for the construction of the line was mainly paid by the government of Spain, but also by the local authorities, and the Quipus foundation had been engaged in the search of further sponsors. The line took four years to be built. The journey lasts (unfortunately, for the panoramic view from the car) only 45 seconds. At the top there is also a beautiful panoramic view of the town. The car is painted in blue and yellow. Manufacturer is the elevator firm Otis. Technical data: Length of line 48.3 meter, difference of height 27.4 meter, inclination 37.4 per cent, speed 1.2 meter per second, journey time 45 seconds, one car for 20 passengers or 1500 kg. According to latest reports (March 2006), the hill started to glide, the supports were bent, and operation had to stop. It is now planned to find nearby a new, more stable place and build up the line there. Further link Foz de Iguaçu The SEAK, Swiss Railfan's Assiociation, travelled in 1978 on one of their South America trips on a funicular at Foz de Iguaçu. The party had arrived with a bus on the Argentinian side of the river, crossed the river on a ferry boat and ascended on the Brasilian side of the river at Porto Meira by the funicular to a road from where they were transferred by bus to their hotel. Werner Baumann has sent us some interesting photographs, and Ernst Wetzel recently found a photograph from the German periodical "Illustrierte Wochenzeitung", dated 5th February 1977, which featured this funicular. The line had a length of about 40 meter and only one car. In 1985, a bridge was built between Argentina and Brasil, the "Ponte Tancredo Neves" which made the ferry almost superflous. As a consequence, the funicular was closed and does not exist any more
Funiculars in the state of São Paulo The State of São Paulo has four funicular lines: the line at Santos , at the seaside, is on a separate page. The next line is at Cubatão, a power station line, and just after this over theSera do Mar is the famous steam funicular railway ( Serra do Mar Incline) for the trains from Santos to São Paulo and Jundiai (the former São Paulo Railway). Along the line from São Paulo to Jundiai you will then find at Caieiras the fourth line Cubatão SP: Power station line
Caieiras is a railway station about 50 km north of São Paulo, formerly on the São Paulo Railway, today on Line A of the CPTM (suburban trains of São Paulo), three stations before the terminal of Francisco Morato. The transport railway of the CMSP (Companhia de Melhoramente de São Paulo) connected the railway station with a lime mine. The lime stone excavated was burnt there in two lime kilns into quick lime used for the construction of buildings. Originally transport to the main railway station was handled by mules with wagons. From 1883 onwards trains consisted of steam engines and goods wagons, but also of passenger coaches for the transport of workers to the lime kiln. Total length of the line was 5 km of which the cable incline's length was 1 km with a system of operation similar to the Serra do Mar incline. The Abt system of points obviously could not be used, so the points had to be operated by hand. The line and the factory no longer exist. Further pictures of the Caieiras railway station can be found under http://www.icaieiras.com.br/main.php?programa=caieiras/historia/trens.php .
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