Funiculars, Aerial Cable Cars, and Cogwheel Railroads

Some of the special train tours can enjoy while on traveling on tours of Switzerland, are:

Funicular Railways:

Funicular railways consist of a combination of railway line and a pulley system that lifts the coaches. Two coaches of equal weight are connected by a pulley system. As one car moves up a hill slope its counterweight - the second car - moves down. The cars pass each other along the way and after they reach the end of the track their direction of movement is reversed. Funicular railways are used on slopes and mountains where normal railway lines cannot be placed because of the steep gradient.

Cable Cars

These aerial conveyances consist of two coaches or gondolas suspended from a cable. The two cars act as counterweights, with each balancing the other as they move along the cable. Cable cars are used where a railway line cannot be placed on the surface of the ground, such as to carry people up a mountain from its base to the summit.

Cog wheel Railway

Also called rack-and-pinion, or rack railway a cog wheel railway is like a normal railway train with the addition of horizontal gears on the coaches. These horizontal gears, which consist of toothed gear wheels, provide additional traction on extremely steep slopes.