Petřín funicular
Critics of the cable car to Prague's Petřín claimed that it was just a crooked train, and that its creators were crazy. In reality, however, the cable car to Petřín is an ingenious work, combining a lift and a train. It is suspended on a rope and at the same time is guided by rails. The laws of nature were overcome here by the laws of technology, but only in later times ... the original cable car went to Petřín on water, so it happened many times that it dried up during the hot summer and Petřín had to be reached on foot.
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Interesting facts Petřín funicular
The original idea - a water cable car
In 1890, engineers Štěpán and Reiter came up with the idea of building a water-powered cable car, the principle of which was quite simple. The upper car was pumped with enough water to carry the lower car, and the cable car driver's task was only to brake. In the lower station, the water was then drained into the sewer thanks to a mechanical valve, and a new one was pumped upstairs again. It is already clear from this brief description that water consumption was the main problem. The biggest problem occurred at a time when too many people got into the lower car and almost no one got into the upper car. The tank then held up to 3,600 liters of water. Another problem was the summer steam, during which Petřín dried up and the cable car had to be out of order. During the First World War, the operation of the cable car was completely stopped.
Electric cable car
In 1931, the cable car to Petřín underwent a major reconstruction, during which the track was extended to the current 510 m and a three-phase motor was placed in the upper station. The cable car was also equipped with new cars, similar to the then trams. It was able to transport up to 2,600 people / hour. This is how the cable car worked until June 7, 1965, when its then technician Miroslav Furst discovered that the tracks at the cable car were spreading.
The problem was excess water. The clay rocks absorbed by the lower springs and rain began to slide along the sandstone layer, and by 1967, 2/3 of the cable car had been damaged and the cable car seemed to cease to exist.
It was decided to renew the cable car in 14 years. For the most critical section, a reinforced concrete grate was used on piles embedded in a stronger rock massif. The new cars drove off again on June 15, 1985, and even today they are powered by the original electric machine from 1932.
The cable car to Petřín overcomes an elevation of 130.5 meters and there are a total of three stops on the line: Újezd, Nebozízek and Petřín. In an hour, the cable car transports up to 1,400 people and the whole line travels in three minutes. Its operation is provided by public transport.
Author: Andrea Štyndlová