Oberweißbacher Bergbahn, Funicular and adhesion railway in Thuringia, Germany
The Oberweißbacher Bergbahn is a narrow-gauge railway in Thuringia, Germany, combining a funicular section and an adhesion railway section. The funicular part runs about 0.84 miles (1.35 km) and climbs more than 980 feet (300 m) at a gradient of 25 percent.
Construction began in Cursdorf in September 1919, and the line opened officially for passengers and freight in March 1923. It was listed as a protected monument in 1982, and after major renovation work it reopened in 2002.
The railway is closely tied to the legacy of Friedrich Fröbel, who was born nearby in Oberweißbach and developed the concept of the kindergarten. At the mountain station, a forest trail bears his name and invites families to explore nature through hands-on discovery points inspired by his ideas.
The line connects Obstfelderschmiede in the valley with Lichtenhain at the top, where the adhesion railway continues on to Cursdorf. At the mountain station there is a visitor center with the Maschinarium museum, which shows how the drive system works.
The funicular is the only one in Germany that carries standard railway wagons up the slope on a flat car, allowing freight and even locomotives to transfer directly between the valley and the hilltop. The support towers installed in 1979 were lifted into place by helicopter because the terrain was too steep for ground vehicles.
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