Versuchsseilbahn Batschuns, Aerial lift in Zwischenwasser, Austria.
The Versuchsseilbahn Batschuns is a historic cable car between Zwischenwasser and Suldis, connecting two stations across a 450-meter span. The grade of about 140 meters was crossed with reversible cars, while the lower station now serves as a residential building.
Karl Peter built this experimental installation in 1947 to prove that automated cable cars could operate without constant personnel supervision. Officials recognized the potential of this idea and later used the results for more modern mountain rail systems.
The site shows how a small technical solution influenced the thinking of people who later built mountain railways. The remaining parts at the upper station still reveal how the first automated systems worked.
The lower station is now a private residence and closed to visitors, though you can view the building from outside. The upper station with its remaining machinery parts is in Suldis and can be reached from nearby hiking trails.
This installation was the first of its kind to allow up and down operations without manual switching. The concept was later applied to better-known mountain railways in the region and helped spread automated systems.
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