Locarno–Madonna del Sasso funicular, Funicular railway in Orselina, Switzerland.
The Locarno–Madonna del Sasso funicular is an electrically driven line linking Locarno's centre with the pilgrimage church of Madonna del Sasso in Orselina. Its 825 m route overcomes a height difference of 173 m at a maximum gradient of 300 per mille, driven from the upper station. Between the tunnel and the top station it crosses a long viaduct resting on bedrock at a terrain edge.
A concession to build the line was granted in 1897 and renewed in 1900; construction began in 1904 and the funicular was completed in 1906. The original wooden car bodies were replaced with metal ones in 1958. The Grand Hôtel stop was last served on 1 May 2005, and the hotel has been closed since December 2005.
The stations display architectural styles from different periods, with the lower terminal anchored to a 19th-century building complex. The upper station stands near the Madonna del Sasso sanctuary, a significant pilgrimage site for the region.
The three intermediate stops (Grand Hôtel, Belvedere, Madonna del Sasso) are request stops: signal the driver to board and tell them in advance to alight. The Grand Hôtel stop is not served while the hotel is closed. From April to October trains run every 15 minutes, otherwise every 30 minutes.
The line is driven by an electric motor housed in the upper station beneath the narrow service rooms, while the cars run on a track 825 m long with a maximum gradient of 300 per mille. The original 1906 cars had wooden bodies; the present metal bodies date from 1958.
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