Wendelstein Rack Railway, Railway line in Brannenburg, Germany
The Wendelstein Rack Railway is a mountain railway in the Mangfall Mountains that climbs from Brannenburg to the summit. The line cuts through the rock with tunnels and crosses the landscape on bridges to handle the steep slopes.
The railway was built starting in 1910 and has connected the town to the mountain summit ever since. The project used advanced engineering for its time to overcome the challenging terrain.
The railway connects visitors to the summit of Wendelstein Mountain, where Germany's highest church and a university observatory conduct research activities.
The ride up takes about half an hour while the descent takes longer as the brakes control the speed. Visitors should know the journey passes through narrow tunnels where views from the windows may be limited at times.
The line uses a special rack system that allows the train to climb extremely steep slopes that would be impossible for regular trains. This system was designed specifically for such extreme mountain routes and makes the journey feel quite different from typical rail travel.
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