Stuttgart Rack Railway

Stuttgart Rack Railway

Rack Railway at Haigst
Technical
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in)
Maximum incline 17.5%
Rack system Riggenbach system
Rack Railway at Marienplatz
Rack Railway going northwards between Pfaffenweg and Liststraße stations, with wagon to transport bicycles
Steam Rack Railway 1897

The Stuttgart Rack Railway (German: Zahnradbahn Stuttgart) is an electric rack railway in Stuttgart, Germany. It is the only urban rack railway in Germany, and one of only four rack railways operating in Germany, along with the Bavarian Zugspitze Railway, the Drachenfels Railway and the Wendelstein Railway.

Overview

Affectionately called Zacke (spike) by the residents of Stuttgart, the line was opened on 23 August 1884. It connects the urban districts of Stuttgart South (Marienplatz) and Degerloch (Albplatz). The route runs along the Alte Weinsteige, which was historically the main route to the Filder towns until the Neue Weinsteige was built in 1826.

Over its 2.2 km route the line climbs a height of 205 m (from 260 m to 465 m AMSL). The maximum incline on the route is 17.5% (between Liststrasse and Pfaffenweg). On the branch line to the depot of the (old) rack railway yard, the maximum incline is 20.0%. Between the stops at Pfaffenweg and Wielandshöhe there is a view of Stuttgart's city centre.

The rack railway is integrated with the metropolitan railway network of the Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG (SSB) as Line 10. At Marienplatz it connects with Stuttgart Stadtbahn lines U1 and U14 and at Albplatz it connects with lines U5, U6 and U8.

The line is one of two working railway lines that are tourist attractions in Stuttgart; the other being the Stuttgart funicular railway that leads to the forest cemetery, and operates as SSB line 20.

The rack railway train includes a wagon at the front or back for transporting bicycles.

History

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rack Railway Stuttgart.

Coordinates: 48°45′19″N 9°10′20″E / 48.75528°N 9.17222°E / 48.75528; 9.17222

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