The Stoosbahn travels year-round from the Schlattli base station in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland to the car-free ski resort at the Stoos summit station. The funicular’s cabin holding up to 136 passengers is hauled along tracks passing through three tunnels and crossing two bridges. The extreme profile of the route has gradients of up to 110 percent (47.7 degrees), making it challenging to move the funicular forward smoothly with a speed of 10 meters per second.

ABB accomplishes the feat with two motors and drive systems. The two specially designed low-voltage motors are rated 1.2 MW each, connected to two energy-saving AC variable speed drives that guarantee stepless speed control. The 2.4 MW of total power is comparable to what is required to drive 250 escalators simultaneously.

Key facts:

World’s steepest funicular, climbs 744 meters over a stretch of 1,700 meters
2.4 MW of total power used is enough to drive 250 escalators simultaneously
Route has gradients of up to 110% (47.7 degrees)

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The word’s steepest funicular

Did you know…

...the world’s steepest funicular, climbing 1,700 meters is powered by ABB?

Key facts:

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