Running from the city of Schywz to the mountain village of Stoos in Switzerland is the futuristic-looking Stoos Bahn tram, the world’s steepest funicular railway that’s now open.
Considered as a modern-day design triumph, the tram travels 1,300 meters above sea level in central Switzerland, while the barrel-shaped carriages adjust their floors so passengers can stand upright even as they climb towards the Alpine plateau at inclines of 110%. This essentially means that views of the surroundings for the 136 passengers on board will remain perfectly horizontal. Impressively, the train will climb 743 meters over a span of 1,738 meters, and at speeds of 10 meters-per-second.
Previously, the world record for the steepest funicular train was held by the Gelmerbahn at Bern, also in Switzerland, with a gradient of 106%, while it’s nearest rival is the East Hill Cliff Railway in England, boasting a gradient of 78%.
Learn more about the new railway in the video below.
In other design news, the world’s first supersonic business jet is coming soon.
- Source: Designboom
- Source: Dailymail
