Les Avants–Sonloup funicular

The Les Avants–Sonloup funicular (French: Chemin de fer Les Avants–Sonloup) is a metre gauge funicular railway in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It links the railway station of Les Avants, on the Montreux–Lenk im Simmental line between Montreux and Montbovon, with an upper terminus at Sonloup.[1][2][3]

Chemin de fer Les Avants–Sonloup
Overview
Statusin operation
OwnerTransports Montreux – Vevey Riviera (since 2001); Compagnie du chemin de fer Les Avants-Sonloup
LocaleVaud, Switzerland
Termini
Connecting linesMontreux–Zweisimmen
Stations2
Websitelesavantsfuni.ch
Service
TypeFunicular
Operator(s)Transports Montreux – Vevey Riviera (short: MVR)
Rolling stock2 for 40 passengers each
History
Opened14 December 1912 (1912-12-14)
Technical
Line length515 m (1,690 ft)
Number of tracks1 with passing loop
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Electrificationfrom opening
Operating speed1.6 metres per second (5.2 ft/s)
Highest elevation184 m (603.7 ft) above Les Avants
Maximum incline54%

Description

The funicular, which was opened on 14 December 1912, runs at a right angle to the MOB line for a distance of 515 m (1,690 ft) and in doing so climbs at a 54% gradient to a height of 184 m (603.7 ft) above Les Avants.[2][4] The line is still operated with the original Belle Epoque carriages.[5]

The peak season for tourists, is in the spring, when the narcissus and forget-me-not plants flower in the meadowlands near the summit.

Parameters

The funicular has the following parameters:[1]

Feature Value
Number of stops 2
Configuration Single track with passing loop
Track length 515 metres (1,690 ft)
Rise 180 metres (590 ft)
Maximum gradient 54%
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Number of cars 2
Capacity 40 passengers per car
Maximum speed 1.6 metres per second (5.2 ft/s)
Travel time 6 minutes

The line is operated by Transports Montreux – Vevey Riviera, under the GoldenPass Services banner.[6]

  • Les Avants-Sonloup funicular cabin
    Les Avants-Sonloup funicular cabin

See also

Further reading
  • Michel Grandguillaume, Gérald Hadorn, Jean Paillard, Jean-Louis Rochaix (1982), "Les Avants–Sonloup", Crémaillères et funiculaires vaudois (in French), Lausanne: Bureau vaudois d'adresses (BVA), pp. 243–247, ISBN 2-88125-002-5{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

References
  1. "61.001 Les Avants - Sonloup, Montreux, Funiculaire", Schweizer Seilbahninventar = Inventaire suisse des installations à câbles = Inventario svizzero degli impianti a fune [Swiss Inventory of Cableways] (in French, German, and Italian), Federal Office of Culture, 2011, retrieved 10 April 2014
  2. "GoldenPass funiculaire Les Avents - Sonloup". GoldenPass Services. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  3. "Ou se trouve les Avants". Webamoi. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  4. "Histoire du funiculaire". Webamoi. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  5. Construit en 1910 et récemment rénové, le « funi » Les Avants–Sonloup a la particularité d'avoir conservé ses voitures d'époque. Une vraie curiosité !
  6. "Notre enterprise". GoldenPass Services. Retrieved 9 April 2014.


46.4557°N 6.9413°E / 46.4557; 6.9413

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