Wuppertal suspension railway

The Wuppertal suspension railway was put into operation more than 100 years ago and is not only the landmark of the city but also still an important means of transport. 82,000 people a day are transported between the 20 stops over the 13.3 km along the axis of the Wuppertal valley. The passengers and the railway kind of “hover” at a height of between eight and twelve metres.
27 modern articulated carriages aside, there is also still the historical emperor’s carriage built in 1900: Emperor William II used it on October 24, 1900, for a test drive.
The railway was opened on March 01, 1901, after less than three years of construction.
The unique construction job required huge engineering skills in order to master the complicated route and to guarantee perfect dynamics.
The railway’s suspension system consists of slanted pairs of supports between which the girders with a span of up to 33m are hung.
The nodal points are designed as joints so that the simple static system of one girder on two bearings is drawn upon here.
In the townscape, the elevated stops are real eye-catchers. Only three stops (Werther Brücke, Völklinger Straße und Landgericht) have been preserved in their original architecture.
Over the past years, the gantry has been renewed in the old style to be fully equipped for the coming years. Many stops have also been renovated and wheelchair-accessible lifts were installed. The Wuppertal suspension railway is still unique all over the world.

Author: Editorial baukunst-nrw
Last changed on 06.10.2021

Categories:
Engineering » Transportation