Vallvidrera Funicular

The Vallvidrera Funicular (both Catalan and Spanish:Funicular de Vallvidrera) is a 736.6-metre-long (2,417 ft) funicular railway in the Barcelona district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, in Catalonia, Spain. It connects Peu del Funicular station on the Barcelona–Vallès Line with the residential neighborhood of Vallvidrera, in the Collserola mountain range.

Vallvidrera Funicular
A funicular car with the line's passing loop in the foreground.
Overview
Native nameFunicular de Vallvidrera
StatusOperational
OwnerGeneralitat of Catalonia
LocaleSarrià-Sant Gervasi, Barcelona
Termini
  • Vallvidrera Inferior
  • Vallvidrera Superior
Stations3 (list)
Service
Operator(s)Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC)
Rolling stock2 Gangloff[1] funicular cars
Ridership760,261 passenger journeys (2013)[lower-alpha 1]
History
Opened24 October 1906 (1906-10-24)
Technical
Line length736.6 m (2,417 ft)
Number of tracks1 (with an intermediate passing loop)
CharacterAt-grade
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Electrification220 V DC third rail
Operating speed5 m/s (16 ft/s)
Route map
Barcelona–Vallès Line
to Pl. Catalunya
 Peu del Funicular
 Vallvidrera Inferior
Barcelona–Vallès Line
to Terrassa or Sabadell
Carretera de les Aigües
 Carretera de les Aigües
 Vallvidrera Superior

Opened on 24 October 1906 (1906-10-24), the funicular has played a key role in the development of Vallvidrera and is the main public transport access to this neighborhood. Although initially privately owned by Ferrocarril de Sarriá a Barcelona (FSB), it was transferred to the Catalan government together with the Barcelona–Vallès Line after FSB's economic collapse. Thus, since 7 October 1979 (1979-10-07), the funicular has been operated by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC). In 1998, it was entirely rebuilt and upgraded to an automated guideway transit (AGT) system, including the introduction of new rolling stock.

The funicular is integrated as part of the Vallès Metro high-frequency commuter rail scheme.[3] It runs at a basic interval of 6 minutes on weekdays, less frequently on weekends and public holidays,[4] with a journey time of 2 minutes and 50 seconds (without considering any intermediate stops).[3] Besides, it is entirely within fare zone 1 of the Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM) fare-integrated public transport system for the Barcelona metropolitan area.[5]

History

The line was opened in 1906. Its upper station (Vallvidrera Superior) was designed by the architects Bonaventura Conill i Montobbio and Arnald Calvet i Peyronill in the Catalan Modernist style.[3]

The line became part of the FGC network in 1981. It was rebuilt in 1998, with the introduction of new cars, platform screen doors and fully automated operation. The new cars were built by Gangloff of Bern.[3]

Technical features

The funicular has the following technical parameters:[6]

Number of stops 3
Configuration Single track with passing loop
Track length 729 m (2,392 ft)
Rise 165 m (541 ft)
Maximum gradient 30.9%
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Number of cars 2
Capacity 50 passengers per car
Maximum speed 5 m/s (16.4 ft/s)
Traction Electricity
Operation Fully automatic

List of stations

The following table lists the name of each station on the Vallvidrera Funicular in ascendent order (from south to north), a photo of the current station, its elevation, its coordinates, remarkable notes and usage figures.

Station Photo Elevation Coordinates Notes Usage[lower-alpha 2]
Vallvidrera Inferior 192 m
630 ft		41.4093229°N 2.1112435°E / 41.4093229; 2.1112435 (Vallvidrera Inferior)Connects with Peu del Funicular station on the Barcelona–Vallès Line, offering a transfer to Vallès Metro commuter rail lines S1 and S2.348.9
Carretera de les Aigües 302 m
991 ft		41.4123064°N 2.1079693°E / 41.4123064; 2.1079693 (Carretera de les Aigües)Serves the popular walking and cycling route known as Carretera de les Aigües. It is a request stop.20.9
Vallvidrera Superior 359 m
1,178 ft		41.4141203°N 2.1057955°E / 41.4141203; 2.1057955 (Vallvidrera Superior)Serves the main residential area of the Barcelona neighborhood of Vallvidrera.390.5

Notes
  1. This number has been obtained by suming usage figures for each of the three stops on the funicular.[2]
  2. All usage figures (entry only) are in thousands per year for 2013.[2] Note that in the case of Vallvidrera Inferior station, figures for Peu del Funicular station are included as well.

References
  1. Gangloff
  2. "Memòria de Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya 2013" [2013 Report of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya] (PDF) (in Catalan). Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya; Department of Public Works and Transport. Generalitat of Catalonia. 2014: 62. Retrieved 26 June 2015. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. Borràs, Bernat. "Funicular de Vallvidrera" [Vallvidrera Funicular]. trenscat.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  4. "Schedule for the Vallvidrera Funicular" (PDF). Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  5. Integrated Railway Network (PDF) (Map). Autoritat del Transport Metropolità. August 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  6. "Funiculars.net - Vallvidrera, Barcelona (ES)". Funiculars.net. Retrieved 30 June 2015.

Bibliography
  • Salmerón i Bosch, Carles (1988). El tren del Vallès: Història dels Ferrocarrils de Barcelona a Sabadell i Terrassa [The Vallès Train: History of the Barcelona to Sabadell and Terrassa Railway] (in Catalan). Barcelona: Terminus. ISBN 8440435606.
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