I was reading a non-railroad book, and a mention was made of the funicular railway in Wiesbaden, Germany. Searched on the internet, and came up with this photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kianhwi/199772773/

I'm a bit confused though as to how this 1888 railway actually works. Apparently water is loaded (?) into one car, brakes released and then that car pulls the other car up the mountain while it proceeds down. But I couldn't find anything on how this is actually done. Further info from anyone is certainly welcome.

Les

Wikipedia for the win!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular

It looks simple enough... if only we had mountains at HVRM...

I was born in Wiesbaden, courtesy of the US Army and have actually been for a ride, round trip on the Nerobergbahn.

http://www.nerobergbahn.de/ENGL/engl.htm

How it works?

From the web pages --

"Although environmental protection was not yet a public issue in 1888, the health resort of Wiesbaden was concerned about it even then, choosing a silent, completely pollution-free power source for the Neroberg Mountain Railway, namely water ballast: at the top of the mountain, the downhill carriage is filled with up to 7,000 ltrs of water and pulls the second carriage uphill by means of a 452 m long steel cable during its downward descent. When the downhill carriage arrives at the bottom, the water is let off and pumped uphill once again. The speed is regulated by the downhill driver. The railway is secured by pinions under the carriage that latch into a toothed rack fastened to the rails. Its ingenious power source is one of the reasons for the undiminished attractiveness of the Neroberg Mountain Railway right to this very day."

It's well worth a visit if you find yourself in Wiesbaden.

Also worth checking out is the local preserved railway, the Aartalbahn. 26 KM of a real up and down branchline with steam and diesel hydraulics. They've just overcome some very political issues related to their line a damage caused by an overheight truck that struck a road overcrossing bridge. They hope to be back in service in May of this year. Great folks and a fine railway, also well worth a visit.

how was the water pumped back up the hill - was it non-polluting? That may provide additional interesting info and equipment.

It was originally a steam pump and converted in 1916 to electric.

Here the German page text as translated (not well) by Google:

On 25 September 1888 was the Nero Bergbahn than water ballast train opened , And thus, the connection to Nerotal Wiesbaden house mountain, the mountain Nero.

The contract value amounted to 222352, 13 Mark Originally from 100000 Mark mentioned. Unlike other mountain railways, the technology of Nero mountain railway since unchanged ..

With a total length of 438.5 m, the railway a height difference of 83 meters with an average gradient of 19.5% in approximately 3.5 minutes. It crosses the Nerotal on an arch bridge from 5 to 15 m ascending. The path leads on the wall of the Nero Berger vineyard over the 1525 by Count Philipp Altherr of the Nassau-Idstein, to Wiesbaden was.

The track consists of three running rails, with the mean of the two rail cars used. Only the export soft in the middle, at a length of 70 m four rails.

The wire rope with a length of 451 meters and a diameter of 29 mm combines both cars. It runs on 83 roles, and is in the top station to a pulley, which in a basalt cube stored.

The car travelled down the valley attracts the other cars through its gravity and ballast water upward. The ballast water is in the passenger compartment attached tank, the 7 m³ of water can absorb, mitgeführt. The required water comes from two to the Nero is a mountain reservoirs with a capacity of 380 cubic metres. The end of the Wasserrohrs pushes into something bigger Auffangrohr of the car. The motorman opened a water-Slide and lets according to the occupation of both cars water entry.
In the valley station wagon passes the coming one angle iron, which is a decision leerungsventil opens, and the tank emptied automatically. The water is trapped, and in a 210 m³ reservoir capacity collected, and again with a capacity of 60 m³ / h and 12 bar to the mountain station pumped into the reservoir.

The steam-operated pump was 1916 by a pump with an electric - Drive.

The brake of Nero Bergbahn builds on the system Riggenbach; in the middle of the two tracks there is a rack in the two gear wheels of the front and rear axles constantly intervene. With a spindle brake, (known as quadruple spindle is designed and closes automatically in an emergency) to the effect of the front axle gear, the car driving the speed at exactly 6.78 km / h regulate.

The emergency brake is a Fliehkraftbremse blocked when the vehicle speed by 30%. It solves a case, the emphasis is on the car.

Likewise with a rope or easing plan.

The car is driving at the mountain ride on the top and on the downhill on the platform below. The cars are for 32 passenger seats.

The fare of 30 Pf for adults and 20 children Pf for a return trip was not even cost.

In July 1939, the factory machines Esslingen with the planning of larger cars (75 people) and the conversion to Elektoantrieb instructed. Due to the outbreak of the 2nd World War II was not one of them.

By 1944 war damage was closed for repairs from 1946 to the Americans seized in 1948 again for the Wiesbaden released.