Polybahn

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The Polybahn

Entrance to the lower station

The Polybahn, also known as the UBS Polybahn, is a funicular railway in Zürich, Switzerland. The line operates out of Zürich Central-Hochschulen, and carries passengers up to the terrace by the main building of ETH Zurich, which was formerly called Eidgenössisches Polytechnikum, and from which the railway derives its name.

[edit] History

In 1886 a concession for the railway was issued, and on 8 January 1889 the Zurich mountain railway opened. The funicular was initially water-driven (powered by an exchange of water ballast between the carriages); the railway was electrified in 1897.

In 1950 the Zurich Mountain Railway Company began losing money, and eventually decided to not renew the concession in the early 1970s. In 1972 a foundation was created to help preserve the Polybahn.

In 1976 the Union Bank of Switzerland (then known as UBS/SBG) rescued the Polybahn, creating SBG Polybahn AG. In 1990 the railway was completely renovated, the mechanism was replaced, and the old three-rail tracks were replaced with the current two-rail tracks. On 21 October 1996 the railway reopened under the name "UBS Polybahn", reflecting the rebranding of the owning banking group as UBS AG.

[edit] Technical data

Runs every	2.5 min
Mode of operation	Automated
Drive	Three-phase AC motor with frequency changer
Track gauge	1000 mm
Track length	176 m
Rise	41 m
Average gradient	23%
Capacity	50 persons per car
Speed	Max 2.5 m/s (= 9 km/h)
Travel time	100 seconds
Mechanical handling capacity	1200 Persons/h per direction