display

Baden-Baden (dpa / lsw) - When the mountain railway on Baden-Baden's local mountain Merkur starts operating again after Corona, it will do a general overhaul. The Baden-Baden public utility company had the railway renovated for almost eight million euros. As the planning and consulting company Drees & Sommer announced, the mechanical and electrical engineering, the monitoring and cash register system as well as 130 pairs of rollers for guiding the steel cables were renewed. With a diameter of 30 millimeters, the ropes are now 4 millimeters thicker than before. And for people with disabilities or parents with prams, new ramps and elevators made barrier-free access possible, said the managing director of the Baden-Baden public utility, Helmut Oehler, quoted.

The Merkurbergbahn was opened in 1913. According to the information, it overcomes 370 meters in altitude in less than five minutes with an incline of up to more than 50 percent on the way to the mountain, which is 668 meters high. It accelerates to a speed of almost 30 kilometers per hour. With a distance of 1.2 kilometers, it is one of the longest and steepest funiculars in Germany. According to the announcement, around 280,000 passengers took advantage of this option in 2019.

Since the previous renovation in 1979, you have set your car in motion yourself at the push of a button.

Depending on the rush, a car should start every 8 to 15 minutes in the future.

Because of the Corona hygiene measures, only a maximum of 20 people are allowed to travel instead of the 38 otherwise permitted.

The new wagons should look like the first mountain railway in the emperor's time with brown ship planks.

They are around one meter longer than their predecessors and have a new ventilation concept to reduce accumulated heat in summer.

display

The station building was also painted in coordination with the Baden-Württemberg State Monuments Office: A warm beige like 1913 is replacing the dark green facade color.

The four-year general renovation was necessary so that the concession for the funicular did not expire.

According to Drees & Sommer, everything stayed within budget and on schedule.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210506-99-487761 / 2

City of Baden-Baden via Merkurbergbahn

display

Stadtwerke Baden-Baden via Merkurbergbahn

Message