Can someone explain exactly what a funicular is? Thanks!<BR><BR>--JAMF

cable cars that travel vertically up an incline..In fact in pittsburgh they are called inclines.

It is a kind of elevator-(lift-?) car that rides up the side of steep mountain so you don't have to climb. There are lots in Switzerland, but the one I know best is in Quebec City in Canada.

There may be more than one thing that is called a funicular, but I would call it an inclined railway. It usually runs on a short track - - maybe a half mile or less, and the track is very, very steep, maybe as much as 30-60 degrees. So much so that the car does not have a flat bottom, but rather looks like those baskets that you can sit on two (or more) steps on a stair case. Usually, the operate in paris, one going up, and the other going down - - not much more than a 3-10 minute ride generally.<BR><BR>Saves climbing a heck of a lot of steps.<BR><BR>An example is on Montmartre (hill) leading up near (but not all the way to Sacre Coeur.<BR><BR>There is also inclined railways - - essentially the same things in Pittsburgh (Mt. Washington?) and at Rock Bity, TN, if memory serves correctly. Barcelona, Bergamo and various places aroung the Lugano/Lake Como area. Countless others, I am sure.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

One reason I asked about the meaning of funicular is I've ridden the one-seated chair lift in Capri, and I didn't think that was considered a funicular. So, I guess the funiculars are bigger, roomier, cable-type "cars."??<BR><BR>Thanks for all the responses!

If you do a search for funicular and funicolare you will find other posts on this question.

Whoops "they operate in pairs"<BR><BR>not "the operate in paris"<BR><BR>even though the one I described IS in Paris! lol...<BR>

ttt