The amazing suspension railway

山東 劉士華

在德國西部城市伍珀塔爾，有一條與眾不同的鐵路——這里的列車在軌道下方運行。

Unlike ordinary train lines that stay determinedly fixed to dry land, suspension railways dangle (懸垂) beneath a track suspended from pylons (電纜塔).

In 1893, Langen offered his suspension railway system to the city, Wuppertal,which accepted the proposal.Construction began in 1898 and the line was ceremoniously opened in 1901.Almost 20,000 tons of steel were used to create the elevated track which snakes through the city.Its 20 beautiful stations complemented the glass and wood interiors of carriages that could carry 65 people each.

The network was extended to its final length of 13.3 kilometers in 1903, with journeys beginning and ending at turning loops connected to the line's Vohwinkel and Oberbarmen stations.The railway proved to be a hit with the locals.Over the next few years, the train's lengths were increased from two to six carriages, running every five minutes.

Today, the gently swaying Schwebebahn (單軌懸掛式鐵路) is still in use as a commuter train, moving an astonishing 25 million passengers annually.“Nowadays, for static (靜止不動的) and economic reasons,gray concrete is often the choice and characterizes our infrastructure,” says Colognebased architect Christian Busch.

For locals and visitors alike, the Schwebebahn remains a beloved thing.“My fascination with the Schwebebahn lies in the fact that it was constructed over 100 years ago,” says Busch.“A ride in the Schwebebahn allows the passenger an extraordinary insight into the life of local residents and really looks like a fairground attraction from days gone by.”

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What do locals and visitors think of suspension railways?

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