Enjoy the view!

The top station of the suspension railway offers visitors a magnificent view over the Dresden Elbe valley and holds interesting exhibitions on the operation of the railways for technology enthusiasts. The observation tower and the exhibition are open daily during the operating hours of the suspension railway.

The technical system of the suspension railway is based on the monorail principle of the Cologne engineer Eugen Langen. The track girder, on which the rail is fixed, is supported by 32 pendulum supports and one fixed support. Both carriages have wheels with double-gauge rims for guidance on the rail. The car bodies themselves hang under the rail. The wagons are moved by a traction cable. The associated hoisting machine is located in the top station. Initially driven by a compound steam engine, a DC motor has been used since 1909. This allows the carriages to commute between the top and bottom stations on this unique railway.

Six years after the neighbouring funicular railway was put into operation, the Dresden suspension railway began operating in 1901 and has since connected the Loschwitz district with the higher altitudes of Oberloschwitz. The suspension railway itself is an exemplary work of German engineering. As the oldest and only mountain suspension railway of its type to this day, it defied time and survived the ups and downs of history. Only minor technical adjustments were necessary over time. Since 1975, the suspension railway has been a listed building.

After extensive reconstructions in the years 2001 to 2002, the top station of the suspension railway was equipped with a modern panoramic lift, which allows visitors access to the tower of the engine house and thus to an impressive viewing platform. The “Beautiful View” over the entire Dresden Elbe Valley gave this area its popular name. The viewing platform and the small technology exhibition in the top station are open daily during the operating hours of the suspension railway. For operational reasons, however, the last access to the tower is 45 minutes before the last ride.

        • Operating mode: Pendulum operation (driverless)
        • stations: bottom station in Loschwitz, top station in Oberloschwitz
        • line length: 273.8 meters
        • Height difference: 84.2 meters
        • Average slope: 32.18 percent
        • Maximum inclination: 39.90 percent
        • drive power: 80 kilowatts
        • transport capacity: 400 persons per hour and direction
        • driving speed: 1.6 meters/second
        • driving time: 4.5 minutes

         

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