- Address: Valparaiso, Chile;
- Area of application: intra-urban public transport;
- Infrastructure: rails, rope traction.
The city of Valparaiso is located in Chile and is located on the Pacific coast. The name of this city can be translated as a paradise valley. Its territory is a narrow coastal strip and hills, therefore for two centuries one of the full-fledged modes of transport here are the funiculars or ascensores, which in Spanish means elevators. In the early twentieth century there were about thirty, at the moment there are 15 funiculars.
Their paths stretch from the coastal zone to the mountains, passing in close proximity to residential buildings. All cable cars have names and their own ways. Some places can be reached only by cable cars or stairs. The fact is that road construction can cause soil erosion and locals do not want to take such a risk not to lose their homes.
- Funicular Concepciène . The first funicular called Concepciène was put into operation in 1883 and still functions. This is the cheapest type of transport in Valparaiso. Only 100 pesos in one direction, which is about 0.14 euros. But not cheapness so attracts tourists, but the view that opens before them from the windows of trailers. After funiculars creep almost vertically. The trailers themselves are very old, one can say centenary, the mechanisms creak, now they work on electricity, but before they used the energy of water, that is, they worked on steam engines. However, tourists are ready to stand in line just to climb the mountains, especially when ships enter the port.
- Funicular on the hill of Sarco Polenko . Ascensor - means an elevator, but among the VARPARAISO funiculars there is really one real lift. Only he will be able to deliver wishing to the hill of Sarco Polenko. The station is located inside the mountain, a 150-meter tunnel leads to it. We have to go in a small stuffy cabin inside the mine, but there is no choice. Local people really appreciate this elevator, because otherwise they will have to climb up the stairs all the time and spend more than an hour on it. Unfortunately, you can not ride with a cargo in an elevator.
- Funicular Baron . For over a hundred years, the lifts have not been built. The last one, named Baron, was erected in 1906. The Baron was the first to work on an electric motor, which was produced in Germany. The machine rarely breaks down and is very reliable. If you turn off the electricity, the driver has to twist the handle, each turn of the handle moves the car to 15 centimeters. But this is not dangerous, since everything that can happen to passengers is an opportunity to get stuck. There were no accidents here. At the station, people get through the turnstile, installed before the First World War, and then the German work proved to be trouble-free. 5 cable cars, including the Baron belong to the municipality. Ten belong to private companies. One - Los Leiros belongs to a private person. The owner wanted to destroy the lift and build a house, but it did not work for him, since the Valparaiso cable cars were declared a national treasure. There is a fashion for some funiculars. Last season, a hill came into fashion, which can be reached by a lift called the Holy Spirit. Unesco declared this part of the city the historical heritage of mankind. The area immediately became more expensive, new houses, restaurants began to be built. This funicular is slightly more expensive than the others. The ticket costs up to 0.18 USD, and downwards - 0.17 USD.
- Funicular Artillery . Another profitable funicular is Artillery. He got on a map of tourist routes and tourists arriving on cruise liners immediately rush to him and are ready to stand in line for hours. Most likely funiculars will turn into an attraction, but in any case, those who can advertise themselves and attract enough tourists will survive.