Mergellina Funicular

Mergellina Funicular (Funicolare Mergellina)
Colour on map	Dark Blue
Year opened	1931
Line type	Surface (Funicular)
Rolling stock
Stations served	4
Length	.570 km (.354 mi)
Depots
Journeys made	286,000 (per annum)
Metro and commuter railways (Naples)
Line 1   Line 2 (via Passante)   Line 3 (part of Circumvesuviana network)   Line 4 (part of Circumvesuviana network)   Line 5 (part of Circumflegrea railway)   Line 6   Cumana   Rainbow line (Alifana bassa)   Line 7 (under construction)   Line 8 (planned)   Line 9 (planned)   Line 10 (planned) Funicular lines   Central Funicular   Chiaia Funicular   Mergellina Funicular   Montesanto Funicular

The Mergellina Funicular (Italian: Funicolare Mergellina), is a funicular railway line that forms part of the Metropolitana di Napoli (Naples Metro), which is the main part of the metro system for the city of Naples, Italy. Opened in 1931, the Mergellina Funicular was the fourth, and most recent cable railway opened in Naples.^[1]

The Mergellina Funicular connects five stations, Manzoni station, Parco Angelina station, San Gioacchino station, San Antonio station, and Mergellina station. Unlike Naples' other three funicular lines which all reach Vanvitelli, the Mergellina line is located on its own, further to the north west, and runs uphill from the marina at Mergellina Sanazzarro to Manzoni, where Line 6 can be reached by a short walk.

History

Mergellina Funicular was the most recently constructed of Naples' four funicular railways. In the early twentieth century, urban expansion had begun to see Naples spreading outwards, including towards the northwestern hills, and new residential neighbourhoods were being constructed on Posillipo hill. In order to facilitate easier access into the area, construction was commenced on the Mergellina Funicular in the late 1920s, and it first opened for service on 24 May, 1931.^[1]

The line did not experience any of the delays or problems of the other three, and it was up to full operation immediately, continuing to operate without problem through World War II, and for much of the immediate post-war period. It was not until the early 1980s that the line began to experience problems. The age and constant use of the engines and carriages had begun to take their toll, and the Mergellina line soon began to experience regular disruptions to service. Whilst the line was popular, it was not generating enough revenue for the scale of overall that was required, and its operators transferred management over to regional authorities.^[1]

Modernisation work commenced in May 1985, with new electronic and mechanical components, operations and controls, and transmissions and safety systems installed. The work proceeded without any problems, and the overhauled Mergellina Funicular was reopened to the public on 16 January 1986 after just seven months of closure. The line was again briefly closed between May 1989 and March 1990 for an overhaul to the rail and traction systems,^[1] in time for Naples to play a role as a host city during the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

In 1999, the Campania Regional Management Committee transferred management of the Mergellina Funicular to Azienda Napoletana Mobilità (ANM - Neapolitan Mobility Agency), who were by then responsible for running all four funicular lines in Naples. As with the other three lines, ANM was replaced as the operator on 1 February 2001 by Metronapoli, who continue to operate the line to the present.^[1] Metronapoli are in the process of better integrating the various elements of rail transport within Naples, creating better interchanges and connections, and ensuring that lines such as the Mergellina Funicular become functional elements of an efficient Metropolitana di Napoli (Naples Metro) public transport system.

Operation

The Mergellina Funicular carries a quarter of a million passengers annually, with an average of 3,200 passengers on workdays, and 2,000 on weekends and holidays, making it the least used funicular line in Naples. From the top to bottom the line is 570 metres long, and descends 147 metres in altitude, at an average gradient of 16%, although one section is as steep as 46%. The carriages travel at an average speed of 3.5 metres per second, and the entire route takes seven minutes. Each train can carry 60 passengers at a time, giving a total capacity of 480 passengers per hour in each direction.^[1]

Stations

Manzoni station Parco Angelina station San Gioacchino station San Antonio station Mergellina station

See also

• List of Naples metro stations
• List of rapid transit systems
• List of funicular railways

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "The Chiaia Cable Railway". MetroNapoli. http://www.metro.na.it/metro/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=82&Itemid=100. 

External links

• Official site of the Metropolitana di Naples (Italian)
• Urbanrail.net Naples rail website
• Railways and metro station of Naples (Italian)