Regular trains are okay. But where are the lofty thrills? The really wondrous locomotives are funiculars: inclined cable railways with weird cars that are slanted, tiered, or supported by a wedge in order to keep you upright while they transport you up steep hills.
All over the globe, there are hundreds of funicular railways carrying people up the slopes and slants of our world, without causing them to so much as spill their drink. Since each one must be built to accommodate its specific bit of challenging geography, no two funiculars are the same, and each one bears its own off-kilter design. Check out 14 of the world's most amazing funiculars below, and if you know of one we forgot, feel free to add it to the Atlas!
1. The Niesenbahn - Mülenen, Switzerland
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One of the longest and highest funiculars in the world, the Niesenbahn in Switzerland is an engineering marvel. First opened in 1910, this 11,500-foot-long funicular carries riders up over 5,000 feet from start to finish.
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The historic cars and tracks have been cared for and restored over the years, and the inclined railway continues to carry people up the slope over a century after it started.
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