Saint-Imier funicular - Mount-Sun
The idea to build a funicular St-Imier-Mount-Sun was put forward at the end of the 19th century by Dr. Ernest Miéville. One then projected to build hotels, a sanatorium and a theater in the open air with Mount-Sun.
In 1899, the Confederation granted a concession for the construction and the exploitation of the Funiculaire. The line was open on August 8th, 1903. The journey time was 10 minutes. It passed to eight minutes in 1913. May 15th, 1937, of new metal body the old ones replaced which was out of wood. As from 1950, the company started to be in deficit what has constrained the company to use that only one car, the second used that in the event of large multitude. In 1969, the alternate engine was replaced by an engine with D.C. current, supplied with an alternator. The length of the first section was of 728 meters and had a unevenness of 341 meters, the installation comprised 2 cabins of 54 places each one built by Von Roll.
The length of the line is of 743 meters, its unevenness 351 meters. Important work of modernization was carried out with the beginning of the year 2003 Juste after the funicular was taken again by impassioned, it was reopened on November 15th, 2003. Separately the layout, nothing remains of old current, not even the stations lower and higher. One like the other were moved so as to open directly on the roads and to allow an easy access to poussettes as the wheelchairs. Mû by a winch located in the higher station, the single cabin can convoy to 60 people. With full power, the way hardly lasts more than two minutes.