The Sant Joan Funicular (; ) is a funicular railway at Montserrat, near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The line connects the monastery, and the upper terminus of the Montserrat Rack Railway, with sacred sites, walking trails and viewpoints higher up the mountain. With a maximum gradient of 65%, it is the steepest funicular in Spain.
Overview The funicular has the following technical parameters:
Length: Height: Maximum steepness: 65.2 % Cars: 2 Capacity: 60 passengers per car Configuration: Single track with passing loop Travel time: 6 minutes Track gauge: Traction: Electrical
Operation The line is operated by the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government Railways, FGC), who also operate the Montserrat Rack Railway and the Funicular de la Santa Cova funicular railway on Montserrat Mountain, together with two other funicular railways and a significant suburban railway system in and around Barcelona.
History The line was originally built in 1918; when opened, it was powered by electricity from the nearby Monistrol de Montserrat plant, owned by Electra Gomis.Santiago Rubió i Tuduri, Los tres directores de la Escuela durante la guerra (1936-1939), [in:] Documentos de la Escuela de Ingenieros Industriales de Barcelona 25 (2015), p. 19 It was modified to increase capacity in 1926. In 1986 it passed to the FGC, who modernised it in 1997, providing new panoramic cars with transparent roofs.
Between November 2017 and March 2018, the line was closed for maintenance on the winding gear.
References
External links
Official website of the Montserrat Rack Railway and associated funicular railways (in Catalan, Spanish, English and French) Photographic description and map of the line from Trens de Catalunya (in Catalan)