Complete information Funicular

In 1870 Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna wanted to change the Cerro San Cristóbal in a big lung for the city. It was a hard work, because in those years this place had no trees.
On september 28 th of 1917, the law 3295 named this land a public land to build a big park.

In 1922 was born Sociedad Anónima San Cristobal. They asked an italian architec, Ernesto Bosso Pessa the construction of the Funicular. On novembre 24 th, 1923 they put the first stone, with that the construction began.

The Funicular was opened on april 25 th, 1925. The chilean President, Arturo Alessandri was there with other importants personalities.

The Funicular is in the Cerro San Cristóbal, in its south-west side. Is one of the most importants points in the Metropolitan Park.

In its route you can visit the National Zoo. At the end of the way is the Bellavista station. Here is a great belvedere. It is 240 meters over Plaza Italia and 860 meters over the sea.

On the top is the famous "Santuario de la Inmaculada Concepción". Here is a big Virgin's monument of 22, 5 meters long. It was opened on april 26 th, 1908. The material was carried on she-mule to the top of the hill.

In 1978, this company fixed the wagons. Now they are ligther, because they replace the heavy metal and wool, by iron and aluminium. They removed the chairs to increasethe capacity and the view. They painted the wagns with merrier colors.

Technical Characteristics
The Funicular came from Italy, and answers the problem of transporting people in the hill.

It has two wagons, that are supported by an iron cable of 34 mm diameter. It has a capacity for 50 persons in each wagon, it crosses 485 meters on an inclinade plain of 45º/48º degrees. It has a speede of 1,5 meters by second. The wagons are divided in five compartaments each one. All of them are opened for a better view.

The Funicular has a motor of 102 HP to move the sistem. The motor, the design and most of the pieces are originals.

The operation of the sistem is by hand. The Funicular has two bridle's sistems, one for the service and the other for emergency. Now, the Funicular has electrical dispositives to reforce the emergency sistem.

A driver operates the wagons. His job are to supervise that one way is clear, to supervise that people follow security's rules and the activation of emergency sistems.

The traditional comunication between the driver and the machinist is electronic bells. Now the system has also modern technology for this comunication.