Life on the edge

Who would have thought travelling up the side of a hill could be so much fun? Funicular railways – essentially two train cars linked by a cable – have been transporting goods, and later people, up steep slopes since the late 19th century. Connected by a single cable, the two cars perform a continuous balancing act: as one rises, the other falls, creating a rhythmic motion reminiscent of a hillside see-saw. Powered by gravity, water or electricity, not only do these marvels of engineering save yo...