Restauration of the historic urban funicular from Locarno to Madonna del Sasso

An urban funicular railway for the purpose of conveying tourists – this was the dream that inspired local politicians at the start of the 20th century. After some truly adventurous travels and a period spent working in his own silver mine in America, Giovanni Pedrazzini was able to use the money he had earned to initiate the project and realise his dream in Switzerland. This led to the commissioning of one of Switzerland’s most spectacular and elegant funicular railway lines in 1906. Since then, the railway has carried tourists to Orselina and the pilgrimage site of Madonna del Sasso. Later on, the facility was also used as a feeder line for the Cardada mountain with its panoramic views.

Originally manufactured in 1958 by the Schlieren carriage works near Zurich, the historic carriages enjoy heritage status and are still in operation today. In 2021, the carriages were transported to Calag’s factory where they underwent a complete overhaul in less than four months. They were stripped down to their skeletons and metal plating. Rusted profiles were replaced, new floors were installed, the lowest compartments were enlarged and wider doors were added to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. Some of the interior fittings and external details were also restored to their original condition. Thanks to this work, the carriages will continue to provide service in Switzerland’s sunniest corner for many more decades. This order presented Calag with an enormous challenge that we set about with meticulous attention to every detail. The latest generation of the owner family were also able to inspect the details of the carriages in Calag’s factory on many occasions.