Sassi–Superga tramway

The Sassi–Superga tramway is a steep grade railway line in the city of Turin in northern Italy. Managed by Gruppo Torinese Trasporti, it connects the Turin suburb of Sassi to the Basilica of Superga at an altitude of 672 m (2,205 ft). The lower station is situated at an altitude of 225 m (738 ft) a.s.l., the upper at 650 m (2,130 ft). From here, high in the hills facing the city across the River Po, a panorama of Turin is visible against a backdrop of the Alps. Intermediate stops (only on demand) are located at Prima Galleria, Raddoppio, and Pian Gambino. The line was opened on 27 April 1884 as a cable driven rack railway of the Agudio system. In this system cables ran along the side of the track and passed around two large pulleys on each side of the cars, which in turn drove the cog wheels that propelled the train consisting of the driven car (only occupied by the driver and a brakeman) and up to three passenger cars. The cable was originally driven by a steam engine in the upper station, from 1922 on by an electric motor. During World War I passenger numbers dropped sharply, so that the line was temporarily shut down until 1919. After an accident, in which one of the cables broke, but the emergency brake prevented further damage, the line was converted to a conventional electric rack railway using the Strub rack system. Work started on 24 October 1934, the line re-opened on 16 April 1935. Guides for the previous cables can still be found along the line. New motor cars were built by Officine Meccaniche della Stanga. Some of the old passenger cars remained in use, others were sold. The 1,445 mm (4 ft 8+7⁄8 in) gauge single-tracked line...