Spring overhaul: suspension railroad out of service until March 13

Dresdeners and visitors to the state capital will have to do without the popular suspension railroad for three weeks. This year's spring overhaul will run until March 13, as announced by the Dresden transport company. Because the maintenance work on the 125-year-old mountain railroad is particularly extensive this year, it will take a week longer than usual.

The first ride after the TÜV inspection is scheduled for March 14 at 10:00 am. Until then, passengers to and from Oberloschwitz will have to switch to bus route 84.

Train cable to be shortened

The core of the spring overhaul is the "cable end grouting" that is required after four years. This involves shortening the two ends of the 410-metre-long and 38-millimetre-thick haul rope by around 30 centimetres and recasting them. This ensures that the 216 individual wires do not unravel and that stability is maintained.

The technicians are paying close attention to the condition of the 33 steel supports and the track girder on which the two carriages are suspended. The electrics, the cable car control system and all parts of the running gear on the carriage roofs are checked. The four large deflection pulleys of the cable - the so-called guide wheels - are also put to the test.

The technicians are also carrying out test drillings in the floor of the machine house at the upper station. This is to examine the condition for a planned stabilization of the supporting structure.

Revision of the funicular railroad follows

From 16 March, the technicians will switch to the neighboring funicular railroad. The overhaul there will last until March 27, after which the summer timetable will apply for both cable cars.