Cairngorm Mountain Railway
| Cairngorm Mountain Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The passing loop, above Sheiling
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| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Funicular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Highland, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Highlands and Islands Enterprise | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Cairngorm Mountain Limited (2001-2014), Natural Retreats (2014 – present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 1,970 m (6,460 ft) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | Single (with passing loop) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 2,000 mm (6 ft 6 3⁄4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | 36 km/h (22 mph) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Cairngorm Mountain Railway, which opened in 2001, is the highest railway in the United Kingdom. The two-kilometre long funicular ascends the northern slopes of Cairn Gorm, the United Kingdom's sixth-highest mountain, serving the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort. The route and ski area are located within the Cairngorms National Park, the largest National Nature Reserve in Britain, located near Aviemore in the Highland council area of Scotland.
It is owned by the Highlands and Islands Enterprise and was operated by Cairngorm Mountain Limited until July 2014 when Natural Retreats UK took over the lease.
Construction of the Cairngorm Mountain Railway started in 1999 and the railway opened on 24 December 2001 (forty years after the opening of the White Lady Chairlift, which it replaced). The construction was initiated because the chairlift was too sensitive to the strong winds in the area. The track is a broad gauge of 2,000 mm (6 ft 6 3⁄4 in). The maximum operating speed is 10 metres per second (32.8 ft/s) (36 km/h or 22 mph) during the ski season and 5 metres per second (16.4 ft/s) the rest of the year. At these speeds, the trip takes about four minutes in winter and nine minutes during the summer (calculated without middle station stops). The single track line has a passing loop just above the middle station. During ascent, the maximum gradient is 23° (1 in 2.5, or 40-percent inclination). The railway starts at the Base Station in the Coire Cas area, where there is a restaurant, shop, ticket office, hire shop, rangers' office and Disability Sport UK office. The Scottish Ski Club has a building close to the middle station.
At peak times there can be 150,000–160,000 non-winter sports visitors, combined with a further 50,000–120,000 annual sports visitors during the winter. CML can expect to cater to 1000 visitors per day in the summer months.
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Wikipedia