Les Avants–Sonloup funicular

Chemin de fer Les Avants–Sonloup
Chemin de fer Les Avants–Sonloup
Overview
Locale	Vaud, Switzerland
Termini	Les Avants;
Service
Type	Funicular
Operator(s)	Transports Montreux – Vevey Riviera
History
Opened	1912
Technical
Line length	515 m (1,690 ft)
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Highest elevation	184 m (603.7 ft) above Les Avants
Maximum incline	54%

The Les Avants–Sonloup funicular (French: Chemin de fer Les Avants–Sonloup) is a metre gauge funicular railway in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It links the railway station of Les Avants, on the Montreux–Oberland Bernois railway between Montreux and Montbovon, with an upper terminus at Sonloup.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The funicular, which was opened on 14 December 1912, runs at a right angle to the MOB line for a distance of 515 m (1,690 ft) and in doing so climbs at a 54% gradient to a height of 184 m (603.7 ft) above Les Avants.^[2]^[4] The line is still operated with the original Belle Epoque carriages.^[5]

The peak season for tourists, is in the spring, when the narcissus and forget-me-not plants flower in the meadowlands near the summit.^{[citation needed]}

The funicular has the following parameters:^[1]

Number of stops	2
Configuration	Single track with passing loop
Track length	515 metres (1,690 ft)
Rise	180 metres (590 ft)
Maximum gradient	54%
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Number of cars	2
Capacity	40 passengers per car
Maximum speed	1.6 metres per second (5.2 ft/s)
Travel time	6 minutes