A look back at the Mount Royal funicular
The Journal presents the funicular on Mount Royal as a “jewel of public transit.” There are some interesting photos, including views of the stations at the bottom and the top which I’d never seen. The service operated from 1884 to 1918.
mare 14:25 on 2023-10-25 Permalink
I think if they would rebuild it now it might actually be a success. People, mostly tourists, already take (very) expensive mechanized transport to enjoy other views eg ‘La Grande Roue’ and the Olympic stadium tower. The view from the top of Mont Royal is actually much better, but for many people actually hiking up there is not something they’d ever do. Taking a funicular or an aerial tram would be an ‘event’ and IMHO a major tourist attraction.
Someone from the US recently asked on Reddit if 8 days would be long enough for a touristic visit to Montreal. Most answers were that it was either too long or too short. You really need to live in Montreal for a longer time to truly enjoy it, but we have relative few ‘must do / must see’ tourist attractions, apart from seasonal events like the F1, Osheaga, and the Jazz Fest and other festivals.
A funicular (or an arial tram) might be a good addition to our tourist attractions and would also be attractive to local sledders, downhill skiers in training (kids), and lazy cross country skiers.
Especially if they sold reasonably priced day passes in the slow winter season, maybe linked to the Access Montreal card.
(The top pylon is already there, finally a useful function for the cross.)
carswell 17:16 on 2023-10-25 Permalink
Am always astounded when I see the enthusiasm on boards like Agora or here for proposals to revive the old funicular or build a new one from Peel to the Kondiaronk Belvedere. Such an installation would further disrupt an already disrupted ecosystem, be a visual scar on the face of the mountain at least as ugly as Molson Stadium and introduce lots of machinery, mechanical noise and crowds into what is supposed to be a natural enclave, a quiet retreat from the city’s din.
I appreciate the desire to find a quick and physically undemanding route to the top once Camillien-Houde is closed, but this ain’t it. Am hoping the funicular proposals meet the same fate as the proposal to revive the Mount Murray (Outremont summit) ski lift.