The Lickey Incline, south of Birmingham, is the steepest sustained main-line railway incline in Great Britain. The climb is a gradient of 1 in 37.7 (2.65% or 26.5‰ or 1.52°) for a continuous distance of two miles (3.2 km).
High-speed railways commonly allow 2.5% to 4% because the trains must be strong and have many wheels with power to reach very high speeds. For freight trains, gradients should be as gentle as possible, preferably below 1.5%.
The Pilatus Railway (German: Pilatusbahn, PB) is a mountain railway in Switzerland and the steepest rack railway in the world, with a maximum gradient of 48% and an average gradient of 35%.
Grades are generally 1 percent or less, and grades steeper than about 2.2 percent are rare. The steepest grade on a major railroad's main track was historically said to be on the Pennsylvania Railroad north of Madison, Indiana, rising 413 feet over a distance of 7012 feet — a 5.89-percent grade.
The historic Katoomba Scenic Railway, located in the stunning Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia, is the steepest cable-driven funicular railway in the world, with the steepest incline an astonishing 52 degrees. Passengers embark on a thrilling, unique journey in the 84 seat glass roofed red train carriage.
Discover the thrill of a 52° (128%) incline in open terrain riding the steepest passenger railway in the world, the Scenic Railway.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, it's the steepest railway in the world and was originally built to be part of the Katoomba mining tramways that were constructed in the late 1800s. With a measure of 52-degree incline (128% incline), even the most daring guest will have butterflies fluttering in their stomach.
The world's steepest funicular climbs 1,700 meters from the Schlattli base station in the canton Schwyz in Switzerland to the car-free ski resorts at the Stoos summit station.
1. The Bernina Express, Switzerland. If you're looking for the most beautiful train ride on earth, you know that Switzerland has to be number one on this list. The Bernina Express is a scenic train route unlike no other.
The steepest gradient that a model train can climb is 1 in 30 (3.33%). However, experienced railroad modellers recommend not exceeding an incline of 1 in 40 (2.5%) to ensure consistent reliability and efficient climbing.
Hillclimbing is a problem faced by railway systems when a load must be carried up an incline. While railways have a great ability to haul very heavy loads, this advantage is only significant when the tracks are fairly level. As soon as the gradients increase, the tonnage that can be hauled is greatly diminished.
If China is the largest exporter of rail technology in the world, its neighbour Japan is certainly the most technologically advanced manufacturer on the market. Having launched the first class of bullet trains in 1964, the country has continuously updated its models according to the latest technological advancements.
Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express, Russia
The Trans-Siberian Express is now more than 100 years old — and you don't get to be a centenarian train route without offering an impressive repertoire of luxury services. The train runs from Moscow all the way to Vladivostok on the eastern coast.
The Trans-Siberian Railway
Epic in every sense of the word.
The Glacier Express is the world's slowest train, taking more than eight hours to travel between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18mph. Along the way, it passes over nearly 300 bridges, travels through 91 tunnels and takes in endless stunning Alpine views.
The technical marvel will delight guests of all ages: the Stoosbahn reaches a gradient of 110% (47 degrees). It is the steepest funicular railway in the world. What's really fascinating is that the spherical cabins adapt to the gradient perfectly. This enables passengers to stay upright at all times.
The first attraction to open was the Blue Mountains Scenic Railway, where the incline of 52 degrees is sure to wonder. Gradually, they opened the Scenic Skyway followed by Australia's first revolving restaurant. That and the steepest and largest cable car in the country also known as the Blue Mountains cable car.
The Scenic Railway has a long and colourful history dating back to the 1800s coal mining era, but at 52 degrees it still stands as the steepest passenger railway in the world with a whopping 128 per cent incline.
One such man-made marvel is the cogway railway at Mount Pilatus in Switzerland. This masterpiece also holds the record of being the 'steepest cogwheel railway in the world'.
1. Canton Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa.; 37 percent gradient. This is the steepest officially recorded public street in the U.S., and probably the world. Although its 37 percent grade only extends about 21 feet, it still stops walkers and bikers dead in their tracks.
In 2020, Guinness World Records reinstated Baldwin Street as the steepest road in the world. Located in Dunedin, New Zealand, Baldwin Street had held the record for more than a decade until June 2019, when Ffordd Pen Llech in Harlech, Wales, claimed the title.
While construction on a line for this train began in 1878, The Ghan currently offers one of the most luxurious train experiences in the world. This train is one of the longest in the world with two locomotives and 24 carriages.
Fairy Queen (locomotive)