Wuppertal Schwebebahn or Wuppertal Floating Tram is a suspension monorail in Wuppertal, Germany.
First opened in 1901, the Wuppertal Schwebebahn is one of the oldest monorail still in operation today.
This is the worlds first and the only suspended monorail in the world.
At the end of the 19th century, Wuppertal was at its peak of industrialization.
The population had reached 400,000 individuals and growing.
Even before industrialization set in, Wuppertal was a prosperous town, larger than Cologne, and fully built.
Underground subway construction was also ruled out as the area was very rocky and contained a lot of groundwater.
The German engineers decided that taking the aerial route was the only way.
In 1901 transport was opened to the public.
The suspension railway travels along a route of 13.3 kilometers.
Most of the track runs above the Wupper river at a height of 12 meters.
The over the river route was one of the main reasons why the Schwebebahn survived World War Two.
Suspended above the river the Schwebebahn was able to escape serious bomb damage.
Tuffi was injured but survived.
Today, the incident has become a famous tale in the history of the Schwebebahn.
The Wuppertal Schwebebahn nowadays carries up to 82,000 passengers a day through the city.
The train attendants even dress in period costume and offer beverage service to make for a very enjoyable ride.
