Upside-Down Trains

If you’ve never seen an upside-down train before, you’ll love this.

Okay, its not entirely true that this train is upside down—unless you’re considering the upside of the train being attached to the downside of a structure (which sounds even crazier). But whatever you’d like to call it, these trains are all the hype, and it has us wondering:

Could we be seeing more of these trains in the future and what would be the benefits?

What Are Upside-Down Trains Called?

The “upside-down train”, or “upside-down railways”, are really called suspension trains or suspension railways. This make sense because the train is literally suspended from an overhead track.

There are six operable “upside-down trains” in the world: Three in Germany, two in Japan, and one in India.

Upside-down Trains in Germany

The first concept for a suspension railway was developed in England in the early 1800’s, but the first successful one was built in Wuppertal, a city in Germany in 1901.

What made it so successful? Well, its still standing today, and it’s called the Wuppertal Schwebebahn.

Schwebe means to “float” or “hover” and bahn means “railway” or “train”. So, Schwebebahn can mean either “floating railway” or “hovering train”; both of which are very cool sounding alternatives to suspensions railways.

Wuppertal Germany is known for this particular suspension railway; in fact, this “hovering train” is cited number one for the top attraction in Wuppertal on Tripadvisor.

Why Are There So Many Hanging Monorails In Germany?

When a country is known for something because of its great success, they tend to ride the wave and create more of that thing. Afterall, that’s it’s pride and glory.

The U.S, as an example, has arguably produced some of the best movies on the planet. So, its no surprise the America is known for Hollywood entertainment, and the result is that the U.S. produces the most number of movies by far.

For this reason, you’ll find that the majority of hanging Monorails trains are located in Germany, and it turns out that there could be some subtle benefits to these railways.

Advantages of Upside-down Trains

The obvious advantage of upside-down trains is they avoid traffic congestion, saving commuters valuable time. This is true of regular monorails, but upside-down monorails can offer a slight advantage because they are very space efficient. In densely populated areas, space efficiency could mean significantly less traffic congestion, which could make them even more ideal than regular monorails.

A more subtle advantage is that Views from high above are psychologically healthy. Infact, something as simple as a view from a window has shown to improve attention, reduce negative emotions, and even lower stress.

Passengers in the U.S. alone commute billions of kilometres a year on trains to and from work. Upside-down trains can make a positive difference for these commuters, especially if it provides a view of nature below.

Which brings us to the last advantage: Upside-down railways can be created with minimal environmental impact. It can navigate steep gradients, tight curves, and challenging terrain without disrupting natural landscapes. So, not only does it function like a regular monorail, but it provides the opportunity for some pretty amazing views of nature that boost the productivity of commuters as they head to work or school.

Where Are All the Up-side Down Railways Located?

• 1. Wuppertal Schwebebahn (Germany)

• Opened: 1901

Wuppertal Schwebebahn is the oldest and most famous hanging railway in the world. It runs over the Wupper River and streets of Wuppertal. It is a key part of the city’s public transport network. Imagine that!

• 2. Chiba Urban Monorail (Japan)
• Opened: 1988.

This is the world’s longest suspended monorail and it extends over 15 kilometers. It connects major areas in the city of Chiba and is used by both local commuters and tourists.

• 3. Shonan Monorail (Japan)
• Opened: 1970

The Shonan Monorail is arguably the most scenic suspended monorail, and it definitely has our pick. It runs from Kamakura to Fujisawa, which is about 6km, and offers commuters with some incredible views of the coastline.

• 4. Schwebebahn Dresden (Germany)
• Opened: 1901

This upside-down train is in Dresden Germany and is the second-oldest suspended railway in Germany.

• 5. Dortmund H-Bahn (Germany)
• Opened: 1984

This is the mode of transportation for the Dortmund University campus. It shuttles students and faculty between different areas. Talk about some lucky students.

• 6. Skybus Metro Test Track (India)
• In the Works: 2004 (Test Operations)

This is a test track in Goa and is currently part of an experimental elevated rail system. It was introduced to address urban transportation challenges like traffic congestion, which is a huge concern in India. Trails started in 2004 and stopped shortly after, but interest still remains, and its likely that India could be the first to start seeing upside-down rails in the near future.