Montaña Suiza

Montaña Suiza ("The Swiss Mountain" in English) is a steel scenic railway roller coaster located at Monte Igueldo Amusement Park, on the coast at San Sebastián, Spain. It was designed and built by German engineer Erich Heidrich and opened at the site in 1928.[1] It is the oldest steel roller coaster still operating in the world.

Montaña Suiza
The leading car of a train of Montaña Suiza.
Monte Igueldo Amusement Park
Location	Monte Igueldo Amusement Park
Coordinates	43.320677°N 2.010657°W / 43.320677; -2.010657
Status	Operating
Opening date	1928
General statistics
Designer	Erich Heidrich
Track layout	Terrain
Lift/launch system	Cable-lift
Height	32 ft (9.8 m)
Length	1,312.3 ft (400.0 m)
Speed	31 mph (50 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	1:30
Montaña Suiza at RCDB Pictures of Montaña Suiza at RCDB

The ride was built with wooden running rails which were in a trough, like usual scenic railways; only the trough is partially set into the landscape and is concrete in construction. The ride lacks the tradition supporting trestles of scenic railways; the track running in depressions made into the ground and along the top of a coastal wall at one point. The running rails have since been changed to steel.[2]

The roller coaster operates with two trains, each of which are composed of two 2x5 person cars. The cars are wooden in construction and ride on steel bogies; like scenic railways at Margate, UK, Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, UK and Luna Park, Melbourne. A brakeman still rides on board each train to control its speed.

References

1. Marden, Duane. " (Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-29. Retrieved 2009-12-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Videos

• Onride, from the rear car, the ride operator is between the cars
• Onride, first seats