In the Portuguese capital Lisboa (Lisbon), car 1 of the 1885 cable-assisted 275m 17.7% gradient Gloria funicular was destroyed during a crash at 18.00 on 3 September that killed the brakeman and 16 passengers and injured 21 others. It is reported that a cable snapped causing the car to run away, with emergency braking ineffective.
The descending car hit a building at the curve in the track. Service is suspended pending the results of the accident investigation by government agency GPIAAF and the other funiculars (Bica and Lavra and the Graça elevator) were suspended for safety checks. A national day of mourning was declared. Carris outsourced the maintenance of the funiculars to the company MAIN in 2022.
The Gloria funicular was opened using water power in 1885, but steam power was used from 1886. In 1914-15 electrification took place with electric motors driving the cars but also using the cable counterweight principal. The line was classified as a National Monument in 1997.
The lower end of the Gloria funicular in Lisboa. (S. Smiler)
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