Carl Roman Abt

Carl Roman Abt (16 July 1850 – 1 May 1933[1]) was a Swiss mechanical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur.

In 1882, while working in Paris, he designed and patented his rack-railway system that enabled at least one tooth of the rack to be permanently engaged.

Abt was a keen collector of hammered gold artwork; he would not let go of any coin or medal whose special beauty aroused his artistic interest.

Normally, two cars are used in a funicular, and it is a single track except for the passing loop.

The inner rails have cuts where the cable and flanges of the outer wheels pass.

Abt switch used in 1895 built Dresden Funicular Railway (photo of 1985)
Cross section of rails and wheels used in Abt switch