Elblag-Ostroda Canal

Overland Canal is another name for this facility opened in the 1860s that was built to move merchandise more efficiently between the 2 cities it is named for. A major product was timber, an important export from this region in the 19th century.
This is also a good place for engineers to geek out. It may be the only canal built like this. Instead of locks to raise and lower shipping, they have a ramp system. The canal proceeds to an earthen dam. The canal boats slip into a cable driven trolley that lifts the boat up on tracks to the top of the dam and then on down the other side until the boat again floats and heads off under its own power. The greatest elevation change at one of the ramps is 23.5 meters.
Another interesting point about this system is that it is still driven by water power only, just as it was in the 1860s.
The 1st 2 pictures look at the mechanism that moves the canal boats on the ramp. In the first are the 2 wheels that move the cables. This is a counter balanced system where one trolley moves in each direction. The 2nd picture is a wider view. The building farthest to the right and which sits low is where the water wheel is that drives the system. Each individual ramp has the same system. BTW, the electric service you can see is used for lighting only.
The next 2 pictures show the trolleys. One is an empty trolley and the other looks along the side of the canal boat as it is being carried by the trolley.
The 5th picture is one of the canal boats. The canal now operates as a tourist business only. Transport of goods now uses more modern and efficient modes.
The last picture is a look at the scenery along the canalRead more