The funicular to Gubałówka
The not very wide street ends at the steps leading to the modern one, the green and glass building of the lower cable car station to Gubałówka, equipped with every comfort – checkout, information, toilets, gift shop, waiting room.
The wagon glides along metal ropes laid on the ground and fixed on steel plates. You can hear otherworldly sounds while driving, what ropes emanate when rubbing against steel. The journey is comfortable, provided, that there is no crowd, so boring. An emotional moment in the middle of the route is a passing track with a wagon sliding down. Imagination can provide additional emotions – what would be, if the rope breaks or the carriages collide. Probably nothing like this will happen, because every year PKL performs inspection and maintenance. A pleasant aspect of going to the top is the opportunity to admire the gradually emerging view of the Tatra Mountains in the south – an extremely spectacular phenomenon, of course when there is no fog.
Parallel to the trajectory of the trolley on the west side, there is a path for conquerors on foot, who, panting, console themselves with awareness, that they are better than the lazy people in the queue.
The commemorative plaque on the wall of the upper station building is related to the controversial figure of Józef Kuraś, who bears the pseudonym Ogień, whom some considered a bandit, and others for a hero.
During the last war, Kuraś fought as a Home Army soldier. After the war, he changed his ideological beliefs twice – first entering the ranks of the Security Service, and then a year later with them. He then gathered people and murdered communists and security service with them. The most famous action of Fire, which mostly operated in Gorce, took place in Gubałówka 4 June 1946 r. A delegation of communist officials and representatives of the new authorities moving up, along with two PKL employees, was shelled by the Kuras unit. Apparently the metal walls of the car had holes like a sieve. Józef Serwin died on the spot – the head of the Zakopane UB and two railwaymen. Kuraś was captured some time later, however, he finally escaped justice, by taking a lethal dose of cyanide. People were talking, that the history of the Fire resembled the fate of the legendary Janosik, because they were both betrayed by the woman. The plaque in Gubałówka was dedicated to the killed railwaymen.