If you can get to back issues of the NY Times, there was recently a neat article on funiculars in the March 23, 2000 issue. Here's the full cite:

Glory Days of the Incline, Before the Decline; Joyce Cohen; New York Times, New York;
Mar 23, 2000; Late Edition (East Coast); pg. G.8

But I pulled up 25 articles when I searched on the word "funicular" in ProQuest Direct. Good luck with those 2nd graders!