Höllentalbahn (Niederösterreich)
Encyclopedia
The Lower Austria
n Höllental Railway is a narrow gauge
electric railway with a track gauge
of , which runs from the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) station of Payerbach Reichenau on the Semmering Railway
for approximately five kilometres through the market town of Reichenau an der Rax
to Hirschwang.
and was opened to passengers and general goods traffic in 1926. Apart from local commuter traffic the railway also served tourist groups as a feeder for the Rax Cable Car, the first cable car
in Austria which also opened in 1926. At the beginning of the 1960s large scale investment was needed, so in 1963 passenger traffic was stopped and replaced by post office buses. The goods traffic, in particular to the paper mill in Hirschwang, continued until 1982.
In 1977 the Austrian Society for Local Railways (ÖGLB) was created, and in 1979 began operating passenger trips for tourists on weekends in the summer. Since other traffic has ceased the ÖGLB has also been responsible for maintenance of the railway
. The original operator of the railway, Payerbach Hirschwang GmbH, is still in existence and the legal owner.
, however this locomotive was only used for working at Hirschwang.
Two tram
cars (No. 1 and 2) and four trailers (No. 11 to 14) were built for passenger traffic in 1926 by Grazer Waggonfabrik. These cars were very generously dimensioned and at that time were the largest narrow gauge vehicles of Austria. By 1963 these were the only passenger vehicles in use, and after passenger traffic ceased they were sold to the Zillertal Railway. The trailers were altered and used as passenger vehicles, and the tramcars were dismantled and converted to trucks. The trailers were brought back to the Höllental Railway in 1986 and restored. A tramcar was reconstructed from the original bogie
s and one of the trailers. This reconstructed tramcar commenced operation in 2005.
In the 1970s the condition of the electrical equipment deteriorated, two ex-army Feldbahn
diesel locomotives of the type HF 130 C were acquired. These were sold after the goods traffic ceased. In 1997 a locomotive of this type was again purchased, and several smaller diesel locomotives have also been used for work trains.
Since the line has operated as a preserved railway, several steam engines have been used. Beside some industrial and feldbahn locomotives, U1 class ÖBB 298,51 and the “Molln”, ÖBB 298,104, have been used for a short time. In 1990 the ÖGLB took over operation of the Ybbstal Railway "mountain line" and transferred the large steam locomotives there.
system. Its track has a minimum radius of 60 metres, and a maximum gradient of 2.5% (1:40). Maximum allowable speed on the railway is 25 km/h.
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
n Höllental Railway is a narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
electric railway with a track gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
of , which runs from the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) station of Payerbach Reichenau on the Semmering Railway
Semmering Railway
The Semmering railway, Austria, which starts at Gloggnitz and leads over the Semmering to Mürzzuschlag was the first mountain railway in Europe built with a standard gauge track. It is commonly referred to as the world's first true mountain railway, given the very difficult terrain and the...
for approximately five kilometres through the market town of Reichenau an der Rax
Reichenau an der Rax
Reichenau an der Rax is a market town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, situated at the foot of the Rax mountain range on the Schwarza river, a headstream of the Leitha.-History:Reichenau castle was first mentioned in a 1256 deed...
to Hirschwang.
History
The railway opened in 1918 to serve a paper millPaper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
and was opened to passengers and general goods traffic in 1926. Apart from local commuter traffic the railway also served tourist groups as a feeder for the Rax Cable Car, the first cable car
Cable car
A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.-Aerial lift:Aerial lifts where the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable:...
in Austria which also opened in 1926. At the beginning of the 1960s large scale investment was needed, so in 1963 passenger traffic was stopped and replaced by post office buses. The goods traffic, in particular to the paper mill in Hirschwang, continued until 1982.
In 1977 the Austrian Society for Local Railways (ÖGLB) was created, and in 1979 began operating passenger trips for tourists on weekends in the summer. Since other traffic has ceased the ÖGLB has also been responsible for maintenance of the railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
. The original operator of the railway, Payerbach Hirschwang GmbH, is still in existence and the legal owner.
Rolling stock
The original electrical locomotives E1 to E3 are regarded as icons of the railway. They were originally supplied with several sister locomotives for the building of the Karavanken Railway Tunnel. Constructed in 1903 they rank amongst the oldest electrical locomotives still operating anywhere in the world. After several changes they received their characteristic appearance, which lead to the nickname “driving summer-house”. A further electric locomotive (E4) was supplied 1927 by AEG ViennaAEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
, however this locomotive was only used for working at Hirschwang.
Two tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
cars (No. 1 and 2) and four trailers (No. 11 to 14) were built for passenger traffic in 1926 by Grazer Waggonfabrik. These cars were very generously dimensioned and at that time were the largest narrow gauge vehicles of Austria. By 1963 these were the only passenger vehicles in use, and after passenger traffic ceased they were sold to the Zillertal Railway. The trailers were altered and used as passenger vehicles, and the tramcars were dismantled and converted to trucks. The trailers were brought back to the Höllental Railway in 1986 and restored. A tramcar was reconstructed from the original bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s and one of the trailers. This reconstructed tramcar commenced operation in 2005.
In the 1970s the condition of the electrical equipment deteriorated, two ex-army Feldbahn
Feldbahn
A Feldbahn is the German term for a narrow gauge railway, usually not open to the public, which in its simplest form provides for the transportation of agricultural, forestry and industrial raw materials such as wood, peat, stone, earth and sand...
diesel locomotives of the type HF 130 C were acquired. These were sold after the goods traffic ceased. In 1997 a locomotive of this type was again purchased, and several smaller diesel locomotives have also been used for work trains.
Since the line has operated as a preserved railway, several steam engines have been used. Beside some industrial and feldbahn locomotives, U1 class ÖBB 298,51 and the “Molln”, ÖBB 298,104, have been used for a short time. In 1990 the ÖGLB took over operation of the Ybbstal Railway "mountain line" and transferred the large steam locomotives there.
Engineering
The Höllentalbahn operates on a 550 VoltVolt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
system. Its track has a minimum radius of 60 metres, and a maximum gradient of 2.5% (1:40). Maximum allowable speed on the railway is 25 km/h.