Munich-Augsburg Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Munich-Augsburg Railway Company (München-Augsburger Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft), the second private railway company in Bavaria
, built the Munich–Augsburg line between 1838 and 1840. It was nationalised in 1846 and became part of the Royal Bavarian State Railways
, subsequently forming part of the Bavarian Maximilian’s Railway
built between 1851 and 1854.
to Fürth
on 7 December 1835, local committees for the construction of railway lines grew up all over Bavaria. The two committees in Augsburg and Munich soon united and had a civil servant draw up a route proposal. The task of carrying out the detailed planning and construction was given to the engineer, Paul Camille Denis, who had just completed the Nuremberg-Fürth line.
After the state had issued the "Basic Regulations for All Railway Statutes in Bavaria" (Fundamentalbestimmungen für sämtliche Eisenbahnstatuten in Bayern) on 28 September 1836, the Munich-Augsburg Railway Company was founded on 23 July 1837. On 3 July 1837, they had already been given the royal assent. However there were difficulties with the shareholder applications in the early days as a result of delays in obtaining the state licence. Nevertheless, the construction of the railway got under way at the beginning of 1838.
The line, which was almost 62 kilometres (38.5 mi) long, was opened to traffic in four stages:
For over 20 years, the river Lech
was crossed by a 95 metres (311.7 ft) long wooden bridge. It is reported that King Ludwig I directed that the final opening ceremony would coincide with the beginning of the Octoberfest.
from various manufacturers that were all fired with wood. All had interior cylinders
and a 1A1 axle arrangement
.
(Königlich Bayerische Staats-Eisenbahnen). The state paid the shareholders 4.4 million gulden
.
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
, built the Munich–Augsburg line between 1838 and 1840. It was nationalised in 1846 and became part of the Royal Bavarian State Railways
Royal Bavarian State Railways
As a nation-state, Germany did not come into being until the creation of the German Empire in 1871 from the various German-speaking states such as Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Baden and Württemberg. By then each of the major states had formed its own state railway and these continued to remain...
, subsequently forming part of the Bavarian Maximilian’s Railway
Bavarian Maximilian’s Railway
The Bavarian Maximilian’s Railway was as an east-west line built between the Bavarian border with Württemberg at Neu-Ulm in the west via Augsburg, Munich and Rosenheim to the Austrian border at Kufstein and Salzburg in the east as part of the Royal Bavarian State Railways...
built between 1851 and 1854.
Foundation and Construction of the Railway
After the opening of the first private railway in Bavaria, the Bavarian Ludwig Railway from NurembergNuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
to Fürth
Fürth
The city of Fürth is located in northern Bavaria, Germany in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. It is now contiguous with the larger city of Nuremberg, the centres of the two cities being only 7 km apart....
on 7 December 1835, local committees for the construction of railway lines grew up all over Bavaria. The two committees in Augsburg and Munich soon united and had a civil servant draw up a route proposal. The task of carrying out the detailed planning and construction was given to the engineer, Paul Camille Denis, who had just completed the Nuremberg-Fürth line.
After the state had issued the "Basic Regulations for All Railway Statutes in Bavaria" (Fundamentalbestimmungen für sämtliche Eisenbahnstatuten in Bayern) on 28 September 1836, the Munich-Augsburg Railway Company was founded on 23 July 1837. On 3 July 1837, they had already been given the royal assent. However there were difficulties with the shareholder applications in the early days as a result of delays in obtaining the state licence. Nevertheless, the construction of the railway got under way at the beginning of 1838.
The line, which was almost 62 kilometres (38.5 mi) long, was opened to traffic in four stages:
- 1 September 1839; MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
– Lochhausen; 12.5 km (7.8 mi) - 27 October 1839; Lochhausen – OlchingOlchingOlching is a municipality in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 km northwest of Munich.-Geography:...
; 6.6 km (4.1 mi) - 7 December 1839; Olching – MaisachMaisachMaisach is a municipality in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest municipality in the Fürstenfeldbruck district. It is situated 4 km north of Fürstenfeldbruck, and 25 km northwest of Munich. It is served by an S-Bahn station on the S3 towards...
; 5.7 km (3.5 mi) - 4 October 1840; Maisach – AugsburgAugsburgAugsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
; 37.1 km (23.1 mi)
For over 20 years, the river Lech
Lech River
The Lech is a river in Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube in length with a drainage basin of .Its source is located in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, where the river rises from lake Formarinsee in the Alps at an altitude of...
was crossed by a 95 metres (311.7 ft) long wooden bridge. It is reported that King Ludwig I directed that the final opening ceremony would coincide with the beginning of the Octoberfest.
Locomotives
The company procured a total of eight locomotivesSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
from various manufacturers that were all fired with wood. All had interior cylinders
Cylinder (steam locomotive)
The cylinders of a steam locomotive are the components that convert the power stored in the steam into motion.Cylinders may be arranged in several different ways.-Early locomotives:...
and a 1A1 axle arrangement
UIC classification
The UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements describes the wheel arrangement of locomotives, multiple units and trams. It is set out in the International Union of Railways "Leaflet 650 - Standard designation of axle arrangement on locomotives and multiple-unit sets". It is used in much...
.
- 1837 JUPITER, JUNO, factory numbers 157 and 158 from StephensonGeorge StephensonGeorge Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
- 1838 VESTA, VENUS from Sharp
- 1840 VULKAN, MARS from Fenton, Murray and JacksonFenton, Murray and JacksonFenton, Murray and Jackson was an engineering company at the Round Foundry off Water Lane in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Fenton, Murray and Wood:...
in LeedsLeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial... - 1841 DER MÜNCHNER, factory number 1 from J.A. MaffeiJoseph Anton von MaffeiJoseph Anton von Maffei was a German industrialist. Together with Joseph von Baader and Baron Theodor Freiherr von Cramer-Klett , Maffei was one of the three most important railway pioneers in Bavaria.-Early life:Joseph Anton Maffei was born in Munich, the son of an Italian tradesman from Verona...
, Munich, only for trial runs - 1842 MERKUR, DIANA from Stephenson
Nationalisation
By a law dated 23 May 1846, the Munich-Augsburg Railway Company was nationalised on 1 June 1846 and taken over by the Royal Bavarian State RailwaysRoyal Bavarian State Railways
As a nation-state, Germany did not come into being until the creation of the German Empire in 1871 from the various German-speaking states such as Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Baden and Württemberg. By then each of the major states had formed its own state railway and these continued to remain...
(Königlich Bayerische Staats-Eisenbahnen). The state paid the shareholders 4.4 million gulden
Austro-Hungarian gulden
The Gulden or forint was the currency of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1754 and 1892 when it was replaced by the Krone/korona as part of the introduction of the gold standard. In Austria, the Gulden was initially divided into 60 Kreuzer, and in Hungary, the...
.
Literature
- Ludwig von Welser: Bayern-Report, Bände 4–9. Fürstenfeldbruck 1994–2001