The
Semmering Railway
- this is part 2 of the presentation.
Also available are from north to south part
1, part 3, part
4, part 5; plus
anniversary 150 years
and a gallery with winter
images. For geographical orientation click on the
area map symbol left!
This
2nd part deals with the section between Abfaltersbach
viaduct and Rumplergraben viaduct.
When
selecting images for my presentations I try to mix shots from
different decades as far as available. Up to now this represents
an overview over the last 20 years of Semmering operation
…
Scroll down and feel free browsing ...
There
is a hiking trail along the Semmering railroad. The logo displayed
left up guides the way when running the hike. The trail which
passes all important and interesting line locations also opens
insight in the natural and cultural scenery of the Semmering
area.
The
longest version of the trail is that from the Semmering mountain
station to the Gloggnitz valley station, it is about 23 km
long. For detailed activity planning and scheduling there
is some map and other material available in tourist offices
and some specific inns.
The
graphic above is from a folder of the tourist office Semmering-Rax-Schneeberg
The
Abfaltersbach viaduct will be the next building this train
will pass. In the back the Schneeberg mountain is visible
and right the Schwara valley floor (8/2005).
Click on the photographs to enlarge!
This
image was taken from the same location like the one before. Just towards
the opposite direction. A short stopping train has passed the Abfaltersbach
viaduct after leaving the station of Eichberg a few minutes before.
At the time when this photo was taken (about 1988), the class 1042
locos had additional corner windows.
This
one is taken 16 years after the one before. The push pull composition
also on the Abfaltersbach viaduct. Today regional stopping trains
look like this. The train had passed the Eichberg mountain visible
in the background by a 180° left turn (10/2004). (top
of page)
Between
Gloggnitz and Payerbach the line follows the Schwarza valley floor.
Then the Schwarza viaduct crosses the river and the line climbs back
until Eichberg. Then a new bend turns to west again. After the Klamm
and Breitenstein station the two famous turns across the Kalte Rinne
and the Adlitzgraben viaducts follow and finally the line reaches
its top at the Semmering station. Map: Amap BEV with
ebepe graphics
IC
151 Emona has reached the station of Eichberg going uphill. In the
background visible the former signal box west. Eichberg station is
equipped with three tracks and therefore may be used for overtaking
actions (5/2003).
At
about 9:00 a.m. the railcar train IC 550 Ritter von Ghega passes the
station of Eichberg downhill. Also Eichberg east has its separate
former signal box (5/2003). (top of page)
Behind
the station of Eichberg the line bends westwards again. The loco 1142.534
helps another class 1042 carrying the train uphill. In a few moments
the train will enter the Eichberg tunnel (5/2003).
Same
location like before but another camera position. The Eichberg - Geyregger
- and Rumpler tunnel need now to be crossed. The 1044.111 don't need
any additional loco, even when carrying "car carriages"
uphill (about 1997).
This
downhill train uses the right track. The tunnel in the background
is called Eichberg tunnel. Train IC 932 Oskar Kokoschka is leaving
the Eichberg tunnel downhill. The early morning sun causes shiny and
strong colours. The gray carriages with red roofs are latest Austrian
design style (5/2003). (top of page)
About
130 m is the open distance between Eichberg and Geyregger tunnel.
This shot of the single class 2143 Diesel engine was made from the
Geyregger portal when entering the 89 m long Eichbergtunnel. Diesels
are seen at the mountain when construction works are performed (8/2003)
Now
the opposite view. In the back the Geyregger portal. It took a lot
of time to find an open view hole within the catenary mess. A class
4010 train goes downhill (8/2003).
The
light at the rear carriages indicates, that the tunnel length is just
81 m. In summer 2003 very hot weather conditions for long periods
were causing forest fires. Left marks of such fire are visible. It's
the uphill portal of the Geyregger tunnel with a regional stopping
train (8/2003). (top of page)
This
railcar approaches the Rumpler tunnel area. It's the 6010.013, the
same train like shown some images later at the Krauselklause tunnel.
I took this image because one can compare the differences between
the actual design (2002) and the original version as it was in the
late eighties when the other photo was taken. Watch the missing corner
windows and the not really fitting automatic doors, which were installed
in the meantime (5/2002).
This
is the valley sided portal of the Rumpler tunnel. The area is rather
difficult to be reached by foot. A railcar passes the tunnel when
rolling down the hill. In contradiction to the image before the machine
head is in front here. Steering head: 6010 - machine head: 4010 (5/2002).
About
900 m later trains are entering the area of the today unmanned Klamm
Schottwien station. At both station heads turnout connections between
the tracks are placed. This one is located directly in the curve (6/2004).
(top of page)
The
tracks reach the station of Klamm Schottwien located in a real panorama
section. In a long bend the train approaches the Klamm tunnel. Today
it's heavy to find an open position between the trees (10/2001).
The
hourly regional train is stopping at the Klamm-Schottwien station.
The train is mainly used by Semmering hikers but the total seat capacity
is not really often needed (5/2003).
This
freight train is leaving the Klamm Tunnel downhill. The rather quiet
operating noise of loco 1116.084 is in strong contradiction with the
waggons which are producing heavy sound (5/2003). (top
of page)
This
3 Taurus headed train is at the same position as the one on the image
before. Close to the tunnel a former attendant building is visible
and left beside the train a special turnout construction for track
changing opens the Klamm Schottwien station area (6/2004).
At
about 6:00 p.m. a Taurus with train IC 631 "Universitaet Klagenfurt"
has reached the uphill exit of the Klamm Tunnel. This Taurus belongs
to the Gysev Company, it is leased from OeBB for 20 years (8/2005).
After
leaving the Klamm tunnel the train gets closer to the Wagner viaduct.
In the background the Klamm ruin and an additional rail attendant
building is visible. Carrying this design release (orange color, corner
windows, large headlights) class 1042 was well known for several decades
(about 1987). (top of page)
Because
of the left side traffic the lookout to viaducts from train windows
is plenty nice when going uphill; here the Wagner viaduct. In order
to enable open object view to the Semmering world heritage for passengers
a lot of trees were felled in many places along the rail track in
2004 (5/2005).
Because
trees are still leafless beginning of May, one can recognize that
the Wagner viaduct is a two storey building. With 9 upper and 5 lower
arches and 142 m length the building is the second largest of the
two storey viaducts (5/2005).
Train
crossing close to Gamperl viaduct. It seems that the track distance
which is built here is the minimum which is still operational without
problems (5/2005). (top of page)
About
800 m uphill of the Wagner viaduct the Gamperl Graben viaduct chains
on. Even in 2004, the 150 years anniversary of the line, the responsible
railroad people did not decide to remove ugly plants from the parapets.
(10/2004).
This
is the 78 m long Gamperl tunnel. After leaving this tunnel trains
immediately enter the Gamperlgraben viaduct which has 7 upper and
5 lower arches. Length is 152 m. The portal is decorated with some
"supraport" (10/2004).
After
passing the Gamperl viaduct trains have to pass the Gamperl tunnel.
The uphill exit is visible in the background. The regional stopping
train with loco 1142.691 is climbing up this morning (5/2003). (top
of page)
Side
view of the location like on the image before. Here is one of the
rare sections with open line view, also the line's inclination is
pretty visible. Below of the tracks the farm Pfefferhof is located
and in the background the little village Klamm with church and castle
ruin (8/2005).
Now
the Blue Notch. The name comes from blue material which was excavated
here during line construction. Train EC 33 "Allegro Stradivari"
is on tour uphill (5/2005).
The
upper end of the Blue Notch is fine visible from the opposite slope.
Train EC 555 "Johann Nestroy" on its way to Villach. Some
few meters later the track again vanishes behind trees from this camera
position (5/2005).
(top of page)
Between
the Blue Notch and the Weinzettlwand tunnel the Rumpler viaduct is
located. Again EC 33 "Allegro Stradivari" is visible. There
is just one small spot on the hiking trail where a limited view to
the line is possible between forest trees (5/2005).
Now
we come to the spectacular sections of the line. The famous Weinzettlwand
is located behind the forest slope visible mid left of the image.
Today the Weinzettlwand is passed via the visible Tunnel. But originally
Ghega wanted to build the tracks open. Falling rocks and a lot of
killed workers prevented this plan. Left of the visible portal a 40
m deep tunnel hole is remembering the old plans for a short tunnel
to come to the open rock face (10/2004).
When
express trains are delayed - and in case the uphill traffic makes
it possible - they sometimes take over commuter trains using the
wrong track. This day I catch EC 556 "Schauspielhaus Wien"
with the tele sniper using the wrong track when exiting the lower
portal of Weinzettlwand tunnel (5/2005).
