Pyhrnbahn

Pyhrnbahn Linz – Kirchdorf an der Krems – Selzthal
IC 600 "Bosruck" near Windischgarsten.
Route number (ÖBB) :	204 01
Course book route (ÖBB) :	140
Route length:	104.2 km
Gauge :	1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Network category :	A.
Power system :	15 kV 16.7 Hz  ~
Maximum slope :	26  ‰
Minimum radius :	228 m
Top speed:	140 km / h
Dual track :	Linz – Nettingsdorf, Wartberg an der Krems – Schlierbach
Legend Western Railway of Vienna 0.000 Linz Central Station Western Railway 3,250 Linz Oed (since June 2, 1985) 4.932 Linz Wegscheid 6.663 St. Martin near Traun 8.146 Traun Connection route Traun - Marchtrenk Rutzing company switch Schachinger Logistik connecting railway Fuchshuber connecting railway Marchtrenk Western Railway to Salzburg 9,200 Traun (119 m) 10.298 Ansfelden loading point ( Awanst ) 10,472 Connection line Huber Verpackungen (Awanst) Road bridge West Highway 12,423 Nettingsdorf 12.732 Krems (33 m) 15,570 Nöstlbach - St. Marien Linning (closed on May 1st, 1909) 18,878 Neuhofen an der Krems Piberbach (01.05.1909 closed) 22.652 Kematen - Piberbach (until 2018: Kematen an der Krems) 25.797 Neukematen (07/02/1996 closed) former local railway to Bad Hall (closed at the end of 1989) 28,081 Rohr - Bad Hall former local railway to Sattledt (discontinued March 28, 1965) Top tube (01.09.1909 closed) 32,424 Kremsmünster 34.235 Connecting railway Eurofoam (Awanst) 36,300 Krift company switch 38.170 Ried-Diepersdorf (May 28, 1995 closed) 40.321 Wartberg on the Krems 42,071 Nussbach 43.224 Üst Wartberg ad Krems 1 45.040 Sautern (closed December 20th, 1927) 46.125 Schlierbach 47.215 Abzw Wartberg ad Krems 3 48.812 Galgenau (08/01/1984 closed) 49.519 Blumau (May 1st, 1909 closed) 50.538 Kirchdorf an der Krems 53,362 Micheldorf 54.703 MABA prefabricated parts connecting track 54.9 Obermicheldorf Underpass Pyhrn Autobahn 56,308 Conn. Quarry Kirchdorfer cement works (Awanst) 58.2 Nice 58.894 Hungerbichl Tunnel (522.46 m) formerly Steyrtalbahn 60.459 Klaus 60.851 Pießlingbach Bridge (47 m) 60.890 Post tunnel (248.08 m) 61.487 Castle tunnel (106.40 m) 62,546 Fiedlerbrunntunnel (225.66 m) 62,962 Fiedlerbrunn Viaduct (48 m) 63.843 Connection railway lime works Voestalpine (Awanst) 63,847 Steyrling Bridge (102 m) 64.182 Steyrling 65.621 Steyr River Bridge (214 m) 67.175 First Teichl River Bridge (116 m) 67.758 Hinterstoder 68.633 Krenngraben Bridge (70 m) 70.2 St. Pankraz 71.041 Schalchgraben Viaduct (95 m) 71.988 Palmgraben Viaduct (88 m) 73.862 Second Teichl River Bridge (169 m) 75.566 Pießling-Vorderstoder no passenger traffic since 2001 79.580 Rossleithen 81.724 Windischgarsten 82.528 Schacherbauertunnel (453.88 m) 87.422 Spital am Pyhrn Start of route relocation 88.488 Trattenbach Viaduct (107 m) Trattenbach Bridge End of route relocation 89.121 Small Bosruck tunnel (18.20 m) removed in 2012 91.020 Linzerhaus 91.845 Linzerhaus (closed July 2nd, 1996) 91.938 Bosruck tunnel (4766.58 m) State border Upper Austria / Styria 96.704 98.001 Ardning 101.121 Enns (62 m) Rudolfsbahn from Kleinreifling 102.511 137.269 Selzthal-North 138.966 Selzthal 639  m above sea level A. Rudolfsbahn to St. Michael Ennstalbahn to Bischofshofen 2-track line

The Pyhrnbahn is understood to mean the Linz - Rohr-Bad Hall - Selzthal railway line , it crosses large parts of the federal states of Upper Austria and Styria , and the line is part of the core network of the Austrian Federal Railways . The Linz - Klaus section was initially built as a local railway by the private Kremsthalbahn company . From 1901 to 1906 the state built the Pyhrnbahn with the involvement of this local railway. Together with the Tauernbahn , the Karawanken and Wocheinerbahn as well as the Görz - Trieste line and the Wechselbahn , it was one of the last bridges in the Austrian main railway network.

The kk priv. Kremsthalbahn-Gesellschaft

Linz - Kremsmünster

The "Micheldorf" locomotive of the Kremstalbahn, already labeled kkStB 89.02 around 1906

Since the 1870s there were plans for railway lines into the Kremstal to develop the scythe industry and the timber industry. Routes were planned from Linz as well as from Wels (and also from Steyr). For example, in 1872, under the chairmanship of Camillo Heinrich Fürst Starhemberg, a consortium was formed that had already received a pre-concession for a Linz-Kirchdorf railway . Ultimately, the supporters of the Linz route prevailed and founded the Kremsthalbahn Society in 1880.

According to the concession document of June 30, 1880, the Linz - Kremsmünster line was opened on April 30, 1881 for the locomotive railway from Linz to Kremsmünster (Kremsthalbahn) .

The line (as well as the later continuation to Klaus) was built as a local railway. The route meanders in places in narrow arcs along the mountain slope to avoid the flood-prone valley floor.

In contrast to today, the Kremstalbahn ran from Linz along the Westbahn tracks towards Vienna and then swung south onto the former horse-drawn railway line (Linz – Gmunden) . Today's route was reached roughly at Wegscheid station. The route led directly past the Krauss & Co locomotive factory. This was initially also transferred to the management (until 1892).

Further construction to Micheldorf and Klaus

The route was extended in two stages:

August 1, 1883	Kremsmünster - Micheldorf
November 1, 1888	Micheldorf - Klaus

In addition, on the basis of the concession document of October 25, 1886, the KTB put the Rohr - Bad Hall wing section into operation on May 15, 1887 .

Before the end of the line in Klaus, the route also differs from the current one. Shortly before Klaus , a foothills (Hungerbichl) separates the Kremstal from the Steyrtal. The old route circumnavigated this branch in a narrow curve, the current route leads through the 523 m long Hungerbichl tunnel . The old Klaus train station was also lower than the current one.

In the years 1888/1889 the Kremstalbahn received the concessions for an extension of the route to Spital am Pyhrn , but could not realize it for financial reasons.

Connecting lines in the area of ​​the Kremstalbahn

From 1891, a side wing of the Steyrtalbahn (Pergern - Sierning - Bad Hall) joined the own wing route from Rohr to Bad Hall. This was the shortest-lived part of the Steyrtalbahn, as the operation was shut down in 1933 and the line was dismantled around 10 years later. Since then, one has to cope with the Wels - Steyr route via Linz by train.

After Wels was initially defeated in the construction of a railway connection into the Kremstal, at least one connecting line Wels - Sattledt - Rohr was opened in 1893. The Wels - Sattledt section is still in operation today as a section of the Almtalbahn, while the Sattledt - Rohr section was closed in 1965. The former station building of Kremsmünster Stift still reminds of him (today's Kremsmünster station was therefore called Kremsmünster Markt until the 1990s ). In addition, the section Rohr - Bad Hall was served by the Zf. Wels with through passenger trains Wels - Sattledt - Rohr - Bad Hall until 1965. Until the end of passenger traffic between Rohr and Bad Hall at the end of 1989, the Zfl. Linz responsible.

Pyhrnbahn

The law of June 6, 1901

By law (original title law of 6 June 1901, concerning the production of several railways at state expense and the establishment of a construction and investment program for the state railway administration for the period up to the end of 1905 , RGBL 63/1901), the construction of several railway lines, including for Improvement of north-south traffic through the Alps decided:

1. Tauern Railway
2. Karawanken and Wocheinerbahn with a direct continuation via Gorizia to Trieste
3. [...]
4. Pyhrnbahn
5. [...]
6. Alternating path

(Numbers 3 and 5 concerned railway projects in Galicia and Bohemia)

The Pyhrnbahn is the extension of the Kremstalbahn from Klaus to Selzthal. The Austrian state immediately started negotiations with the Kremsthalbahn company about the nationalization of the Linz - Klaus route. The company management was taken over as early as 1902.

1901–1906: The construction of the Pyhrnbahn

Portal of the Bosruck tunnel, 1904

The construction project was divided into three parts:

• Construction of the Bosruck tunnel (construction started in 1901)
• Construction of the rest of the Klaus - Selzthal line (construction started in 1903)
• Conversion of the Kremstalbahn to the main line (construction started in 1904)

As mentioned above, when the Kremstalbahn was rebuilt, there were two major re-routes: one in Linz, where the route now leads out of the main train station in the direction of Salzburg, and the other in Klaus with the construction of the Hungerbichl tunnel and the new train station. Otherwise, savings were made during the conversion and only the tightest corners were stretched. In later times (until today), individual sections were therefore repeatedly redrawn. Part of the old Kremstalbahn route near Klaus was reused by the Steyrtalbahn from 1909 until it was closed .

Opening dates of the Pyhrnbahn
November 19, 1905	Ober Micheldorf - Klaus (new route) - Spital am Pyhrn
August 21, 1906	Linz - Wegscheid (new route) and Spital am Pyhrn - junction at Selzthal
July 20, 1907	Junction at Selzthal - Selzthal

In 1906, the line flowed directly into the Gesäusestrecke ( Rudolfsbahn ) , 2.6 km before Selzthal . It was not until the following year that a separate track was built for the Pyhrn Railway parallel to the Gesäusetrail. No major work then took place until the Second World War .

1938–1945: Expansion by the Deutsche Reichsbahn

Compared to other routes, the extensions by the Deutsche Reichsbahn were rather modest: in 1941 new stations were built in Wegscheid, Ansfelden and Roßleithen, and the Rohr station was rebuilt. Wegscheid and Rohr are today the two largest railway stations on the Pyhrnbahn.

After the Second World War

Steyrling train station

The Spital am Pyhrn train station

Heating house and turntable in Selzthal

1963–1965: Rehabilitation of the Bosruck Tunnel

The Bosruck tunnel was badly affected by water ingress, mountain pressure and, last but not least, the smoke gases from the steam locomotives . A total renovation was urgently required. Since the tunnel only has a single track, it was decided to block the line between Ardning and Spital am Pyhrn for several months from September 29, 1963.

In addition to the actual tunnel renovation, the Selzthal - Spital am Pyhrn line was electrified: on the one hand, to take advantage of the line closure, and on the other, to avoid new smoke damage. Electrification of the entire route was not possible at the time for financial reasons.

The route was reopened on May 29, 1965. From this point on, passenger trains ran continuously in diesel traction, while freight trains in Spital am Pyhrn had to switch from steam locomotives to electric locomotives or vice versa.

1977: Electrification of the remaining stretch from Linz to Spital am Pyhrn

After a construction period of 26 months, electrical operation between Linz and Spital am Pyhrn was started on September 25, 1977. In addition to the actual electrification work, line improvements and station conversions were also carried out.

1982: The Traun Bridge collapsed

On January 31, 1982, at 11:00 a.m. in the area of ​​the Traun Bridge, a speed limit stop at 30 km / h had to be set up due to “unsteady track conditions”. Towards evening the southern pillar began to tilt, so that the main structure detached itself from the receiving bridge and shifted laterally upstream. The engine driver of a passenger train approaching the bridge noticed sparks from the destroyed overhead contact line and was able to bring the train to a stop in good time by braking quickly (21:37). The structure continued to tip over until 11 p.m. until it finally touched the embankment. It is worth mentioning that the Traun-Pucking power plant was under construction upstream of the bridge .

As a result, a rail replacement service was set up between Traun and Nettingsdorf (partly also Linz - Nettingsdorf or Traun - Rohr). Freight trains were diverted over the Ennstal line (St. Valentin – Steyr – Selzthal). After five months (the actual construction time was only ten weeks) the new Traun Bridge was put into operation on June 24, 1982. The pillars were already prepared for the planned double-track expansion.

Local transport expansion Linz - Nettingsdorf

In 1979, the state of Upper Austria and the ÖBB signed an agreement on the expansion of Linz main train station and the Linz - Traun line to meet local traffic requirements. The expansion included:

• Local traffic tunnel in Linz main station (crossing-free underpass of the Pyhrnbahn under the Westbahn, so that local trains of the Pyhrnbahn can reach the platform tracks that are closer to the reception building. This is intended to shorten the transfer routes to the trams and buses).
• second track Linz - Traun (- Nettingsdorf)
• new stop Linz Oed
• Adaptation of the other traffic points. The Traun train station was completely rebuilt.

Opening of the second track
July 20, 1982	Gaumberg - Linz Wegscheid
August 30, 1984	Linz Wegscheid - Traun
5th October 1984	Linz central station - Gaumberg
May 25, 1988	Traun - Nettingsdorf

On June 2, 1985 the “Schnellbahn” Linz – Traun was finally opened.

1994: Traun - Marchtrenk link

This route was intended for the direct guidance of RoLa trains from the Passau Railway to the Pyhrn Railway. Due to the war in Yugoslavia that broke out in 1991 , the demand for RoLa trains in this relation fell sharply before the opening (May 29, 1994). The line mainly serves as a relief line for the Western Railway (so-called "third track of the Western Railway"). 1995–1999 express trains Linz – Salzburg were run via Traun for a few years, but the route is mainly used for freight traffic. In the 2018/2019 timetable year, some regional express trains to Passau, Grünau im Almtal, Schärding and Simbach am Inn run from Linz on the connecting route.

Expansion measures from 1994

IC at Spital am Pyhrn

A cut dug for straightening the route near Wartberg an der Krems

Construction of the Linzerhaus switchboard at the north portal of the Bosruck tunnel

The route of the former Kremstalbahn partly still reminds of the "local railway past". From 1994 some line improvements were made again:

• In 1994, a 1.6 km long new line was put into operation between Nussbach and Schlierbach.
• In 1996/97, the Krift company turnout followed, offering an additional crossing option. In addition, two narrow arches were defused.
• In 2000/2001, an extensive line improvement north of the Wartberg an der Krems train station went into operation.
• In 2007, the new line between Kirchdorf / Krems via Schlierbach to Nussbach (partly two-track) and the new Schlierbach stop were put into operation. In 2008 the old train station was demolished, but the reception building remained.
• On September 5, 2009, the double-track section Nussbach-Wartberg went into operation. This means that there is now a continuous double-track line from Kaltenbach (at Kirchdorf / Krems station) to Wartberg an der Krems.
• The next step was the expansion of the Spital am Pyhrn - Linzerhaus section (north portal of the Bosruck tunnel) by 2016. A siding (min. 760 m) was built in the area of ​​the former Linzerhaus stop immediately in front of the Bosruck tunnel. From an operational perspective, this is urgently needed. The train stations Ardning and Spital am Pyhrn are currently about 10 minutes apart. That means that max. 6 trains per hour travel this section of the route. A renovation of the Spital am Pyhrn train station was completed in December 2013, with a central platform being built.
• In 2011, plans were also made for the construction of the new Bosruck tunnel.

traffic

On the Pyhrnbahn there are hourly intervals, on weekdays regional trains in the rush hour to 30 minutes. More than half of the trains end in Kirchdorf an der Krems. Trains that come from Linz as regional express trains and continue in the direction of Selzthal stop at all stations after Kirchdorf, so that the southern section is only served by passenger trains every two hours. In the 2013/14 timetable year, only a few R and REX trains complement this offer.

From December 2007 to December 2013 there were again connections between Linz and the Salzkammergut, which travel via the Pyhrnbahn to Traun and then turn off to Marchtrenk. This offer was again heavily decimated due to extensive timetable redesigns, so that only one weekday train serves this route in the direction of Linz.

From December 2005 to December 2008 an international express train ran again on the Pyhrnbahn after a long time . It was the EuroCity 100/101 " Jože Plečnik " ( Ljubljana - Praha vv), whose rolling stock was provided by the Czech and Austrian Federal Railways. Due to the lack of interest on the part of the Slovenian Railways , the train will run on the Prague - Summerau - Linz - Wels - Salzburg route from the 2009 timetable. With the 2011 timetable, the two remaining direct long-distance connections between Graz and Linz were also discontinued. With the 2014 timetable change, there have been two direct connections between Graz and Linz every day since December 15, 2013, as well as another five as transfer connections with connections at Selzthal train station. The travel time of the direct connection is 3 hours, that of the transfer connection 3 hours 18 minutes.

As part of the Pyhrn-Schober axis , the Pyhrnbahn is also important in freight traffic.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.bernegger.at/index.php/leistungen/bauwirtschaft/referenz/118-sanierung-kleiner-bosruck-tunnel-spital-am-pyhrn.html Pictures and description from Bernegger Group
2. ^ Volkswirthschaftliche Zeitung - Railway Linz – Kirchdorf. In:  Das Vaterland , August 26, 1872, p. 2 (online at ANNO ).
3. ↑ RG Bl. No. 94/1880
4. ↑ RG Bl. No. 154/1886
5. ↑ RGBL 63/1901
6. ↑ Extension of the Wartberg - Nussbach route as of September 2010
7. ↑ Chamber of Commerce demands from ÖBB expansion of the Pyhrnbahn (video)
8. ↑ Framework plan ÖBB 2011-2016 ( PDF )

literature

• Elmar Oberegger: On the history of Austria's first local railway: The "Kremstalbahn" from 1880 to 1906 . In: Upper Austrian homeland sheets. 52 (1998) 3-4, pp. 316–332, digital version (PDF; 3.1 MB) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at
• Alfred Horn: ÖBB Handbuch 1993. Bohmann Verlag, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-7002-0824-3 .
• Peter Wegenstein: The Pyhrn Railway Line. (Track in Fig. 71). Pospischil publishing house, Vienna 1989, DNB 942265149 .

Web links

Commons : Pyhrnbahn  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Current timetable of the ÖBB
• Online Pyhrnbahn Museum by Dr. Elmar Oberegger
• The Achleitner and the railway. Preliminary summary of the protest from Kremstal farmers against the establishment of the Linz-Kirchdorf / K.-Klaus (1881–1888) local railway. ( Http://www.oberegger2.org/ada/achleitner.htm )
• Draft for a memorandum for the reintroduction of IC traffic on the Pyhrnbahn. Written on December 12, 2010 by Elmar Oberegger
• Transalpina Description of the Danube – Adria rail link
• Law of June 6, 1901, regarding the production of several railways […] (RGBL 63/1901) in the Anno portal
• Entry in Röll's Encyclopedia of Railways 1912
• Ride with the Pyhrnbahn (with an overview of all operating points on the route) (parts 27-35)
• Photo album about the Pyhrnbahn