Linz local railway

Logo of the Linz local railway

The Linz Local Railway ( LILO ) is a regular-gauge , single-track local railway in Upper Austria that opened in 1912 . It leads from the state capital Linz via the district town of Eferding to Neumarkt im Hausruckkreis . In Niederspaching , a branch line branches off to Peuerbach . The independent Neumarkt - Waizenkirchen - Peuerbach section of the line, which has existed since 1908, was incorporated into the Linz Local Railway in 1998. A modern fleet of vehicles transports around 1.6 million passengers a year. The local railway is the most important of the railways maintained by the operating company Stern & Hafferl . It opens up the agriculturally and touristically important area west of the city of Linz on the Danube .

Since December 11, 2016, the Linz-Eferding section of the Linz-Eferding section has been part of the Upper Austria S-Bahn as the S 5 .

Linz local railway: stations and artificial structures
Geographical data
Country:	Austria
State :	Upper Austria
Route data
Course book route (ÖBB) :	143
Route length:	58.893 km
Gauge :	1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Route class :	C4 (Linz - Eferding, AB Leitl = C2)
Power system :	750 V  =
Maximum slope :	27  ‰
Minimum radius :	80/150 m
Top speed:	70 km / h
Installation:	1908/1912
Expansion:	single track
Type of track :	Local railway
Operator:	Stern & Hafferl Verkehrs-GmbH
Legend Summerau Railway from České Budějovice Western Railway of Vienna 0.0 Linz Central Station 264  m above sea level A. Linz West Bridge Pyhrnbahn to Selzthal Western Railway to Salzburg 1.8 Untergaumberg 266  m above sea level A. 2.6 Gaumberg abandoned 2006 4.0 Leonding local railway 274  m above sea level A. 4.7 Straßfeld 276  m above sea level A. 5.1 Bergham 276  m above sea level A. 5.8 On the Dürrweg 287  m above sea level A. 6.1 Rufling 293  m above sea level A. 6.9 Rufling West closed in 2013 293  m above sea level A. 7.8 Dörnbach 8.0 Dörnbach-Hitzing 320  m above sea level A. 9.3 Thurnharting 347  m above sea level A. 11.1 Kirchberg -Thürnau 315  m above sea level A. 12.8 Straßham-Schönering 285  m above sea level A. 14.1 Wehrgasse 270  m above sea level A. 15.6 alcove 268  m above sea level A. 16.5 Alcove school 266  m above sea level A. 18.2 Strass-Emling 268  m above sea level A. 19.8 Emling 20.2 Raffelding closed in 1945 21.5 Fraham 268  m above sea level A. Innbach 22.6 Unterhillinglah 270  m above sea level A. 23.5 Hörstorf (loading point, closed in 1995) 23.8 Eferding industrial park 270  m above sea level A. Aschach Railway from Aschach 24.3 Eferding station 271  m above sea level A. Aschacher Bahn to Haiding 25.6 Siding Leitl 27.1 Sperneck 299  m above sea level A. 28.4 Wackersbach 324  m above sea level A. 29.5 Kirnberg 350  m above sea level A. 30.9 Gstocket 376  m above sea level A. 32.0 Gschnarret 33.5 Prattsdorf-Dachsberg 377  m above sea level A. 36.1 Prambachkirchen - Bad Weinberg 369  m above sea level A. 38.1 Manzing-Prambach 363  m above sea level A. 40.2 Schurrer-Prambach 364  m above sea level A. 41.7 Hochscharten 356  m above sea level A. 42.3 12.6 Waizenkirchen 358  m above sea level A. Aschach 10.9 Willersdorf an der Aschach 362  m above sea level A. 9.2 0.0 Niederspaching 365  m above sea level A. 3.6 Peuerbach 381  m above sea level A. Lazy Aschach 7.6 Itzling 371  m above sea level A. 6.8 Stefansdorf 372  m above sea level A. Eibach 5.0 Prambeckenhof 372  m above sea level A. 3.6 Poetting 378  m above sea level A. 2.7 Oberaschach 381  m above sea level A. 2.2 Straßhof on the Aschach 380  m above sea level A. 1.0 Kledt since 2013 Passau Railway from Wels B 137 0.0 Neumarkt-Kallham 387  m above sea level A. Passau Railway to Schärding Innviertelbahn to Ried im Innkreis

history

Beginnings

Mathias Poche - Member of the Action Committee

Ernst Jäger - Member of the Action Committee

One of the earliest railway projects after the construction of the most important main lines in Upper Austria aimed to connect the regions of Eferding , Aschach , Waizenkirchen and Peuerbach with the Upper Austrian capital Linz . Efforts were made to build such a local railway as early as the early 1880s. After the opening of the Westbahn , further plans for local railways departing from Wels followed quickly. The Wels - Haiding - Aschach an der Donau route was completed on August 20, 1886. The company Stern & Hafferl from Gmunden was responsible for the management of this railway . This local railway branched off from the state railway to Passau at the Haiding station and connected the fertile Eferdinger basin and the Aschachwinkel with the Austrian state railway network and the city of Wels.

Because of this already existing local railway and disagreements between Wels and Linz, the project could not be realized for years. Therefore an action committee was formed under the chairmanship of the imperial council Mathias Poche. 24 more prominent persons, including the Linzer mayor and the governor -Stellvertreter, belonged to the committee, which turned to the task to establish a connection between web of Linz and Eferding. An extension of the railway to Waizenkirchen and possibly to Neumarkt im Hausruckkreis with a branch to Peuerbach was considered as an option .

After vehement resistance from the city of Wels, the action committee presented an alternative plan that provided for a local train branching off from the Eferding station via Haiding (near Aschach) to Aschach an der Donau in one direction and via Waizenkirchen to Peuerbach in the other direction - but there was no objections. On July 6th and 7th, 1900, the train path revision and station committee met on this project, and although the representatives of the cities of Wels and Linz approved the project, the implementation failed due to the veto of the Wels local railway company . Representatives from Waizenkirchen then came up with the plan to build a rail link between Waizenkirchen and Neumarkt-Kallham, independent of Eferding, along the Wels – Passau state railway line with a branch to Peuerbach. A separate committee was set up to work on the project. Since there were no objections to this project, the authorities issued a concession on October 23, 1907 for the "construction of a standard-gauge local railway to be operated with electrical power, from the state railway station Neumarkt-Kallham to Waizenkirchen, with a branch to Peuerbach" .

Local railway Neumarkt – Waizenkirchen – Peuerbach

The exterior of the Peuerbach station, which has largely been preserved in its original form. In the meantime, the station building has been torn down to make way for a new building.

This concession led to the foundation of Neumarkt – Waizenkirchen – Peuerbach AG in the same year . The construction of the railway began a year later in May 1908. The project planning and construction management was carried out by the Stern & Hafferl company, which had station buildings built in Waizenkirchen, Peuerbach and Niederspaching. A vehicle depot was built in each of Niederspaching and Peuerbach . The power supply was secured by a converter plant built in Niederspaching . The AEG Union supplied the entire electrical equipment for this local railway . All vehicles built for the start of operations came from the Grazer Waggonfabrik . After several months of construction, the railway was opened on December 18, 1908.

In 1919 a continuation of the route from Peuerbach to Neukirchen am Walde and Engelhartszell was planned. Mr. Fuchsing from Schärding founded an action committee to implement this expansion. On February 24, 1927, there was a meeting with about 300 participants. Since the funds required for the expansion could not be raised, this project was not implemented.

Local railway Linz – Eferding – Waizenkirchen

The site manager and initiator Josef Stern

In 1907 the action committee, which had been set up for the construction of the actual local railway project, met again. Engineer Josef Stern achieved that instead of the originally planned steam operation, the line should be operated electrically, and agreed to work out a detailed project on this at his own risk and expense. After a review by the kk Staatsbahn -Direktion Linz, this project received construction capital of 3.5 million kroner (almost 9.5 million euros ). Josef Stern's proposals were accepted at a meeting on May 4, 1909, and a financing plan was drawn up with the aim of operating the railway without state subsidies . In addition, the financing should take place with a bond of 1.2 million crowns, common shares for 200,000 crowns and priority shares worth 2.1 million crowns. According to the municipal council resolution of November 17, 1909, the city of Linz bought priority shares worth 1.5 million crowns. Additional shares were acquired from various neighboring locations and the Allgemeine Sparkasse Linz. The state parliament supported the railway with the purchase of ordinary shares in the amount of 200,000 kroner.

The company Stern & Hafferl agreed to take over the construction of the railway and to run the operation for twelve years for a payment of 50  hellers per train kilometer. Thus, all conditions for a license from the Imperial and Royal  Ministry of Railways were met.

A political inspection was carried out from October 6th to 17th and from December 9th to 15th, 1908. Two years after this on-site inspection, the Ministry of Railways ordered the concession negotiations.

Railway construction and opening

Reichsgesetzblatt from 1911

Local train station Linz around 1912

Local train station track plan from 1913

The “provisional” train station in Linz, at the end of 2006.

Winter timetable 1912/1913

Interior view of a substation (1912)

ET 22.105 in delivery condition

Shares in the Linz local railway (1924)

Old LILO timetable

After the concession for the construction and operation of “the standard-gauge local railway from Linz via Eferding to Waizenkirchen”, which was announced in the Reichsgesetzblatt of January 25, 1911, was granted on January 12, 1911, construction of the local railway began on December 1 of the same year.

The company Stern & Hafferl traded bonds worth 1.2 million kroner, in addition to which some priority shares were bought. The bonds were converted into shares after the opening of the local railway. The scarce investment capital forced the construction management under engineer Josef Stern to carry out the construction as economically as possible. That is why the starting point of the local railway in Linz, the local railway station , was built on the lease of the state railway. A terminus station with two platform tracks and a siding was created. Remarkably, this temporary facility lasted until 2005. After the police check on December 22, 1911, the first section Linz - Eferding was put into operation on March 21, 1912. There was no official inauguration. Other stations were built in Alkoven , Eferding, Prambachkirchen and Waizenkirchen. Wooden shelters were also built at 15 stops.

Umformerwerke in Dörnbach, Eferding and Waizenkirchen ensured the supply of the railway with direct current with a voltage of 750 V. A shed with a workshop for maintenance and repairs on the locomotives was built in Eferding. Vignole rails were laid on wooden sleepers along the entire route and wooden masts were set up to carry the overhead line . The entire electrical equipment came from Siemens-Schuckertwerke in Vienna . The route was originally designed for a maximum axle load of 11 tons and a top speed of 30 km / h.

The ongoing construction of the Eferding - Waizenkirchen section did not progress very smoothly. A rainy summer and difficult terrain caused many problems. Despite these difficulties, the section was completed on schedule. The official review took place on December 10, 1912. In an issue of December 13, 1912, the Linzer Tages-Post looked back on the building and reported on the completion:

[…] On the 9th and 10th of the month the police test of the local railway line Eferding Waizenkirchen took place and gave a completely satisfactory result, so that now despite all the obstacles caused by unfavorable weather and the difficult construction terrain, thanks to the energy of the construction company Stern & Hafferl, the Linz - Eferding - Waizenkirchen railway line will be completed on time. The opening of the railway takes place on Monday the 16th of the month with the trains departing from Waizenkirchen at 6 a.m. 7 minutes to Linz and from Linz at 7:18 a.m. to Waizenkirchen, which we hereby publish with reference to the same Bring the timetable to the general knowledge. [...]

Operation in the early years

Four motor cars , four trailer cars , four work cars , 16  freight cars and an electric locomotive were ordered from the Grazer Waggonfabrik to operate the railway . After the completion of the second section, the Linz - Eferding - Waizenkirchen local railway was officially opened on December 16, 1912. On January 1st, 1913, Stern & Hafferl took over the management including the electricity supply. The management was in Eferding.

A journey from Linz to Waizenkirchen took around 130 minutes in 1912. In 1912 a comprehensive overview was drawn up which gave information on the tariffs for all kinds of passenger and freight journeys. Accordingly, a one-way trip from Linz to Eferding cost 1.50 kroner, to Waizenkirchen 2.50 kroner (both in 3rd class). For the 2nd class you had to pay twice the price. A round trip cost twice as much as a one-way trip. There were numerous different classes of freight in freight transport . Transporting a truckload of wood or stones to Eferding cost 32 crowns. In the first full year of operation in 1913, 202,445 people and 11,825 tons of goods were transported, which was considered an economic success.

War years, crisis and upswing

The First World War initially did not bring about a decline in the number of transports, but the vehicles were badly damaged by the desolate condition of the track systems and the substructure. The prevailing poor supply situation prevented repairs on a large scale. During this time, the local railway carried out numerous special trips in which the townspeople traveled to Eferding to buy groceries. The railway also suffered some damage from acts of war.

The end of the war brought about a drastic deterioration in the economic situation. Much of the income was missing. The tracks and overhead lines were partially damaged by the effects of the war, two out of four motor vehicles were defective and four freight wagons could not be used because important spare parts were not available. Therefore, the daily train pairs between Eferding and Waizenkirchen were restricted, only the connection Linz - Eferding was not affected by this measure. Due to the desolate condition of the facilities, a trip from Linz to Eferding took 72 minutes. Even in 1912, travel times were shorter. In addition to the difficult geological conditions, the railway also had to struggle with the poor superstructure. For this reason, various improvements were made in 1936, which made it possible to increase the permissible axle pressure to 12.5 tons.

In 1919 another motor vehicle was ordered from the Grazer Waggonfabrik , identical in construction to the original vehicles on the Linz - Eferding - Waizenkirchen route, although their wooden construction had not yet proven itself. This vehicle was added to the inventory as 23.001. In addition, two passenger cars were reordered, which were designated Cl 4 and Cl 5. All three vehicles cost a total of four million crowns due to inflation .

In 1926, the remise in Eferding was extended to accommodate the expanded fleet. In the 1930s, a sharp increase in freight transport led to a lack of efficient locomotives. The pulling power of the existing locomotive 1 was no longer sufficient. For this reason, the four-axle Wöllsdorf III locomotive was purchased in 1935 , which was used as the EL 51.01 on the Linz - Eferding - Waizenkirchen route from 1937. From 1933, the travel time between Linz and Eferding could be gradually reduced again; before 1945 it was 66 minutes. From 1936, for the first time, more pairs of trains could be put into service again.

In 1935 there was a competition from the city of Linz for the redesign of the local train station. Like many other projects, the ideas gained from this campaign were never realized. In 1937 the 25th anniversary was celebrated. In 1939 the local railway Linz – Eferding – Waizenkirchen AG was renamed Linzer Lokalbahn AG .

At the beginning of the 1940s, activities preparing for the war led to a sharp increase in the number of goods transported in both freight and passenger transport. The lack of locomotives even led to considerations to rent steam locomotives. All efforts to acquire new vehicles failed. In 1939 only 50-year-old passenger cars could be taken over by the Reichsbahn from the inventory of the Vienna steam light rail . For economic reasons, broken windows could not be repaired, but only replaced with plywood . In addition to passenger cars, electric locomotives could also be purchased. Three years later two railcars and two passenger cars were added. However, these vehicles had a different clutch than the original vehicles, which is why they could only be used alone for the time being. In 1940 Stern & Hafferl bought another four-axle locomotive, Wöllsdorf IV , which was added to the inventory as the EL 51.02. From April 21, 1943, the Stern & Hafferl numbering scheme, which is still valid today, was also introduced on the Linz local railway.

In 1944, a shed fire occurred in Eferding, which killed one of the recently acquired locomotives, two railcars and a passenger car. Since there were only three electric locomotives and five railcars before the fire, this meant a significant loss for the railway. After this incident, a completely new shed was built. As a temporary emergency solution, the two railcars ET 184.02 and ET 184.04 as well as the two trailer cars EB 184.06 and 16 had to be rented from the Hohenfurth local railway in southern Bohemia . However, these vehicles had a central buffer coupling, which is why they were also not compatible with the other traction vehicles. In 1951 the rented vehicles were finally bought.

The bombing raids on Linz in World War II also hit the local railway badly. Often the tracks and overhead lines were damaged. The damage could only be repaired temporarily due to the prevailing shortage of materials. In the event of an air-raid alarm , all vehicles were immediately withdrawn from Eferding station and parked under rows of trees on the open stretch, the locomotives were well camouflaged due to their brown paint. In January 1945, the Deutsche Reichsbahn began building a bunker and an associated field railway . These facilities were dismantled after the war. The war made enormous demands on the local railway. The transport capacities were insufficient and the rapid increase in passengers could not be managed. In addition, there was a lack of staff, which is why women were not only used as conductors but also as train drivers. The darkening measures ordered by the Ministry of Transport made operation even more difficult. All windows of the motor vehicles had to be darkened as much as possible. In addition to these problems, there was a lack of locomotives, a weak superstructure and an insufficient power supply. In 1944 a record was set that is still valid today - the local railway carried 2,790,593 passengers that year. At the beginning of 1945 no operations were possible on the route between Linz and Untergaumberg due to bomb damage and operations had to be stopped for the time being.

Former LILO train station on Coulinstrasse.

The route to the old LILO train station in Linz ran over the later construction site of the Knowledge Tower (construction site in the background).

Several such railcars were taken over by the Cologne-Bonn Railway (KBE). (Shown is the ET 57 railcar, preserved in a museum in Cologne, in the KBE paint scheme.)

After the Second World War

The US troops occupied the management in Eferding and a provisional prisoner of war camp was set up at the station . Therefore, this area was also not passable and an emergency timetable had to be set up, which could only be slightly expanded after the Linz - Untergaumberg section had been repaired. In mid-May 1945 passenger trains were allowed to run again, but, like the freight trains used as required, only with military escort. As after the First World War, there was a rapid increase in travel times.

After the war, the people of Linz used the local train for so-called "hamster trips" to stock up on food in the communities in Eferdinger Landl .

From 1946 to 1952, a repair program for the existing rolling stock was carried out in the Eferding workshop . The motor cars were given a new one made of sheet metal instead of their wooden car body. From 1952, all passenger railcars had a pneumatic safety driving circuit, which meant that there was no need for an assistant. Due to the partial one-man operation, the operating costs decreased considerably. After the repair of the vehicles and railway systems, the travel time on the entire route was again significantly reduced. There was an increasing number of express trains that no longer stopped at all stops, but lost their attractiveness again due to a stop request system and were finally discontinued. For the first time, there were also journeys with locomotive-hauled passenger trains.

Numerous improvements were made to the line in the 1950s. The entire superstructure was renewed in small steps. By installing new rails and switches with stronger rail profiles , the axle load could be increased to 20 tons and the maximum speed to 50 km / h. In addition, stronger wooden sleepers were installed and the ballast bed renewed. The wooden shelters were replaced by new buildings made of concrete and glass.

In addition to these improvements, the operators also acquired new vehicles. The Linzer Lokalbahn AG ordered six four-axle passenger cars and two new multiple units from Simmering-Graz-Pauker  AG , which were added to the inventory as ET 22.106 and 107. ELIN AG supplied the electrical equipment . The maiden voyage of these vehicles took place on March 22, 1951, the Linzer Volksblatt reported:

" In the presence of Ing. Stern [...] the opening run of the new three-part multiple unit on the Linz - Eferding - Waizenkirchen route took place yesterday afternoon. […] All participants in the opening drive were able to agree that it was a good workmanship. […] Driven by four 120 HP engines, an 80 percent improvement in the timetable is achieved at a top speed of 50 km / h. "

Because of landslides derailed on May 11, 1954, the passenger train 6922, ET was 22,103 while easily damaged. On August 4th of the same year passenger train 6929 derailed. The ET 22.103 locomotive also survived this accident without major damage. The 3rd class was abolished in Austria on August 1, 1956, the class names were either changed to 2nd class or omitted. In the same year SGP Graz delivered a commissioned freight locomotive that replaced the E 20.006 machine. The locomotive was given the designation 20.007.

In the 1960s, several new acquisitions were planned, which, however, could not be realized due to a lack of necessary financial resources. In the 1970s, however, the Cologne-Frechen-Benzelrath Railway was able to buy seven multiple units, which after a general inspection were designated as ET 22.130-136 and ES 22.230-236. The workshop in Eferding and Voest Alpine refurbished the sets. The first two vehicles were presented to the public for the 60th anniversary of the railway. From then on, these vehicles represented the flagships of LILO, because they were equipped with much more modern equipment than the other railcars (automatically closing doors, stop button and Scharfenberg coupling ). Since the motor vehicles from the 1950s were still indispensable and were used together with the new sets in mixed operation, travel times were not shortened.

Several serious accidents occurred in the 1970s, including the worst accident in the history of the railway on October 13, 1974 as a result of a rail break at kilometer 26.3 near Eferding. The railcar 21.151 was so badly damaged that the vehicle had to be taken out of service as irreparable.

In 1971 a record was set with 219,282 tons of transported goods, as the railway was used in the construction of the Ottensheim - Wilhering power station on the Danube . On December 1, 1973 the Florianerbahn , which belonged to the Linzer Lokalbahn AG, was discontinued. In July 1977, a Lufthansa advertising stunt caused a sensation in which mounted Indians "ambushed" a LILO train near Kirchberg-Thürnau. In 1978 the share capital of Linzer Lokalbahn AG was increased to 4.75 million Schillings (around 354,200 euros).

On May 17, 1980, there was a highly acclaimed special trip on the Linz Local Railway with the Transparent Train , pulled by the Stern & Hafferl locomotive E 22.001. In 1975 the travel time between Linz and Neumarkt could be reduced to 92 minutes. In the same year a car wash was built.

In 1987 the local railway company Linz celebrated the 75th anniversary of the railway with a big party. At the beginning of the anniversary year, used multiple units could be taken over by the Cologne-Bonn Railways (original numbers: ET 53, 55, 59, 60). ET 59 and 60 arrived at Eferding station on February 25th, ET 53 and 55 on March 29th. All vehicles have been completely overhauled and adapted to the applicable safety standards. The vehicles were added to LILO's inventory as ET 22.141 to 144. On September 11th and 12th, 1987, these new railcars were among the main attractions of the festival program for the 75th anniversary of the Linz Local Railway .

This measure made it possible to replace all of the old sets, which further shortened travel times. In addition, the maneuvering work necessary for the motor vehicles was no longer necessary. The local railway Neumarkt - Waizenkirchen - Peuerbach merged on January 1st, 1998 under commercial law with the Linz local railway.

Integration of LILO in Linz Hbf since 2005

Again and again there were considerations to integrate the LILO into the Linz main train station . In the anniversary year of 1987, Karl Zwirchmayr, the then operations manager of the Linz local railway, declared in his address: "... due to the enormous costs, this project cannot currently be foreseen ..." . 18 years later it could finally be realized: Since November 18, 2005, the LILO no longer has its terminus in the old provisional station in Coulinstrasse, but drives directly to the local traffic track of the Linz main station. The € 24 million conversion of Linz's main train station into a central transfer point required a new construction of the station building that was moved ten meters in the direction of the station park in order to create space for the local railway tracks. The new platforms were equipped with elevators and escalators and made barrier-free . The old local station was adopted on November 8, 2005, with special trips with the ET 22.105 and an auction of the station inventory. On November 18 of the same year, the opening ceremony for the integration into Linz Central Station took place.

With the opening of the new starting point in Linz, there was a significant improvement for the passengers of the Linz local railway. Since then, there have been convenient transfer options to ÖBB , the Linz tram , the Linz trolleybus and the municipal bus lines. The dynamic passenger information ( train destination display ) on the platform and in the pedestrian tunnels improved orientation for passengers.

The prerequisite for integrating the Linz local railway into the Linz main train station were new railcars that can switch their operating voltage from 750 V direct current to the ÖBB power grid of 15 kilovolt alternating current when they reach the Linz / Untergaumberg stop  . Between Linz and Eferding, Linz and Peuerbach as well as Waizenkirchen and Neumarkt, a cycle schedule was partially introduced in 2005 at the same time . Since 2005 the line has been designed for a maximum speed of 70 km / h and 20 t axle load. In 2006 and 2007 further measures for accessibility were implemented.

Operation in the present

Shares

LILO Stadler GTW low-floor articulated multiple unit at Linz Central Station.

ET 22.106 on the western part of the local railway between Kledt and Strasshof

The Linzer Lokalbahn AG is a stock corporation under Austrian law with a registered share capital of € 690,391. 54.3% of the shares are owned by the City of Linz. Stern & Hafferl Verkehrs-GmbH, which is also responsible for operational management, holds another major share of 35.3% . The city of Eferding owns a share of 2.6%; The cities of Leonding and Peuerbach each hold 1.0%. The remaining shares are distributed among several neighboring communities (5.0%) or are in free float (1.0%).

The Linz local railway carried over 1.6 million passengers in 2005. Some of the trips are carried out in the regular timetable. Since the change in the train schedule in Austria from December 15, 2013, it has also been possible to travel from Linz to Neumarkt-Kallham without changing trains. This was not possible before, in Waizenkirchen or Niederspaching the passengers had to switch to another train. The train traffic itself is handled by a global positioning system with train control . The intersection agreements have been made by radio since 1987 . The switches required for the scheduled train crossings are designed as fallback switches and have switch heating . You can recognize them by a blue light signal that lights up when the switch is in the basic position. Except for the switches in Eferding station, which can be operated remotely from a type 5007 signal box , they have to be set manually. All points of connecting tracks are key-secured depending on a locking shoe.

There are stops at 44  stops , but at 37 of them only on request by hand signals on the platform or passenger reports on the train.

Accidents were reduced to a few environmentally-related derailments, in which the vehicles were never seriously damaged. Collisions with road vehicles are more common, mainly at the level crossings that are only secured by stop signs.

education

In order to be able to become a railcar or train driver for the Linz Local Railway, applicants generally go through an in-house training, regardless of a previously learned or practiced profession. This training takes about eight months and has the following content: Signaling and driving regulations, basics of electrical engineering , electrical and mechanical structure of vehicles, braking system, traction power supply and safety devices. This is followed by the practical part of repairs to the locomotives (workshop in Eferding or the main workshop in Vorchdorf ) and training trips. After that, new employees are employed as conductors and train drivers for about a year and trained and prepared for the ÖBB test. After successfully passing the ÖBB train driver examination, employees are allowed to drive to Linz train station.

Vehicle fleet

Two “Kölner” in Vorchdorf

Since 2001, the route is of low-floor railcars of type Stadler GTW- traveled, the 1970 by the Cologne transport companies and in 1987 by the Cologne-Bonn railways replace vehicles acquired. The GTW were added to the vehicle fleet as ET 22.151-164. All vehicles are also equipped for a 15 kV 16.7 Hz system, are air-conditioned, barrier-free and have 126 seats and 108 standing places. The railcars have air-sprung running bogies and automatically closing doors. Multiple control of up to three units is also possible. Stern & Hafferl also installed stop request buttons in every locomotive.

Between Peuerbach or Niederspaching and Neumarkt-Kallham, either the ET 22.106 or ET 22.107 from 1951 is used from the start of operations until noon during the week.

LILO currently has four electric locomotives and 18 electric multiple units on its route. Two more former LILO railcars were loaned to Vorchdorf. Three historic vehicles have been preserved as nostalgic vehicles. Locomotive 1 "Liesel" is still used today in part for shunting work. The Stadler GTW are the flagship vehicles of the Linz local railway.

The repair and maintenance of the vehicles is carried out by the company workshop in Eferding. Major damage is repaired in the Stern & Hafferl main workshop in Vorchdorf. The local railway has four depots in which the vehicles are parked. Of the former parade vehicles of the railway, the Cologne sets, only 22,137 are left, which are used as work cars, four more cars are still in reserve; all of the other “Kölner” were scrapped in Lambach .

No.	origin	Construction year	Wheel alignment	LÜP	Weight	V max	power	Seating / standing	Remarks
ET 22.151 – ET 22.164	Stadler Rail	2001/2005	2 '+ Bo + 2':	38,200 mm	57.5 / 60 t	120 km / h	520 kW	126/108	latest generation of railcars
ET 22.105	Graz wagon factory	1921	Bo	11,500 mm	1.5 t	50 km / h	100 kW	55/12	originally ET 23.001, nostalgic vehicle 1
ET 22.106	SGP / ELIN	1951	Bo'Bo '	16,900 mm	39 t	60 km / h	376 kW	56/36	until 1988 ET 20.112
ET 22.107	SGP / ELIN	1951	Bo'Bo '	16,900 mm	39 t	60 km / h	376 kW	52/36	until 1994 ET 20.114
ET 22.109	Graz wagon factory	1908	Bo			50 km / h	108 kW	36/18	formerly ET 21.150, nostalgic vehicle
ET 22.133	West car	1954	Bo'Bo '	15,750 mm	24 t	60 km / h	272 kW		ex KFBE 1288, reserve railcar, lent to Vorchdorf
ET 22.136	West car	1953	Bo'Bo '	15,750 mm	24 t	60 km / h	272 kW		it KBFE 1290, reserve railcar, lent to Vorchdorf
ET 22.137	West car	1954	Bo'Bo '	17,150 mm	25 t	60 km / h	272 kW	48	ex KBFE 1289, used as a work car 2
E 22.001	Ganz & Co	1915	Bo'Bo '	11,700 mm	30 t	40 km / h	192 kW	-	Multiple control, formerly Wöllersdorf III, in operation since 1935
E 22.002	Graz W.	1912	Bo	6,900 mm	19 t	25 km / h	74 kW	-	Nostalgic vehicle, originally number 1
E 22.004	Ganz & Co	1916	Bo'Bo '	11,700 mm	30 t	40 km / h	192 kW	-	Multiple control, formerly POHÉV 5, in stock since 1945
E 22.005	Ganz & Co	1915	Bo'Bo '	11,700 mm	30 t	40 km / h	192 kW	-	Multiple control, formerly Wöllersdorf II, in operation since 1947
ES 22.233	West car	1954	4th	15,750 mm	18.5 t	60 km / h	-		ex KFBE 2289, reserve car, loaned to Vorchdorf
ES 22.236	West car	1953	4th	15,750 mm	18.5 t	60 km / h	-		ex KFBE 2290, reserve car, loaned to Vorchdorf
B4ip 22,209	SGP	1950	4th			-	-	59/21	Scrapped in 2012
BD 22.254	SGP	1950	4th			-	-	42/19	Scrapped in 2012
G 22.307			4th			-	-	-	Freight car, green / white
G 22.309			4th			-	-	-	Wheel trolley, red / white

Freight car 22.307 in Peuerbach

¹ From 1943 the vehicle was designated as ET 22.105. The relocation of the railcar to the Haager Lies in 1985 led to the renaming in ET 25.105 and use on the Haager Lies. In 1995 the vehicle was handed over to the Marizeller Museumstramway, where it was returned to its original condition. In 2000 the railcar came back to the Linz local railway in exchange for ET 22.101. Today the vehicle bears the number 22.105 and is in the LILO nostalgia collection.

² ET 22.137 was converted into a work vehicle, the vehicle has a lubricating current collector. The red / ivory painted ET 22.109 is stuck with an advertisement for a bakery.

In addition to the railcars, locomotives and sidecars, the Linz Local Railway has only a few freight cars that are used to transport goods. Most of their freight cars have either been scrapped or converted into work cars that are used for maintenance work.

Passenger train around 1912

GTW in S-Bahn stickers on the special train of the MEC Eferding

Numbering and labeling

Company number of a LILO vehicle

Railcar 21.001 (1908)

Locomotive 1 - Liesel (1912)

E 22.003 around 1916

Sketch of type of passenger wagons Cl 1–4

As with all vehicles from Stern & Hafferl, the numbering scheme has five-digit numbers. The first and second digits indicate the owner: 21 stood for the Neumarkt - Waizenkirchen - Peuerbach local railway and 22 for the Linz - Eferding - Waizenkirchen local railway. Since the merger to form LILO, only the ownership notice 22 has been customary. The following three digits (third to fifth digit) indicate the vehicle type and the serial number (see Stern & Hafferl numbering scheme )

There is also a letter in front of the company number that provides information about the vehicle. For example, E stands for an electric locomotive, ET for an electric multiple unit, P for a passenger car and G for a freight car. Railway wagons are designated with an X.

All vehicles were originally labeled with the full name of the route on which they were used: -  Lokalbahn Neumarkt – Waizenkirchen – Peuerbach AG or Lokalbahn Linz – Eferding – Waizenkirchen . All vehicles in the original inventory had these labels, they were affixed to the locomotives in gold letters made of brass . In the anniversary year of 1937, this long lettering was replaced by the abbreviation for the route names ( LEW or NWP ). In 1939 this lettering was replaced by signs reading Linzer Lokalbahn AG . This label was often abbreviated as LLB . This abbreviation was later replaced by the inscription <LILO>that is still used today .

The original railcars were brown paint , the locomotives were painted dark green. This green paintwork was replaced by a red paintwork on all locomotives except No. 1 in 1975. The locomotive 1, which is still in its original paintwork today, represents the original condition of the locomotives. The modern railcars received the white / traffic red color, which is still typical of Stern & Hafferl vehicles today .

Original vehicle fleet

Inexpensive two-axle traction vehicles were chosen for reasons of cost. They were commissioned by the Grazer Waggonfabrik and Siemens-Schuckert Vienna for the two routes .

The motor vehicles supplied for the Linz - Eferding - Waizenkirchen route had a wooden body. They had 16 seats in the second class and 39 seats in the third class, whereby the seats in the second class were upholstered, those in the third class only had slatted benches. Each vehicle had twelve windows with opening skylights. The platforms were not glazed, so the drivers were exposed to the weather. The motor vehicles had a slip ring drive switch , a vacuum brake and a manual spindle brake. A pedal bell, a roof bell and a signal horn served as safety devices. The motor vehicles were classified as 22,000 to 22,003, they were later given the numbers 22,101 to 22,104.

The locomotives also had a wooden car body and the electrical equipment was basically the same as that of the motor car. This can still be seen on the locomotive (nicknamed Liesel ) that has been preserved to this day . The locomotive is now in the nostalgia stock of the Linz Local Railway.

The four passenger cars, each weighing only 6.2 tons, also had a wooden car body and had 38 3rd class seats. Each car had eight windows with opening skylights.

Two-axle motor vehicles were also purchased in 1908 for the Neumarkt - Waizenkirchen - Peuerbach route. These three vehicles were classified as 21,001 to 003. The vehicles were equipped with a lyre pantograph. The electrical equipment was very similar to that of the LEW vehicles. In addition, some freight wagons were purchased (see table).

No. (orig.)	No.	Construction year	Manufacturer	route	Others
21.001-21.003	21.150-21.152	1908	Graz wagon factory	NWP	in planned service until 1975; 21,150 (since 1998 22,109) nostalgic vehicle
Cl 1 - Cl 2	21.201-21.202	1908	Graz wagon factory	NWP	in use until 1908
G 1-G 3	21.301-21.303	1908	Graz wagon factory	NWP	Freight cars; Retired in 1980
20,000-20,003	22.101-22.104	1912	Graz wagon factory	LEW	Motor vehicle; 101 and 102 fell victim to the 1944 shed fire
1	22.002	1912	Graz wagon factory	LEW	Electric locomotive, which has survived to this day, nickname "Liesel"
Cl 1-Cl 4	22.201-22.204	1911	Graz wagon factory	LEW	Passenger cars; 22,201 suffered fire damage

route

Route profile of the LILO

Circuit diagram of the substations

Eferding station

Eferding station track plan

Routing

The route is 58.5 km long and overcomes a difference in altitude of 127 meters. The LILO has a total of 44  stops , there are 252 level crossings.

Crossing points for train encounters are in Leonding, Hitzing (Dörnbach), Thürnau, Alkoven, Eferding, Prambachkirchen, Waizenkirchen, Niederspaching, Peuerbach and Neumarkt, freight sidings in Alkoven, Eferding, Waizenkirchen and Neumarkt. Roads and driveways cross the route 109 times. Around a quarter of these level crossings are secured by traffic lights . The engineering structures on the route include the station buildings in Leonding, Alkoven, Eferding and Peuerbach, two road underpasses and four overpasses. Larger watercourses are crossed by bridges or culverts in four places. The engineering structures erected when the two routes were opened are still largely in their original state.

Individual railway maintenance parties are responsible for maintaining the line.

Electrical equipment

Originally, the alternating current that was produced by the Traunfall power plant was conducted to the substation in Niederspaching via a 25,000  V line. This plant in turn fed the three converter plants with rotating converters, which ultimately supplied the direct current for operation. All three converter plants were constructed identically.

The contact line originally consisted of hard-drawn copper with a cross-section of 50 mm². It was provided with double insulation from the earth and was supported by a total of 1450  wooden masts . In 1929 a substation was equipped with mercury vapor glass rectifiers with 200  amperes . In 1942 the rectifier systems were replaced again. Since these were not powerful enough, there were repeated voltage drops. Therefore, between 1968 and 1973, the substations were equipped with silicon rectifier systems of 1000 A each. After heavy wear and tear, the contact wire was exchanged for a new grooved contact wire with a cross section of 80 mm², and later also for a contact wire with a cross section of 100 mm². It consists of the present-day copper silver - alloy .

The unprotected softwood masts erected during the construction of the railway were replaced by impregnated ones after the First World War . After 1945 these masts were placed on steel mast feet made from old rails. In the meantime, these steel mast feet have been replaced by concrete bases . Today, all masts have aluminum tube and insulation brackets .

Energie AG Oberösterreich supplies the electricity required to operate the local railway .

Timetable concept

Since November 2005, the trains of the Linz local railway have been running at certain times of the day, mainly in the afternoon, in the regular regular schedule . When you arrive in Linz, there is an exact 30-minute cycle, in the opposite direction usually an alternating 28-32-minute cycle. Those intersections in alcoves that take place between the 28th and 29th minute correspond exactly to the minute of symmetry common in Central Europe . Depending on the transport requirements, the working day on the routes Linz – Eferding is between 30 and 60 minutes, Linz – Peuerbach between 30 and 90 minutes and Waizenkirchen – Neumarkt 120 minutes with short transition times to the ÖBB routes in Neumarkt. At peak times (in the morning in the direction of Linz, and at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the direction of Eferding), every 15 minutes is offered. The specified time intervals apply analogously to the reverse routes Neumarkt – Waizenkirchen, Peuerbach – Linz and Eferding – Linz.

The journey time from Linz to Eferding is 40 minutes, to Peuerbach 82 minutes and with a change in Waizenkirchen to Neumarkt 92 minutes. This means that an average travel speed of 35 km / h is achieved on the Linz – Neumarkt route . While the change in Waizenkirchen or Niederspaching took 20 minutes before the timetable change in 2013, no additional time has to be allowed for since the trains either depart at the same time or no change is necessary at all.

Since the timetable change in 2013, LILO trains have always departed from Linz Central Station on the 19th and 49th minutes and since 2014 on the 20th and 50th minutes. This regular schedule is always adhered to, except during off-peak times, on weekends (hourly trips) only at the 50th minute. Between 11:50 am and 6:20 pm there is a 30-minute cycle between Linz and Peuerbach: trains that depart on the 20th minute go to Peuerbach; those who leave at the 50th minute go to Neumarkt-Kallham, where it is possible to change to a train in the direction of Peuerbach in Niederspaching. REX trains (formerly departing at 13: 32/15: 32/17: 32) have not existed since the changeover in 2013, the LILO stops as, if requested, at all stops.

In December 2016, at the start of the Upper Austrian S-Bahn, the clock schedule was adapted to the S-Bahn system so that all S-Bahn lines reach and leave Linz Central Station at the same time as possible in order to make it easier to change.

In the event of a future extension of the route to St. Georgen an der Gusen , it will be necessary to introduce an integral time cycle that optimizes the transition times to ÖBB trains and the Linz city bus routes and also includes the planned branch in Eferding onto the former ÖBB route to Aschach.

economics

Transported goods (1978-2005)

The main source of income for the Linz Local Railway is currently the passenger transport. Goods are only rarely transported, only the transport of sugar beets brings additional income. Because the railway no longer has its own freight wagons, wagons are rented for these beet trains every year. Special trips with historic locomotives are also carried out regularly. ET 22.105 can be rented at any time for special trips with a supporting program, photo stops and a factory tour .

In principle, train attendants are still used on the Linz – Waizenkirchen route, and one-man operation is also carried out on a trial basis. In the upper section of the route (Waizenkirchen, Neumarkt, Peuerbach), one-man operation is regularly used.

In 2007 LILO employed a total of 103 people. The railway has been part of the Linz Transport Association (LVV) since 1999 (member of the Upper Austrian Transport Association (OÖVV) since 2005 ) and thus enjoys an appropriate cost compensation.

The income of around 2 million paying passengers (as of 2016) and 70,000 tons of transported goods (as of 2005) do not even come close to covering the operating costs. The communities along the route, above all the cities of Linz and Eferding, have been making substantial contributions to the operation of the LILO for years. According to press reports, other neighboring communities do not meet this obligation in full every year, which leads to both constant political discussions and difficulties with regard to necessary investments. Nevertheless, the operation of the railway is secured year after year thanks to the subsidies granted .

At the municipal council meeting of March 31, 2004, the city of Linz granted a subsidy to Linzer Lokalbahn AG in the amount of 290,690 euros each for the years 2004 to 2006 for the maintenance of ongoing operations and a further amount for the years 2004 to 2007 in the amount of 1,125,000 euros per year for the purchase of six additional railcars and the provision of 109,310 euros for the year 2004 for the pre-financing of the vehicles. At the same meeting, the city of Linz approved the transfer of the allocation of needs expected by the state of Upper Austria in the amount of 545,000 euros per year for 2007 and 2008.

Persons transported (1978-2005)

Development of the number of passengers

Whereas in 1978 the Linz – Eferding – Waizenkirchen route still carried just over 1.6 million passengers on the Linz – Eferding – Waizenkirchen route, the number of passengers carried fell continuously to less than half in the following ten years, mainly due to an outdated vehicle population and unattractive travel times. Only the use of more comfortable multiple units by the Cologne-Bonn Railways in 1987 and the associated reduction in travel times allowed passenger numbers to rise again. However, a further twelve years would pass before 1998 could almost reach the previous figures. At the turn of the millennium, the transport performance leveled off again at 1.6 million passengers a year. After that, the number of passengers rose again and in 2016 the two million mark was broken.

future

It is planned to electrify the section of the Aschacher Bahn from Eferding to Aschach for 3.6 million euros and then to integrate it into the Linz local railway. In addition, Eferding station is to be renovated for around 12 million euros and made into a modern transport hub. According to the Lilo board, the implementation of this concept is planned by 2020.

literature

• Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 years of Linzer Lokalbahn , Linzer Lokalbahn AG, 1987.
• Helmut Weis: The Stern & Hafferl II company . Bahn im Bild, Volume 26, 1982.
• Ludger Kenning: Railway Manual Austria . Kenning Verlag, Nordhorn 1992, ISBN 3-927587-08-7 , pages 77-78.
• Helmut Marchetti: Stern & Hafferl - visions with tradition . GEG Werbung, Gmunden 2003, ISBN 3-9501763-0-6 .
• Andreas Christopher, Gunter Mackinger, Peter Wegenstein: Private railways in Austria. Motorbuch Verlag, 1997, ISBN 3-613-71052-8 .

Web links

Commons : Linzer Lokalbahn  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Current timetable in the ÖBB timetable
• LILO - Linz Local Railway - Official Homepage
• Stern & Hafferl Verkehrsgesellschaft - Linz Local Railway
• PDF file with the current data (PDF file 143 kB)
• Historical and current pictures of the Linz local railway

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Stern & Hafferl ( Memento of the original dated December 10, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . 
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} LILO - Stern & Hafferl Verkehrs-GmbH ( Memento of the original from July 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . 
3. ↑ Heinrich Marchetti: Stern & Hafferl - Visions with Tradition , 2003, page 57
4. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 years Linzer local train , 1987, page 7
5. ↑ ^{a b c} Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, page 8
6. ^ Helmut Weis: The company Stern & Hafferl II , 1982, page 71
7. ↑ Trade, Industry, Transport and Agriculture. (Railway opening.) Wiener Zeitung, December 19, 1908 [1] .
8. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 years Linzer local train , 1987, page 9-12
9. ↑ ^{a b} Heinrich Marchetti: Stern & Hafferl - Visions with Tradition , 2003, pages 61–62
10. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, page 13
11. ↑ Linzer Tages-Post , 1912, edition of December 13, page 13.
12. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 years Linzer local train , 1987, page 43
13. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of the Linzer Local Railway , 1987, pages 43–50
14. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, pages 34–38
15. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, page 27
16. ^ Heinrich Marchetti: Stern & Hafferl - Visions with Tradition , 2003, pp. 168–170
17. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, pages 24-25
18. ↑ Linzer Volksblatt, 1951, March 23 edition.
19. ^ Heinrich Marchetti: Stern & Hafferl - Visions with Tradition , 2003, page 263
20. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, page 41
21. ↑ ^{a b} ÖBB Infrastruktur Bau press release from November 18, 2005. Archived from the original on December 31, 2005 ; Retrieved March 3, 2013 . 
22. ↑ Stern & Hafferl Newsletter 10/2005. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007 ; Retrieved March 3, 2013 . 
23. ↑ Festival program for integration into the main train station. (PDF) Archived from the original on October 10, 2007 ; Retrieved March 3, 2013 . 
24. ↑ PDF file about setting up the new end station
25. ↑ Entry at kompass.com .
26. ↑ ^{a b} PDF file with the current data from Eisenbahn.at
27. ↑ data sheet at stern-verkehr.at . Archived from the original on January 2, 2009 ; Retrieved March 3, 2013 . 
28. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Stern & Hafferl Verkehrs-GmbH.
29. ↑ Folder: Technical basics for vehicle drivers .
30. ↑ Data sheet ET 22.151-158 ( Memento of the original dated February 16, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 244 kB). 
31. ↑ All data: current vehicle statistics from LILO
32. ^ Zeunert: The small railway - private railways & works railways . Volume 12, 2000, page 92.
33. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 years Linzer local railway , 1987, pages 33-34
34. ↑ Vehicle description E 22.002. (PDF) Archived from the original on October 6, 2007 ; Retrieved March 3, 2013 . 
35. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, page 35
36. ↑ All data: Vehicle statistics of the Linz local railway
37. ↑ Orthophotos Upper Austria .
38. ↑ Karl Zwirchmayr: 75 Years of Linz Local Railway , 1987, pages 28–31
39. ↑ Current timetable ( Memento of the original from December 24, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 5.6 MB). 
40. ↑ Statistics on the transport numbers of the Stern & Hafferl railways.
41. ↑ KPÖ: Neighboring residents refuse subsidies for LILO. Archived from the original on August 22, 2007 ; Retrieved March 3, 2013 . 
42. ↑ Local council resolution Linz 2004 ( Memento of the original from September 29, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
43. ↑ Stern & Hafferl Verkehrs-GmbH, Advertising and Sales Department.
44. ↑ Linzer Lokalbahn wants to integrate the Aschacher Bahn

This article was added to the list of excellent articles on June 2, 2007 in this version .