ÖBB - SEMMERINGBAHN - BREITENSTEIN - January 2011 - Railway

ÖBB - SEMMERINGBAHN - BREITENSTEIN - January 2011 - Railway

Date: 110129 - BREITENSTEIN/KLAMM; SEMMERINGBAHN;

The Semmering railway, Austria, which starts at Gloggnitz and leads over the Semmering to Mürzzuschlag was the first mountain railway in Europe built with a standard gauge track. It is commonly referred to as the world's first true mountain railway, given the very difficult terrain and the considerable altitude difference that was mastered during its construction. It is still fully functional as a part of the South railway which is oparated by the Austrian Federal Railways.

Across an overall track length of 41 km the Semmering railway overcomes an altitude difference of 460 m; on 60% of its length the gradient is 20-25‰ (2-2.5%, equivalent to a 1-meter difference in altitude on a 40 m route distance), and 16% exhibit a curvature radius of only 190 m. This was an entirely new technical dimension of railway construction, and new instruments and methods of surveying had to be developed to handle the resulting challenges. Also, new technologies were employed for the Engerth locomotives because the types in general use at this time could not handle the extreme gradients and turning radii.

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Travel & Events

Tags:

• ÖBB
• SEMMERINGBAHN
• BREITENSTEIN
• January
• 2011
• Railway