Southern Railway (Austria)

The Southern Railway is a major railway in Austria. Today, this term refers to the Vienna- Bruck -Graz- field - road ( connecting to Slovenia ) and Bruck an der Mur -Klagenfurt -Villach - Thoerl - Maglern - Tarvisio ( connecting to Italy ). The Southern Railway is part of the core network of the Austrian Federal Railways ( ÖBB).

Historically led the main line of the former Archduke Johann train called the Southern Railway in the north-south direction from Vienna through Lower Austria and Styria and its capital Graz, then about the only in 1918 resulting Slovenian border next pitch - road, to Marburg, Ljubljana and Trieste. The name of Archduke Johann train originated in 1839 after a lecture of John of Austria at the Inner Austrian industry association for the construction of a railway line between Vienna and Trieste. The Southern Railway was the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the connection of Vienna to the Adriatic Sea, Trieste main trading port of the monarchy.

A branch line ran from Bruck an der Mur, Leoben, where the wing section of the kk Crown Prince Rudolf priv -Bahn (KRB ), which leads over Carinthia to the Italian border next Thoerl - Maglern, followed. Today this route is the main line of the Southern Railway.

In contrast to most other Austrian railway lines, the control track on the historic Southern Railway is on the left. On the wings stretch of Bruck an der Mur to Leoben Hbf ( and continue to Tarvisio Boscoverde ) is legal driving. On 6 August 2012, the route between Vienna and Payer -Reichenau was converted to right operation. The occasion was the planned December 2012 opening of the Lainzer Tunnel, which the Western Railway ( usually operating on the right) will connect with the Southern Railway.

2.1 passenger
2.2 freight Transport
2.3 accidents

Building and history

Already in 1829 there was the first idea of a railway line from Vienna to the Adriatic. Franz Xaver Riepl hit it before a route via Bruck an der Leitha, Hungarian Altenburg ( Mosonmagyaróvár ), Szombathely ( Szombathely ), Marburg (Maribor ) and Ljubljana (Ljubljana ) to Trieste. Through the eastern route through Hungary in the Eastern Alps and the Semmering Pass should be avoided.

At the railway construction from Vienna to Hungary was also interested in the entrepreneur Baron Georg Simon Sina to improve the transport over the limited navigable Danube. Therefore he commissioned Matthias Schönerer with the plans for a railway from Vienna Schwechat and Bruck an der Leitha by Raab ( Györ) with a branch to Pressburg ( Bratislava). He also planned a further distance from Vienna to Wiener Neustadt and Ödenburg by Raab. 1836 Sina requested for these routes the authorization for preliminary work at the imperial government. At the same time, there was also in Trieste aspirations for a rail link with Vienna. Sina combined this with his plans and put on his license application for the above routes a further construction to Trieste and the Ofen Pass to view.

Framework

The project of an Austrian railway from Vienna to the then Austrian Mediterranean port of Trieste and after that time also yet to Empire of Austria belonging Milan had to overcome great obstacles topographic. The military strategy for Austria, politically and economically important project coincided with the efforts of the various Italian territories together after a nation-state ( Risorgimento ).

The partial distances between Vienna and Gloggnitz were First put into operation at the northern foot of the Semmering (5 May 1842) and between Mestre ( near Venice ) and Padua, also in 1842. The next leg of the Styrian section between Miirzzuschlag and Graz in 1844 completed (commissioning 24 October. , 1844 ). By the end of the 1840s the routes of Graz followed by Cilli (Celje ) (July 1, 1846) and on to Ljubljana (Ljubljana) (26 September 1849), as well as from Padua to Verona. 1848/49 began operation of the railway in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, the Austrian opponent in ( northern) Italy.

The construction of the spectacular Semmering Railway was started in August 1848. On July 17, 1854, the regular operation of trains could be accommodated between Gloggnitz and Miirzzuschlag. The Southern Railway was thus between Vienna and Ljubljana (Ljubljana) continuous section. The crossing of the watershed between the Danube and the Adriatic Sea with the lines of the car over steep karst until three years later, however, was possible. As of July 12, 1857 they could travel by train through from Vienna to Trieste and from October 12, 1857 also from Venice to Milan. Meanwhile, the Piedmont had a rail network, which at that time was almost as dense as that of Belgium.

As on October 3, 1860, closing the gap between Trieste and Udine allowed a train from Trieste to Milan, the Empire of Austria had the Lombardy and its capital, but already lost to Piedmont-Sardinia. The last track gap between Milan and Piedmont at Magenta was closed on June 1, 1859, three days before the monarchy there lost a battle against Sardinia - Piedmont and France. In the peace treaty of 10 November 1859, the Austrian government took their duties and rights regarding located in Lombardy Railways ( Magenta - Milan - Peschiera, 176 km, Milan - Camerlata - Como, 44 km, along 220 km in operation, along with a number further concessions) from to Sardinia - Piedmont. Located on Austrian territory lines were managed by Vienna, the Lombard from Milan.

In 1861, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, the presented claims to territory in the Empire of Austria. 1866 had all the monarchy with Veneto cede most of the territories claimed via France to the Kingdom of Italy, as a result of the defeat of the German war against the allied Italy with Prussia.

The Vienna - Raab railway to Gloggnitz

On January 2, 1838 Sina received a preliminary permit for the proposed rail lines, but not an exclusive privilege. Then it came on March 20, 1838 establishing the Vienna - Raab Railway Company, of which 12.5 million guilders share chapters were 8.5 million in hand Sina. The original intended designation Kaiser- Ferdinand- south runway was rejected by the emperor.

In April 1839, construction was begun in Baden- section Wiener Neustadt, in August at the section from Baden to Vienna. Then the first section of the later Southern Railway between Baden and Wiener Neustadt was opened on 16 May 1841. The first locomotive that sailed the route was called according to their origin from the U.S. city "Philadelphia". Today reminds the Philadelphia bridge over the south runway at Vienna Meidling it.

On May 29, 1841 opening of the section of Baden -Mödling followed, on June 20 of the year the rest of the way to Vienna. In this section is also the first railway tunnel in Austria, the Gumpoldskirchener tunnel, which is referred to as ugs Busserltunnel. End or starting point of the route was the Vienna - Gloggnitzer station ( by today's count the first South Station ); in the first timetables he was called the main station in Vienna next to the new Belvedere line ( which was referred to the proximity to Belvedere Castle and an intermediate goal of Linienwall ). Due to the competition of the Wiener Neustadt channel, which also belonged to Sina, the volume of goods was low, but the passenger, especially the excursion traffic, from the beginning to develop positively.

In the same year the existing railway line was extended: On 24 October 1841, could start to Neunkirchen, on 5 May 1842 to Gloggnitz on the northern foothills of the Semmering, whose mountains then technically could not be overcome.

Since the railway construction was stalled by Hungary, the company was in 1842 deprived the concession for the further construction to Hungary. The company was renamed Vienna Gloggnitzer Railway Company. After a new license application Sina the construction of the present Eastern Railway between Vienna -Bruck an der Leitha and the Southern Railway branch lines Wiener Neustadt- Katzelsdorf 1844 ( - Sopron ) approved (connection to the emerging Hungarian railway network ) and Mödling - Laxenburg (feeder to the imperial pleasure palace ).

Due to changes in the economic policies of the Austrian government made in 1852 by its takeover law for the Vienna- Gloggnitz, for the Lower Austrian part of the branch-line to Ödenburg to the border with Katzelsdorf and for the branch-line to Laxenburg use. After lengthy negotiations took place on August 30, 1853 to the legal agreement. The routes went with it in the management of kk southern state railway over. The remaining company renamed itself back into Vienna - Raab Railway Company.

The k.k. southern state railway

Despite the Sina the contemplated concession for continued construction of the existing line of Gloggnitz to Trieste took the kk Ministry of Railways and railway construction into their own hands. They wanted the economically important railway construction not leave foreign investors' capital. Thus began the k.k. Southern State Railways in August 1842 under the direction of Carl von Ghega with the railway construction between Miirzzuschlag and Graz. For the first time radii were traced out up to 280 m in Europe. On 21 October 1844, could start. The management was transferred to the Vienna - Gloggnitzer Railway Company.

1843 took the k.k. southern state railway construction work of Graz south to Cilli (Celje ) on. To track construction engineering structures were needed more episodes. The opening of this section of line was made on June 2, 1848. ( Meanwhile, began in March 1848 in Austria, as in other states of the German Confederation, the March Revolution. ) With the opening of the last section in 1849 (now the 1848 revolutions were put down ) you could of Vienna to Ljubljana through travel by train, - with the exception of the Semmering, which had to be overcome by stagecoach.

In August 1848 we started construction work on the Semmering. On May 15, 1854, the train service between Gloggnitz and Miirzzuschlag could be included (→ Main article: Semmering Railway ), bringing the historic Southern Railway to Ljubljana could be driven. The construction of this first mountain railway in Europe, responsible for the Carl von Ghega is considered one of the great moments Austrian railway construction.

The k.k. priv Southern Railway Company

On 1 May 1851, the k.k. took over southern state railway itself the management between Vienna and Ljubljana. On May 23, 1858, she was sent to the k.k. privileged Southern Railway Company will sell, which led the operation until the takeover by the BBÖ 1923.

Electrification data

September 29, 1956: Vienna South - Gloggnitz
September 28, 1957: Gloggnitz - Payer -Reichenau
May 29 1959: Payer -Reichenau - Miirzzuschlag
May 24 1963: Miirzzuschlag -Bruck an der Mur
May 22 1966: Bruck an der Mur, Graz Hbf
May 29 1972: Graz Hbf - field - road
27 May 1977: Field - road state line n pitch - road ( - Maribor ) (3 kV DC )

Operation

In the two border stations of the Southern Railway, Tarvis and field - road, customs controls have since November 1918 been for decades and people. In Tarvisio customs controls with Austria's EU accession have ceased to exist on 1 January 1995, the control of persons on 1 December 1997. In pitch - road customs controls with Slovenia's EU accession were terminated on January 1, 2004, the control of persons at 21 December, 2007.

Passenger

The Southern Railway was well frequented in the 1970s towards Venice and Trieste; now this long-distance transport has declined sharply due to the competition from air travel deals and private cars. Whether the planned Semmering base tunnel and under construction, but very controversial Koralmbahn that is to speed up the traffic between Styria and Carinthia, may contribute to the renaissance of the long-distance transport, remains open.

Since the timetable change 2008/2009 the Southern Railway from Vienna is served hourly to Graz with additional stay in Kapfenberg and every two hours to Villach (partly to Lienz ). In addition, there are days in outlying Quick links with a few stays. Between Bruck an der Mur- Übelstein Graz and the route is also used by long-distance trains from Salzburg / Innsbruck. Trains to Carinthia East Tyrol, or are accelerated by the loss of stays. About half of the pairs of trains is performed with Railjet sets, with the remaining distance carriages.

The most underutilized piece of track of the Southern Railway between Vienna and Vienna Meidling Liesing, here drive about 370 passenger trains per day. These are mainly, next to the Highway, S -Bahn trains of the series 4020 who terminate their journey in Vienna Liesing, Mödling, Leobersdorf or Wiener Neustadt Hbf. Furthermore, be between Šatov in Znojmo (North Western Railway ) and Břeclav ( Northern Railway ), both border stations to the Czech Republic, and Payer -Reichenau out on the Vienna S- Bahn route mostly bunk pull trains with modern locomotives of the series 1116. Since the double -deck coaches can not be used because of profile overruns over the Semmering, run between Payer -Reichenau and Miirzzuschlag primarily railcars Series 4020th On the weekend run further experience trains of ÖBB- adventure ride, pulled by locomotives nostalgia. In the S -Bahn Graz between Bruck an der Mur and pitch - road mostly pull trains come with locomotives of the series in 1144 and 1116 as well as railcars of type talent to use.

The (third) Vienna south was hit by Southern Railway trains recently on December 12, 2009. Since 13 December 2009, at long-distance trains of the Southern Railway from / to Vienna Meidling, mostly local trains on the Vienna S- Bahn route since December 9, 2012 with the station Wien Hauptbahnhof (platforms 1 and 2 in the down position). From the South on the Eastern Railway passing over local trains are already being held on the main station - platforms in high position since that day. Long-distance trains of Eastern Railway until early 2014 via Vienna Meidling to Westbahnhof, as the main station is not yet completed.

Freight traffic

The previously recognized on its own southern railway systems compilation of freight trains from the Vienna area is now done mostly in central at Wien - Kledering. As a result of the railway freight station hardly made use of the Vienna South Station in 2009 was demolished. The reaching of the Western Railway in Vienna on the Southern Railway freight train traffic will no longer pass through the historical connection train, but by the Lainzer tunnel, since December 9, 2012.

The freight trains are usually nachgeschoben between Gloggnitz and Miirzzuschlag freight station on the basis of the slopes over the Semmering. Since the summer of 2008, freight trains a private railway company operating on the Southern Railway. The company Logistics and Transport GmbH (LTE ) performs three times a week over the border station Rosenbach / Jesenice a Kerosinzug of Schwechat ( oil refinery at Vienna) to Luka Koper in the Slovenian Adriatic coast. Furthermore, a container train the same company in some working days travel on the route between Koper and the freight terminal in Kalsdorf bei Graz (via pitch - road ).

Accidents

On October 21, 1918 went to the entrance to Kapfenberg station of the express train No. 5 from Vienna to Ljubljana on a freight train and a Fronturlauberzug in the opposite direction in the wreckage of the accident site into it. 13 people died, including the director responsible for the locomotives of the Southern Railway in his saloon car.

Extension

The Southern Railway section Graz- Puntigam state line next pitch - road (29,4 km ) after the Second World War - built single track back - specifically in 1956 under Transport Minister Karl Waldbrunner. Two tracks remaining the turnout Gralla. The two-track recovery is divided into seven phases of construction. In the first stage of the route Graz- Kalsdorf -Werndorf produced two tracks. On 22 November 2009, the section Lebring - Kaindorf was taken two tracks in operation. In construction of the section Kaindorf - Leibnitz ( with train station reconstruction ) Wagna. The commissioning of the part of the two-pronged expansion of the Southern Railway since December 2009 extensively modernized station Leibnitz took place with the opening on November 5, 2012. The next stages of development are still in the planning stage and include the sections Werndorf - Wildon, Wildon - Lebring, Wagna - Retznei, Retznei - Hausen honor and glory Hausen- state border.

With the help of the Semmering base tunnel (SBT, sod on April 25, 2012) and the Koralmbahn the capacity of the Southern Railway is to be increased significantly.

There is already for a long time in building the Koralmbahn, the Southern Railway will connect through the Koralmtunnel with Carinthia expected in 2023 and enables you to run between the provincial capitals of Graz and Klagenfurt from just one hour. The Koralmbahn is south of Graz, branch off the highway bridge in Feldkirchen, of the Southern Railway and get a tunnel station at Graz Airport. Experts have considerable doubt as to whether the high investment costs can ever pay for themselves in these two projects, and whether they will lead to a significant increase in frequency on the Southern Railway. Since December 13, 2010 (first cross-feed the main train station from 6.23) traveled trains GKB the S -Bahn line S6 on the Koralmbahn - sections Graz- Feldkirchen- Seiersberg (from here on, swung on to Werndorf adapted southern railway line ) and Werndorf ( diversion of the Southern Railway at km - mark 230.1 ) Hengsbergtunnel - Hengsberg - Wettmannstätten; here is the link area Koralmbahn (km 30.917 to 31.957 ) / TBI Wieserbahn (km 16.903 to 18.169 ). The S6 currently runs on the Wieser Bahn route to the terminus Wies- Eibiswald; future runs the S6 over the Koralmbahn IC Station "West Styria "; for two -distance connections Wieserbahn / Koralmbahn be made : in Groß St. Florian (object under construction ) and near Frauental (object configured).

Pictures

Glass facade of the newly constructed building of the Shoo Wiener Neustadt Central Station

The end of the Austrian Southern Railway in field

Advertising of the Southern Railway Company for their routes anno 1898

Vienna Local Route (1899 )

Miirzzuschlag - Marburg ( 1899)

Marburg -Trieste (1899 )

Kufstein -Ala (1899 )

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