Semmering Line Winter

The Semmering Railroad in winter. This is the preview page for your Semmering railway winter image selection. Additionally some galleries with summer photographs are prepared: part 1, part 2. part 3, part 4 and 150 years. For geo orientation click on the area map symbol left!

The majority of the images were taken in 2003 and 2004, but some are older from the eighties and nineties of last century. Left the uphill view from the RRX-ing at the Breitenstein station. Later the line continues towards Krauselklause and Polleroswand.

57 former railway attendant buildings like this were positioned along the Semmering line. Many of them are located close to viaducts or tunnels. In the background a slope of the Red Mountain is visible, on which the line continues after passing the Kalte Rinne viaduct.

In summer plants growing on viaducts and close to the line are visible frequently. Because of the missing leafs, no such plants are disturbing the photographic view in winter. This opens an additional potential of possible locations for taking pictures.

In contradiction to the mentioned summer galleries which nearly fully document the line, winter images are just selective today.

Scroll down and click on the preview thumbnails to get an enlarged view. Forward and backward buttons are available in enlarged presentation too.
 

This is the Payerbach Reichenau station area. A push pull train is waiting for the next departure. In former times a narrow gauge line to Hirschwang was in operation from here. Today on summer weekends historic operation is scheduled on the narrow gauge (1/2004).

Click on the images to get an enlarged presentation!

  
 

The line reaches the station of Klamm Schottwien located in a fine panorama section. In a long bend the train approaches the Klamm tunnel. Today a lot of trees prevent such open view (about 1990).

  
  View on the Wagner viaduct from the hillside. Intercity Burgenstadt Friesach is passing the building. In summer many leafs would disturb this view. Next the train will pass the Klamm tunnel and then reach the area shown on the image before (12/2003). (top of page)  
 

IC Romy Schneider appears at 1:55 pm on the Wagner viaduct. The composition of carriages is internationally colourful. In the back, the Rumpler farm is visible at the slope. Just upper arches are visible. Below additional 5 basic arches are existing (12/2003).

  
  At 3:39 shadows are getting longer and longer. Train E 1652 consisting of two clutched push pull combinations is rolling downhill. In former times a railroad cross-over was existing here, directly adjacent to the viaduct (1/2004).  
  This one shows the Rumpler viaduct which is located close before the Weinzettlwand tunnel. In summer a lot of leafs would disturb this view (1/2003). (top of page)  
  The Weinzettlwand - and Weinzettlfeld tunnel need to be passed between the last image and this position. Now the Breitenstein area is reached. A freight train headed by a class 1042 loco is approaching the tunnel portal (about 1989)  
  The Breitenstein station is passed by IC 559 at 3:11 pm. Taurus locos showing this "Pflatsch" called former OeBB logo are dieing out more and more. Today the new character type logo visible on many other photographs is used (1/2004).  
  Even at noon, shadows are rather long in winter. The freight train passes the Breitenstein station at the same position as the IC train on the image before. Left down the first rocks of Spiess Wand rock face are visible. Few meters in front of the loco, the Breitenstein RRX-ing will be passed (1/2004).
(top of page)		  
  Loco 1142.698 and another old class 1042 still with standard pantograph haul some freight train uphill, passing the Spiess Wand section. Next the Krauselklause area will be passed (12/2003).  
 

1116.008 is an early built Taurus class loco. At that time the engines were equipped with three pantographs, because of the catenary geometry used in Hungary, which was different from the Austrian. Today Taurus engines have just two pantographs, because Hungary adapted to the Austrian geometry. In the background the Weinzettlwand rock face is visible (12/2003).

  
  Train IC 534 Burgenstadt Friesach has passed the Krauselklause viaduct and now comes through the 14 m short tunnel. In winter it is sometimes difficult to capture the high light contrasts well. Smoothly the old 4010 composition is rolling downhill (12/2003). (top of page)  
  Two early generation class 1042 locomotives haul the freight train uphill on the Krauselklause viaduct. The front one has a one stripe design, the second one a three stripe (12/2003).  
  View from the opposite track side. Because of the rather large side distance of the reconstructed parapets they don't disturb much. From this view point, also the earth cable is okay. The 1016.038 shows the latest Taurus design release (1/2003).  
  The railcar train left the Polleroswand tunnel and is approaching now the Krauselklause viaduct. At the opposite side of the Polleroswand tunnel the viaduct across the "Kalte Rinne" chains on (1/2003). (top of page)  
  This one I selected because of the class 2016 tandem which is hauling a freight train uphill. The front engine shows an advertisement poster of the Korridor XLine company. The first four arches of the Kalte Rinne viaduct are already pased (12/2003).  
  Why the second carriage of this inter city train is a commuter wagon, I don't know. Shiny weather and a lot of snow are the fine ingredients of this shot, showing a class 1044 loco entering the Polleros tunnel (1/2004)  
  January 6th was the day I had been keen since a long time. Fine sunshine and a lot of snow fallen the days before, seemed to be ideal conditions for impressive shots. To reach my panorama position, I had to climb up the mountain in knee deep snow and temperatures of - 10° C. The result confirms the UNESCO decision to declare the line and the landscape as world cultural heritage (1/2004). (top of page)  
  The last sun rays disappeared close before this shot. Only some parts of the catenary system are still directly sun illuminated. Inter city train Johann Nestroy crosses the lower Adlitzgraben viaduct on the way to Vienna (1/2004).  
  After passing the Kartnerkogel tunnel, the inter city train 537 ADEG enters the Semmering station area which has an elevation of about 894 m above sea level. In the back the Kreuzberg mountain is visible (1/2004).  
  In Winter a lot of snow removing work needs to be done at the Semmering station (about 1990). (top of page)  
  This photograph was taken from a location above the tunnel entrances. Left side the station building is visible. In the foreground the point system is visible, allowing to reach each of the both tunnels from every station track (about 1990).  
Navigation: rail world select - Semmering: part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - Part 4 - 150 years
Last Update: November 2004 - send me an email
-- content + design © ebepe - the ebepe pages - www.ebepe.com and www.eberhard.at - 1999 : 2004 --