In October, Czech steam power took to the Austrian main line. Dave Rodgers captured it along with the reopening of a narrow gauge line with Yugoslavian steam power.
The premier Austrian rail enthusiasts’ group ÖGEG arranged a special weekend at its depot at Ampflwang, over the weekend of October 3/4. Two guest locomotives visited from the Czech Republic – Class 475 4-8-2 No. 475.179 (from Decin depot and one of 147 engines produced by Skoda in Plzen) and Bo-Bo diesel-electric T478.3001.
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In conjunction with the event, on Saturday, October 3, Austrian enthusiast Alex Loidl arranged a main line photo charter using No. 475.179 from Ried im Innkreis via the Hausruck line to Attnang-Puchheim and forward to Ampflwang hauling five large bogie coaches crewed by Czechs with an Austrian pilotman.
Some 15-20 enthusiasts paid for the charter (which ran as empty stock) and chased the train by car with the train stopping at pre-determined points on the steeply-graded route. Both Czech locomotives featured in a parade of engines around the large turntable at Ampflwang and later at a night photo session at the 21-road half roundhouse.
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Following disastrous flood damage in 2005 which resulted in its closure, the Pinzgauerbahn, a 53km/33 mile, 76cm (2ft 6in) gauge line from Zell am See to Krimml in Austria, has been totally rebuilt to a very high standard with welded track and concrete sleepers. Despite the narrow gauge, modern railcars operate an hourly service (with extras at peak times), smoothly at speeds of 80kph/50mph. Previously one of the few surviving OBB (Austrian State Railways) narrow gauge branch lines, the line was taken over by the Salzburg Provincial Government in 2008.
The Pinzgauerbahn additionally operates a steam service throughout the summer months. The last such service of the year ran on Thursday, October 1, when newly restored former Yugoslavian Class 73 passenger 2-6-2 No. 73-019 provided the power. It has been obtained on extended loan from Club 760 at Frojach and received a full overhaul at Ceske Velenice Works in the Czech Republic; its first run post-restoration was on July 11, 2015.
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After the occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1878, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy built a large 76cm narrow gauge network with a total length of around 2000km. In 1907 Krauss & Co. of Linz designed a 2-6-2 narrow gauge locomotive for fast passenger services. Between 1907 and 1913, 23 of them were built for the Bosnia-Herzegovina State Railways, where they ran as class IIIb5. The first 15 were built by Kraus; the other seven by MAVAG in Budapest.
With a wheel diameter of 1100mm/3ft 71/2in, they easily achieved speeds of 60kph; a remarkable speed for those times when the standard speed was just 35kph.
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The locomotives were very successful and were mainly used between Bosnisch Brod and Sarajevo, but also in other areas. After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1918 and the creation of Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav State Railways JDŽ (JŽ after 1954) ran them as class 73.
In addition to No. 73-019 working on the Pinzgauerbahn, another 76cm/2ft 6in gauge line in the Austrian Tirol – the famous 32km long Zillertalbahn – regularly uses another former Yugoslav engine on its peak season steam services.
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Read more News and Features in Issue 240 of HR – on sale April 6!
Archive enquiries to: Jane Skayman on 01507 529423 – [email protected]
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