Schneeberg Railway

The Schneeberg Railway (German: Schneebergbahn) is a local railway line in Lower Austria running from Wiener Neustadt to the Hochschneeberg mountain. From Wiener Neustadt to Puchberg am Schneeberg it runs as a standard gauge, adhesion railway (main section) and from Puchberg am Schneeberg to the Hochschneeberg as a narrow-gauge, cog railway (extension).[1] The main section from Wiener Neustadt to Puchberg am Schneeberg had a branch to Wöllersdorf from the outset. The section built later from Sollenau to Feuerwerksanstalt (extension) is now closed and renaturalised.

This article is about the Schneeberg Railway in the Vienna Basin, with standard gauge and narrow gauge sections. For the cog railway, see Schneeberg Railway (cog railway).
Schneeberg Railway - main section
Wiener Neustadt−Puchberg am Schneeberg
Puchberg am Schneeberg station
Left: the tracks of the cog railway. Right: the standard gauge railway
Overview
Line number163
Technical
Line length28.205 km (17.526 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Minimum radius150 m (490 ft)
Maximum incline5.2  %
Route map

 Southern Railway
from Vienna Südbahnhof
-1,519
 Wiener Neustadt Hbf
0,000
 Wiener Neustadt Schneeberg station
 Mattersburg Railway
to Sopron
 Aspang Railway
to Aspang
 Southern Railway to Spielfeld-Straß
1,047
 Road bridge
B 26
 Approaches to Wiener Neustadt
2,105
 Wiener Neustadt Anemonensee
3,674
 Road bridge
Süd autobahn
5,289
 Bad Fischau-Brunn
280 m (AA)
 Branch to Wöllersdorf
≈6,3
 Branch
to Bad Fischau
6,598
 Brunn an der Schneebergbahn
8,611
 Weikersdorf
8,793
 Bridge
1st Viennese Spring Water Pipeline
≈10,3
 Siding
Curti Limestone Works
10,408
 Bridge
Prossetbach
10,545
 Winzendorf
332 m above sea level (AA)
12,850
 Urschendorf
≈14,3
 Strelzhof
 to Neunkirchen
15,410
 Willendorf
385 m above sea level (AA)
16,120
 Rothengrub
17,525
 Unterhöflein
20,607
 Grünbach am Schneeberg
557 m above sea level (AA)
22,143
 Grünbach School
≈22,8
 Siding
Grünbacher Coal Works
22,988
 Grünbach Coal Works
23,992
 Grünbacher Sattel
678 m above sea level (AA)
26,809
 Siding
Rigips & Co.
26,820
 Bridge
Pfenningbach
26,850
 Pfenningbach
590 m above sea level (AA)
27,831
 Bridge
Pfenningbach
28,010
 Puchberg am Schneeberg
577 m above sea level (AA)
Schneeberg Railway extension
Puchberg am Schneeberg–Hochschneeberg cog railway
Cog railway on the Hochschneeberg
Overview
Line number198 01
Service
Route number523
Technical
Line length9.851 km (6.121 mi)
Rack systemSystem Abt
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Minimum radius80 m (260 ft)
Operating speed15 km/h (9.3 mph) max.
Maximum incline19.6  %
Route map
0,000
 Puchberg am Schneeberg
577 m (AA)
Standard gauge railway junction
0,205
Sebastianbach
1,098
 Hengsttal
613 m above sea level (AA)
3,040
 Hauslitzsattel
824 m above sea level (AA)
4,523
 Hengst Hut
1,012 m above sea level (AA)
5,030
Water point at Hengst
5,940
 Ternitzerhütte
1,231 m above sea level (AA)
7,360
 Baumgartner
1,398 m above sea level (AA)
7,360
Water point at Baumgartner
8,532
Tunnel 1 (177 m)
8,886
Tunnel 2 (202 m)
9,672
 Hochschneeberg
terminus
1,792 m above sea level (AA)
Schneeberg Railway - branch
Bad Fischau-Brunn−Wöllersdorf
Wöllersdorf station – junction with the Gutenstein Railway
Overview
Line number166
Technical
Line length5.519 km (3.429 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Minimum radius170 m (560 ft)
Maximum incline2.0  %
Route map

 Main section
from Wiener Neustadt
0,000
 Bad Fischau-Brunn
280 m (AA)
 Main section
to Puchberg am Schneeberg
 Branch
to Puchberg am Schneeberg
0,686
 Bad Fischau
1,657
 Road bridge
Süd Autobahn
 Bridge
1st Viennese Spring Water Pipeline
2,997
 Siding
Firm of MABA
3,054
 Feuerwerksanstalt
3,311
 Siding
Firm of Stainer
 Branch to Steinabrückl
3,644
 Road bridge
B 21b
4,852
 Road bridge
Süd autobahn
 Gutenstein Railway
from Wittmannsdorf
5,519
 Wöllersdorf
328 m above sea level (AA)
 Gutenstein Railway
to Gutenstein
Schneeberg Railway - link line
Sollenau (Aspang Railway)−Feuerwerksanstalt
Feuerwerksanstalt. Right near the road: the
trackbed of the Schneeberg line
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Route map

 Aspang Railway
from Vienna
 from Wittmannsdorf
0,0
 Sollenau Aspang Railway
 Aspang Railway
to Felixdorf
 to Ebenfurth
 to Felixdorf
 to Felixdorf
 Southern Railway
 Bridge
Spring water pipeline
 Gutenstein Railway
from Wittmanndorf
6,9
 Steinabrückl
 Gutenstein Railway
to Wöllersdorf
 Branch
from Wöllersdorf
8,8
 Feuerwerksanstalt
 Branch
to Bad Fischau-Brunn
Railway lines in the Wiener Neustadt region
Railway lines in the Wiener Neustadt region

The line's name - the Schneeberg Railway (Schneebergbahn) - was not only used in the title of the original operating company, the Schneeberg Railway Company Limited, (Actiengesellschaft der Schneebergbahn), but has also been adopted by its latest operator, the Lower Austrian Schneeberg Railway Company (Niederösterreichsche Schneebergbahn GmbH or NÖSBB) founded on 1 January 1997. However, the NÖSBB uses the name Schneebergbahn only for the cog railway section of the route.

Management

Whilst the operation of the standard gauge section of the Schneeberg Railway is handled by the ÖBB, the management of the narrow-gauge rack railway is carried out by the Lower Austrian Schneeberg Railway Company founded in 1997, in which the state of Lower Austria - in the guise of the "Lower Austrian Transport Organization Company" (NÖVOG) - and the ÖBB each have a 50 percent share.[2]

The journey time on the main section from Wiener Neustadt to Puchberg am Schneeberg takes regional trains approximately 45 minutes on the non-electrified single track. On average 15 to 20 Regionalzüge trains run in each direction daily.

The Schneeberg Railway on the extension line from Puchberg am Schneeberg to the Hochschneeberg is a narrow gauge rack railway that has become an important tourist attraction in southern Lower Austria, transporting 120000–130000 registered guests per year.[2]

The journey up the mountain takes 53 minutes using modern coaches. Heritage trips using steam traction and the original carriages still take 1 hour, 17 minutes. The trains to the Hochschneeberg run hourly depending on demand. Adverse weather conditions can cause restrictions or changes to the train service. Services are operated from late April to late October depending on the weather. In addition, in April, special trips to the Hengst Hut are laid on.[3]

Photos
  • The original locomotive No. 22 Klaus was operated by the ÖBB as 92.2220 until the 1960s
    The original locomotive No. 22 Klaus was operated by the ÖBB as 92.2220 until the 1960s
  • Boundary stone for the Schneeberg Railway
    Boundary stone for the Schneeberg Railway
  • Willendorf station
    Willendorf station
  • An ÖBB 5047 at Puchberg station
    An ÖBB 5047 at Puchberg station
  • Two-car set of Class 5147 at Brunn Halt
    Two-car set of Class 5147 at Brunn Halt
  • Steam engine monument
    Steam engine monument
  • The Schneeberg Railway and its neighbouring lines around 1915 (special map of the state records
    The Schneeberg Railway and its neighbouring lines around 1915 (special map of the state records

See also

References
  1. ÖNB: Reichsgesetzblatt 156/1895
  2. Press release of 25 March 1998
  3. Schneebergbahn GmbH

Sources
  • Alfred Niel: Der Schneeberg und seine Bahn, Verlag Kurt Wedl, Melk 1967
  • Informationsbroschüre der Österreichischen Bundesbahnen: Die Schneebergbahn seit 1897, ÖBB 1992
  • Slezak: Vom Schiffskanal zur Eisenbahn – Wiener Neustädter Kanal und Aspang Railway (2. Auflage), Verlag Josef Otto Slezak, Wien 1989
  • Alfred Luft: 75 Jahre Schneebergbahn 1897–1972, Verlag Verein der Freunde der Murtalbahn, Murau 1972
  • Slezak: Schneebergbahn bei Wien (ESA Heft Nr. 18), Verlag Josef Otto Slezak, Wien 1985
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