Ybbstalbahn

The construction of this track proceed in three periods in 1896 - 1898 and after it´s fulfilment the track construction

2095.008 in Lunz am See (photo 7. 5. 1997)

measured 70,9 km. Nowadays the track is divided to two parts. ÖBB operates 54 km of the part from Waidhofen to Lunz am See like the track 13a.

The track departure point is Waidhofen an der Ybbs (the stations on 1435 mm and also on 760 mm and nd depot on 760 mm). Up go out the train rides about historical town nucleus, then above housetops and after viaduct passing it rides over Schwarzbach southeasterly. Up six kilometre in Gstadt goes from the main line east branch, opened in 1899 and leading through valley Small Ybbs to 6 km distant Ybbsitz. After Gstadt the main line turns southwards, continues all the time near Ybbs river and leads to Lunz am See. On the journey the track twice crosses the river. For the first time in Furth - Prolling (km 11,6) then next the station Opponitz departure. Among these points there is in valley a hydraulic power plant and above it there is cutting-off the castle Opponitz. From Opponitz to Lunz am See the track still leads on the right bank. Under Opponitz there is in the only tunnel on the track what browses rock slide and it´s lenght is 87 m.

The track is turning to north-east under Gro3hollenstein (km 25). Under Kogelsbach (km 40) the track enters mountain

5090 in Lunz am See (photo 7. 5. 1997)

section and over Göstling (km 45 - the winter sport center) and Stiegengraben - Ybbstalerhutte (km 47,5) the track ends in Lunz am See. The ride is long one and half an hour. General track camber is 229 m, the maximum rise in this section in 10 per mille and the least curve radius is 60 m.

The section from Lunz am See to Kienberg - Gaming was for it´s small profitability on 29th May 1988 closed. In this mountain track part trains had to step up over sharp curves to the top point on this track near station Pfaffenschlag (km 59,7 - 694 altitude above sea level) and then they continued down to Kienberg - Gaming. The falling was as far as 35 per mille. On this section there are two steel bridges over Wetterbach (79 m) and Huhnernestgraben (94 m). These bridges are with it´s brutalist construction commemorate pioneer times of American railway and they are very untypical for central Europe.

At present this section is operating by private society ÖGLB. The engines park initially contained 3 locos Yv (Krauss and Co.. Linz 1896). These ones however didn´t testified well in spite of frequent derailment in curves and that´s why the locos had to ride backwards and then turn in end station. That´s why there come three locos of the class U in 1898. There acceded already the last steam locomotive of the class Uh in 1928. Diesel traction entered in 1947. In this year also come locomotive of the class 2041 (made in 1936 - 1940), today marked as class 2091. Unfortunately their power was small for this gradient heavy track and that´s why there come locos of the class 2095 in 1962. There was less used steam locos for the train leading nowadays there is on homesick train used only locos Yv2 (598.02).

U12 near Lunz am See (photo 3. 5. 1997)