Altfelden: Austrian railways real and model


Comments welcome :
charlie@davenportstation.org.uk


Passenger workings by Class 2016 locos of Wels depot, Mon-Fri, December 2008

Table 142:

3108 06:15 Linz Urfahr - Rottenegg 06:36
3111 07:07 Rottenegg - Linz Urfahr 07:29

in Summer 2009 an additional pair of trains operated as loco-hauled,
to cater for cyclists:

3180  09:30 Linz Urfahr - Aigen Schlägl  11.01
3187  11:14 Aigen Schlägl - Linz Urfahr  12.59

Table 133:

6374 06:01 Grein Bad Kreuzen - Linz 07:05
6381 16:02 Linz - Grein Bad Kreuzen 17:13

Table 151:

5944 06:21 Wels - Simbach 07:45
966 06:53 Linz - München 09:55
5970 16:40 Linz - Braunau am Inn 18:23
963 17:48 München - Linz 21:09
5943 06:10 Braunau am Inn - Linz 07:55

Table 190:

5800 04:30 Braunau am Inn - Salzburg 05:50
5804 05:49 Braunau am Inn - Salzburg    07:06
5802 05:22 Braunau am Inn - Steindorf 06:11
5803 06:31 Steindorf - Braunau am Inn 07:22
5822 14:05 Braunau am Inn - Steindorf 14:50
5819 15:05 Steindorf - Braunau am Inn 15:50
5826 16:02 Braunau am Inn - Steindorf 16:52
5823 16:38 Salzburg - Braunau am Inn 17:53




Upper Austrian rails in the snow, November 2008




Our Advent Austrian Adventure of November 2008 started in the old Roman capital of Wels (above.) We stayed for a couple of nights here, at the nice old Hotel Gösser Brau which was running its own Christmas Market in the back yard!



Recent rebuilding of this busy station on the Westbahn includes an enclosed glass footbridge from which reasonable pictures can be obtained, although with a slight colour cast. This is 1016 034 in Railjet livery.



Diesel loco-hauled local trains are getting hard to find, especially in daylight: we travelled west to Steindorf bei Straßwalchen to catch this one, the 15:05 to Braunau am Inn, with 2016 063. In the bay is 2068 021, the station shunter.



This train is not well-loaded, being the return working of the 14:05 'school train' from Braunau, so I had chance to take some interior details of the Schlleren vehicles. Type Bp no. 50 81 29 35 005-6 which is one of the very first batch, bult in 1965 and still going. These early batches had basic-style furnishings, and were initially painted green: the upholstery was also green at that time. See our Schlieren coach page.



The various colours of the interior.



The same vehicle at Braunau. It has been repainted into simplified livery at some stage, but the exterior paintwork is in poor condition.



On arrival at Braunau at 15:50, we found a freight train in the sidings, with 2016 073.



Our coaches were removed to the sidings by Braunau pilot 2070 022.



5047s came and went as darkness fell.  Extreme overcrowding could be noted on these evening peak workings.



We stayed for a few nights at Obernberg - Altheim on the line from Braunau towards Ried, enabling a photo survey of the station and also access to the nearby thermal spa of Geinberg. This station is 10 km (!) from Obernberg, and 2 km from Altheim ....



...  but adjacent to the station (left, above) was the Pension Gadermair, a very pleasant B & B, and evening meals can be taken at the friendly Gasthaus Rabler, just along the road.



The station has some freight facilities, including this Lagerhaus : the pipe crossing the road is for loading grain wagons.



Geinberg spa is served by the halt at Geinberg, about 10 minutes walk uphill to the village and spa, but well worth a visit. The water is lovely and warm, even in the open air pool. Above, the view from the village churchyard, with a 5047 passing.



Night scene at Obernberg-Altheim.



A snowy walk to the river Inn took us past this church at Kirchdorf am Inn, built from the rock known tuffstein, in English 'tufa' a rock created when carbonate minerals are precipitated out of spring water.



An artistic view across the Inn flood plain near Kirchdorf.



On to the crossroads station of Ried im Innkreis. 2016 070 is on a lunchtime local freight trip.



2016 073 engages in a little shunting.



Station ambience.



From Ried we travelled by 5047 over the hilly 'Hausruck' line to Attnang-Puchheim through a one-time coal mining area. This modern station building is at Eberschwang.



Back at Wels for the overnight train, the first stage of our homeward journey. This 4024 is on a stopping service.



Wels Christmas market.



The Wasserturm illuminated.



Our train was the legendary 'Orient Express', although we were travelling in the Amsterdam portion.






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