Semmering Railway, Austria
Part 2 - Tunnels and Viaducts Seen From the Train

Payerbach-Reichenau to Semmering


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This part 2 of my presentation of the Semmering Railway. This part is photographed from the train or in a few cases from the stations along the line. Fortunately we were on a regional train where the windows can be opened for picturetaking. The direction of travel is from the valley up to Semmring in 896m elevation. This train started out in Wiener Neustadt in 265m elevation and was pulled by two engines.

This railway is a Unesco 'World Heritage Site': Not only does the railway travel through a beautiful landscape; it takes ingenious advantage of the features of the landscape in order to gain height and it nevertheless blends nicely in, and , finally, it was the first railway to cross the Alps. Being able to cross the Alps using regular traction was a big achievement. Other solutions were considered, hereunder horse carriages on the steepest grades, but the line's constructor, Karl Ritter von Ghegas, was able to make a convincing case for a regular railway and succeeded building it. The line opened in 1854 and has been in use since.

We have made three trips to the Semmering Railway: 2004, 2005, and 2007. In 2004 our train was a CityShuttle pulled by two engines, in 2005 just one engine. In 2007 the train was a boringly looking, blue and white S-train set, obviously retired from service in Vienna.

Image Km 82.0 Payerback-Reichenau Station
Elevation 495m
The 'real' mountain railway line begins shortly after this station. On the 7km long strech from Glognitz leading to Payerback-Reichenau the line only gained 56m in elevation
Schwarzatal Viaduct
Length 227m, height 24.6, slope 1:100
The viaduct consists of 13 arches where the middle five have a span of 19.9m and the rest a span of 9.8m. The viaduct curves with a radius of 253m.
The line from here to Klamm is very steep, 1:40
Km 83.2 Payerbachgraben Viaduct
Elevation 502m, length 61m, height 15.2m
This viaduct is composed of 5 arches
Image Km 84.8 Küb Station
Elevation 545m
Image Km 85 Kübgraben Viaduct
557m, length 42m, height 18m, slope 1:45
This viaduct has three arches. The viaduct curves left with a radius of 190m.
Looking left out of the train (which means looking northeast since the line is doubling back here) one has a view of the Schneeberg mountain.
Km 85.7 Pettenbach Tunnel
Elevation 568m, length 185m
This is the first tunnel we encounter
Km 85.9 Hölgraben Viaduct
Elevation 568m, length 82m, height 28m, slope 1:200
5 arches, track radius 288m. Shortly afetr this viaduct the slope of the line increases again
Image Km 86.6 Steinbauer Tunnel
Elevation 569m, length 88m
The tunnel curves right with a track radius of 285m
Km 87.5 Abfaltersbachgraben Viaduct
Elevation 598m, length 93m, height 30m
5 arches. The following short strech to Eichberg has a very steep slope of 1:45.
The viaduct curves left with a radius of 190m
Km 88.2 Eichberg Station
Elevation 610m
The slope of the line is a respectable 1:40 from here untill the station Klamm
Km 89.1 Eichberg Tunnel
Elevation 628m, length 89m
Km 89.4 Geyregger Tunnel
Elevation 635m, length 81m
The tunnel curves to the right with a radius of 284m
Km 91.0 Rumpler Tunnel
Elevation 686m, length 52m
The tunnel curves right with a radius of 284m
Km 92.3 Klamm-Schottwein Station
Elevation 699 meter
Image Km 92.7 Klamm Tunnel
Elevation 704m, length 191m
The line turns left leaving Klamm, then right into the tunnel. The tunnel continues the right turn with a radius of 190m
Image Km 93.5 Wagnergraben Viaduct
Elevation 714m, length 142m, height 39m
This is the second tallest viaduct on the line; only the Kalte Rinne viaduct is taller. It has two storeys of arches. It curves left with a radius of just 190m
Km 94.3 Gamperlgraben Viaduct
Elevation 725m, length 112m, height 37m, slope 1:45
Two storey viaduct, with 5 arches in the lower storey, and 7 in the upper one. The viaduct curves with a radius of 190m.
Image Km 94.5 Gamperl Tunnel
Elevation 737m, length 78m
At the tunnel exit there is a view across the valley towards Semmering.
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Km 95.3 Rumplergraben Viaduct
Elevation 756m, length 44m, height 19m, slope 1:200
This viaduct has 3 arches.
Weinzettlwand Tunnel
Length 688m, curve radius 190m.

The side wall of this tunnel opens up in part to the outside.
Image Km 96.7 Weinzettlfeld Tunnel
Elevation 785m, length 239m, track radius 379m.
Here we exit the tunnel and switch to the rightmost track to get to the platform at Breitenstein.
Image Km 97.6: Breitenstein Station
Elevation 792m
Image Km 98.1 Kleiner Krausel Tunnel
Elevation 804m, length: 13.55m
This photograph was taken from the Doppelreiterkogel lookout tower rather than from the train
Image The tunnel seen from the train, direction downhill towards Breitenstein
Image Km 98.1 Krauselklause Viaduct
Elevation 806m, length 87m, slope 1:60
This viaduct has two storeys of arches. It runs a straight line and cannot be photographed from the train.
Image Km 98.2 Polleroswand Tunnel
Length 337m
Also here we must resort to a photo taken from Doppelreiterkogel
Image Km 98.7 Kalte Rinne Viaduct
Elevation 813m, length 184m, height 46m, slope 1:60
The longest and highest viaduct on this railway line. Five arches on the lower level and 10 arches on the upper level. The viaduct curves left with a track radius of 190m.
Image Km 100.4 Adlitzgraben Viaduct
Elevation 851m, length 151m, height 24m
This photo was taken on the return trip and shows the viaduct direction downhill.
Km 100.7 Weberkogel Tunnel
Elevation 867m, length 406.91m
Small Bridge
A bridge which appears to have no name
Image Km 101.4 Wolfsberg Tunnel
Elevation 867m, length 440m
Entering the tunnel going uphill.
Image Km 102.1 Wolfsbergkogel Station

Wolfsbergkogel Station is located right at the Wolfsberg Tunnel exit.
The photo was made out the window of the last car and illustrates how sharp the curves are. The trains run on the left track in this part of Austria.
Image We're continuing uphill, next station will be Semmering. The train is just about to enter the Kartnerkogel Viaduct which begins right where the plattforms end.
Image Km 102.6 Kartnerkogel Viaduct
Elevation 886m, length 44m, height 16m
The viaduct is photographed from a point above Wolfsbergkogel Station. The view is uphill, direction Semmering.
Image Kartnerkogel Tunnel
Length 201.16m
This is the last tunnel before arriving at Semmering. The photo shows the entrance uphill direction Semmering. Our car is still on the Kartnerkogel Viaduct.
Image Km 103.4 Semmering Station
Elevation 896m.
We have arrived at Semmering and the engines get a five minute rest to cool off.

Semmering is at the highest point on the line. Next to the station is a monument to the designer of the Semmering Railway, Karl Ritter von Ghega (see below).
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Image Semmering Tunnel
Length 1434m/1512m - the two tubes do not run parallel and have different lengths. The longer one was built in 1952 replacing one of the original tubes which had collapsed in part.
The entrance to the Semmering Tunnel, direction Mürzzuschlag. Since Semmering is the highest point on the line it is downhill from here on.
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Image The monument in Semmering for Karl Ritter von Ghegas who constructed the Semmering Railway

Part 1: The Semmering Railway seen from the viewpoints

Large Gallery with Photos from the Semmering Railway




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