| Arlberg Railway |
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An ÖBB train on the Arlberg Railway in 2007 |
| Overview |
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| Native name |
Arlbergbahn |
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| Type |
Heavy rail, Passenger/Freight rail
Intercity rail, Regional rail, Commuter rail |
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| Status |
Operational |
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| Locale |
Tyrol
Vorarlberg |
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| Termini |
Innsbruck
Bludenz |
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| Stations |
31 |
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| Line number |
101 05 |
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| Operation |
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| Opened |
Stages between 1883–1884 |
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| Owner |
Austrian Federal Railways |
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| Operator(s) |
Austrian Federal Railways |
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| Technical |
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| Line length |
136.7 km (84.9 mi) |
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| Number of tracks |
Double track
(Innsbruck–Ötztal,
Abzw Schönwies 1–Landeck-Zams,
Abzw Flirsch 1–Abzw Langen 1)
Single track |
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| Track gauge |
1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
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| Minimum radius |
Ostrampe: 300 m
Westrampe: 250 m |
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| Electrification |
15 kV/16,7 Hz AC Overhead line |
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| Operating speed |
160 km/h (99 mph) |
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| Maximum incline |
Ostrampe: 2.6 %
Westrampe: 3.1 % |
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| Route number |
400 |
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Route map |
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km |
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from Kufstein |
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-0.434 |
Innsbruck Hbf S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 |
582 m (1,909 ft) |
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Brenner Railway to Bolzano/Bozen (“Konzert curve”) |
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Innsbruck Tramway, Stubaitalbahn |
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Connecting curve from Innsbruck Hbf goods station |
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1.325 |
Innsbruck West S1 S2 S4 S5 |
583 m (1,913 ft) |
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Mittenwald Railway to Garmisch-Partenkirchen |
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A12 Inntalautobahn |
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6.910 |
Völs S1 S2 S4 |
584 m (1,916 ft) |
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10.442 |
Kematen i. T. S1 S2 S4 |
593 m (1,946 ft) |
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Unterperfuss |
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14.247 |
Zirl S1 S2 S4 |
596 m (1,955 ft) |
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16.911 |
Inzing S1 S2 |
601 m (1,972 ft) |
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19.163 |
Hatting S1 S2 |
605 m (1,985 ft) |
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20.370 |
Üst (crossover) Zirl 2 |
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21.412 |
Flaurling S1 S2 |
609 m (1,998 ft) |
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Change of chainage (-85 m), start of relocated line |
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25,545 |
Oberhofen im Inntal S1 S2 |
620 m (2,030 ft) |
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End of relocated line |
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26.800 |
Telfs-Pfaffenhofen S1 S2 |
623 m (2,044 ft) |
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31.056 |
Rietz S1 S2 |
635 m (2,083 ft) |
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34.647 |
Stams S1 S2 |
639 m (2,096 ft) |
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36.223 |
Mötz S1 S2 |
644 m (2,113 ft) |
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38.223 |
Silz S1 S2 |
648 m (2,126 ft) |
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42.458 |
Haiming S1 S2 |
669 m (2,195 ft) |
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45.420 |
Ötztal S1 S2 |
692 m (2,270 ft) |
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Change of chainage (-168 m) |
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47.200 |
Ötztaler bridge |
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B171 Tiroler Straße |
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50.056 |
Roppen S1 S2 |
706 m (2,316 ft) |
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54.698 |
Imst-Pitztal S1 S2 |
716 m (2,349 ft) |
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L16 Pitztaler Straße |
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59.070 |
Imsterberg S1 S2 |
724 m (2,375 ft) |
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63.015 |
Schönwies S1 S2 |
736 m (2,415 ft) |
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65.570 |
Works siding |
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Change of chainage (-111 m) |
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65.911 |
Abzw Schönwies 1Start of relocated line |
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66.550 |
Kronburg tunnel (330 m) |
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68.3 |
B180 Reschenstraße |
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68.580 |
Zammer tunnel (2335 m) eastern portal |
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70.980 |
Zams768 m (2,520 ft) |
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Zammer tunnel western portal |
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End of relocated line |
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71.837 |
Landeck-Zams S1 S2 |
776 m (2,546 ft) |
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Former Reschen railway to Mals |
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72.150 |
Connection to Firma Donauchemie AG |
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Change of chainage (-244 m) |
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73.404 |
Inn (L 188 m / H 25 m) |
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73.800 |
Landeck Perfuchs |
816 m (2,677 ft) |
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76.447 |
Zappelbach bridge (L 34 m / H 11,2 m) |
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77.981 |
Pians |
911 m (2,989 ft) |
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78.277 |
Ganderbach bridge (L 22 m / H 14,8 m) |
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78.918 |
Mayenthal bridge (L 53 m / H 15,0 m) |
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79.495 |
Burgfried bridge (L 72 m / H 10,0 m) |
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79.680 |
Wolfsgruberbach bridge (L 50 m / H 14,3 m) |
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79.949 |
Wiesberg |
953 m (3,127 ft) |
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80.253 |
Trisanna bridge (L 207 m / H 87,4 m) |
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80.486 |
Weinzierl tunnel (212 m) |
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80.700 |
Start of relocated line |
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80.810 |
Moltertobel tunnel (1643 m) |
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Change of chainage (+108 m) |
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82.500 |
End of relocated line |
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82.496 |
Geigertobel bridge (L 81 m / H 11,5 m) |
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83.073 |
Strengen |
1,027 m (3,369 ft) |
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85.114 |
Süßwald bridge (L 59 m / H 11,0 m) |
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85.308 |
Klausbach aqueduct (20 m) |
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87.274 |
Flirsch |
1,122 m (3,681 ft) |
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87.564 |
Rosanna bridge I (L 28 m / H 7,9 m) |
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88.055 |
Rosanna bridge II (L 56 m / H 8,1 m) |
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S16 Arlbergschnellstraße |
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88.483 |
Avalanche gallery (33 m) |
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90.150 |
Flirsch 1 junctionStart of relocated line |
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90.176 |
Schnann(old) |
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90.420 |
Schnann |
1,162 m (3,812 ft) |
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91.028 |
Innere Maienbach gallery (354 m) |
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91.363 |
SidingÖBB-substation |
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91.528 |
Rosanna bridge III |
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92.330 |
Apres tunnel (189 m) |
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93.334 |
Pettneu |
1,193 m (3,914 ft) |
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93.476 |
Pettneu(old) |
1,196 m (3,924 ft) |
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End of relocated line |
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93.767 |
Üst Flirsch 2 |
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94.275 |
Vadisen gallery (579 m) |
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Start of new line |
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Rosanna bridge IV |
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96.271 |
St. Jakob |
1,228 m (4,029 ft) |
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97.357 |
Wolfsgruben tunnel (1743 m), eastern portal |
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97.698 |
Rosanna bridge IV |
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97.923 |
Rosanna bridge V |
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99.100 |
Wolfsgruben tunnel, western portal |
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99.360 |
St. Anton am Arlberg |
1,309 m (4,295 ft) |
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99.590 |
St. Anton am Arlberg(old) |
1,303 m (4,275 ft) |
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99.500 |
Arlberg tunnel (10.648 m), new eastern portal |
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100.127 |
Arlberg tunnel (formerly 10.250 m), old eastern portal |
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Change of chainage (-228 m) |
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End of new line |
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104.241 |
Apex of the Arlberg railway |
1,311 m (4,301 ft) |
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107.622 |
Üst St. Anton 3 |
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110.377 |
Arlberg tunnel, western portal |
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110.480 |
Alfenz bridge (L 52 m / H 17,2 m) |
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110.715 |
Langen am Arlberg |
1,217 m (3,993 ft) |
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Start of relocated line |
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111.054 |
Blisadona tunnel (2411 m) eastern portal |
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111.120 |
Simastobel tunnel (140 m) |
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111.670 |
Großtobel tunnel (505 m) |
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112.464 |
Bridge (L 62 m / H 8,4 m) |
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112.663 |
Kleines Lawinendach (34 m) |
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112.744 |
Bridge (L 32 m /H 6,7 m) |
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112.934 |
Abzw Langen 1 |
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112.973 |
Wälditobel bridge (L 59 m / H 35 m) |
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113.031 |
Klösterle |
1,157 m (3,796 ft) |
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113.100 |
Connection to proposed tunnel extension |
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113.465 |
Blisadona tunnel, western portal |
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Change of chainage (+84 m), end of relocated line |
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113.604 |
Great avalanche shelter (510 m) |
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114.113 |
In der Hose avalanche shelter (53 m) |
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114.166 |
Avalanche shelter III (163 m) |
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114.200 |
Start of relocated line |
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114.374 |
Wildentobel tunnel (1158 m) |
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114.583 |
Wildentobel aqueduct (15 m) |
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115.452 |
Spreubach bridge |
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115.600 |
End of relocated line |
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116.074 |
Wald am Arlberg(formerly Dannöfen) |
1,074 m (3,524 ft) |
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116.630 |
Glongtobel bridge |
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117.995 |
Stelzitobel bridge (L 28 m / H 6,0 m) |
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118.342 |
Radonatobel bridge (L 80 m / H 21,0 m) |
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119.192 |
Bridge (L 23 m / H 6,1 m) |
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119.279 |
Mühltobel avalanche shelter (91 m) |
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119.531 |
Avalanche shelter IV (144 m) |
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119.692 |
Gipsbruchtobel avalanche shelter (35 m) |
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119.944 |
Avalanche shelter V (22 m) |
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121.253 |
Dalaas |
932 m (3,058 ft) |
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121.563 |
Höllentobel bridge (L 96 m / H 24,2 m) |
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121.920 |
Röcken tunnel (68 m) |
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122.420 |
Schmiedtobel tunnel (94 m) |
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122.654 |
Schmiedtobel bridge (L 120 m / H 55,8 m) |
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122.954 |
Engelwand tunnel (280 m) |
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123.349 |
Engelwand avalanche shelter (31 m) |
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123.432 |
Brunntobel bridge (L 74 m / H 24,6 m) |
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123.722 |
Engelwäldchen tunnel (209 m) |
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124.856 |
Fünffingertobel gallery (32 m) |
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124.888 |
Fünffingertobel tunnel (78 m) |
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125.177 |
Hintergasse |
824 m (2,703 ft) |
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125.666 |
Schanatobel bridge (L 70 m / H 18,8 m) |
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125.749 |
Böcktöbele avalanche shelter (36 m) |
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126.425 |
Pfaffentobel tunnel (97 m) |
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126.684 |
Plattentobel tunnel (162 m) |
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126.881 |
Rüfe viaduct (L 65 m / H 7,3 m) |
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127.970 |
Avalanche shelter VI (139 m) |
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127.109 |
Mason tunnel (147 m) |
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127.310 |
Arch (31,8 m) |
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127.528 |
Masonbach bridge |
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128.168 |
Mühltobel aqueduct (20 m) |
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129.543 |
Braz |
705 m (2,313 ft) |
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132.685 |
Bings |
614 m (2,014 ft) |
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Montafoner railway from Schruns |
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136.286 |
Bludenz |
559 m (1,834 ft) |
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Vorarlberg Railway to Feldkirch, Lindau |
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Zammer tunnel near Landeck
The Arlberg Railway (German: Arlbergbahn), which connects the Austrian cities Innsbruck and Bludenz, is Austria's only east-west mountain railway. The 135.7 km line is a highly problematic mountain railway, in part because it is threatened by avalanches, mudslides, rockfalls and floods. It is operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and frequented by international trains, including the Orient Express.
History and Construction
As early as 1842 a railway over the Arlberg Pass was under discussion, as the British sought a rail connection for traffic from England to Egypt. Two years later, in 1847, Carl Ganahl - a textile industrialist from Feldkirch - decided to privately support construction of the railway, despite the many technical challenges involved. On the other hand, the opening of the Semmering Railway in 1854 showed that mountain railways were basically possible and feasible.
Trade Minister Anton Freiherr von Banhans presented on March 22, 1872, at the Chamber of Deputies a draft law on the execution of the Arlberg railway at government expense for a total amount of 42 million florins.
In 1879 the protagonists of the Arlbergbahn with the intended 10,270 m long summit tunnel were successful. The submitted project had won confidence by the progress in the Gotthard Tunnel [1]
Julius Lott was appointed planning director of the Arlbergbahn.
Lott-memorial
The costs were 38,165,282 crowns.
Arlbergbahn tunnel construction
The construction of the Arlberg Railway started on June 20, 1880, and proceeded at a faster pace than planned. Completion was originally not expected until the autumn of 1885, but already by May 29, 1883, the valley route from Innsbruck to Landeck in Tyrol was put into service. On September 21, 1884 the entire stretch of the mountain railway was completed, including the then single-track, 10.25 kilometres (6.37 mi) long Arlbergtunnel. The construction claimed 92 lives.
The costs were totaled 38,165,282 crowns.
The Arlberg tunnel rises from St. Anton on a length of approximately 4 km with 2 ‰. The highest point is at 1310.926 m in kilometer 104.241 m. Then it falls to Langen am Arlberg at 15 ‰.
Station Langen am Arlberg
Operation
The transalpine Arlberg Railway opened up a completely new connection between Lake Constance and the Adriatic Sea. Traffic increased so rapidly that already by July 15, 1885 a second track through the tunnel was opened, as had been planned since the beginning of the project. The most renowned train on the Arlberg route was the Orient Express, from London to Bucharest, which had only first-class compartments and parlors.
Right from the beginning, the use of steam locomotives on the Arlberg led to serious problems: Passengers and crews were exposed to the unhealthy effects of sulfurous acid, which condensed from the steam in the tunnel. Grade slopes of up to 3.1% on the western ramp and 2.6% on the eastern ramp caused traction troubles for the locomotives. Finally, in 1924, this problem was eliminated with the completion of electrification of the tunnel, followed by the ramp sections in 1925. This electrification of the railway was carried out with a 15 kV, 16.7 Hertz system, allowing heavy trains to be pulled over the route once the tracks and supporting structures, including the Trisanna bridge in 1964, had been upgraded for the increased axle weights.
Today, traffic through the Arlberg railway tunnel has increased considerably, despite competition from road transport through the Arlberg Road Tunnel. This has made it necessary to widen the approach ramps for double tracks. Many long-distance, high-speed EuroCity and Railjet trains ply the route from Vienna to Vorarlberg over the Arlberg. On the occasion of the World Ski Championships in 2001, the railway station of St. Anton on the eastern side of the Arlberg Tunnel was relocated from the town centre to a new site on the north side of the valley. This required the Arlberg tunnel be lengthened and the construction of the new Wolfsgruben tunnel.
St. Anton New station
Locomotives
Steam locomotives
From the universal locomotive, kkStB Class 73 with an operating weight of 55.1 tons, 436 pieces were ordered. Thanks to its capacity of 700 PS they could transport in the plane 1,650 tons with 30 km/h, on a slope of 10 ‰ a weight of 580t with 15 km/h and on a slope of 25 ‰ 220t, also with 15 km/h. They were mainly used for freight traffic.
See also
References
- ↑ Arlberg railway at Zeno.org. Article by: Viktor von Röll (ed.): Enzyklopädie des Eisenbahnwesens (Encyclopaedia of the Railway), 2nd edition, 1912–1923, Vol. 1, S. 265–272
Coordinates: 47°15′48″N 11°24′04″E / 47.2633°N 11.4010°E / 47.2633; 11.4010
