Bilder der Waldviertler Bahn / Pictures of
the Waldviertler Bahn
Text by Gerhard Urban (Waldviertler Schmalspurbahnverein), by courtesy of the author.
The Waldviertel area is the northernmost part of the province of Niederoesterreich, bordered by the Czech Republic. The gauge of the small network (some 80 kilometers eq. some 50 miles) is 760 millimeters (2'6"). Heart of the system is the medieval border town of Gmuend, intermediate station on the standard gauge (former Kaiser-) Franz-Josephs-Bahn, opened between 1869-72 between Plzen (and Praha) and Wien. The KFJB was run as a private concern up to 1884, afterwards as nationalized industry. Due to the outcome of WW1 and the aftermath (Treaty of Versailles), a new station had to be built on the site of the 1908-opened halt (actually much more closer to the town centre than the surviving original station, now renamed Ceske Velenice) for both standard and narrow gauge. The former branchline (ng) terminus together with the shed and repair shops was originally situated in front of the old station, on street level, and was used until July 1945. New shed and repair shop were taken into use by Federal railways OeBB in 1948.
The northern branches opened from 3rd July 1900 under the reign of a private concern, Nieder-Oesterreichische Waldviertelbahn AG (NWB), whose "mainline" being the line to Litschau, located 25 km (nearly 16 miles) from Gmuend. Traffic was operated from the start by the Lower Austrian Railway Administration (in later days NOeLB).
At Altnagelberg station diverges the branch to Heidenreichstein, 25.3 km from Gmuend. The first 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) both lines parallel each other, running on the western edge of the village (location of the famous "Doppelausfahrt" - parallel departure of the midday trains to Litschau and Heidenreichstein). Timetabled passenger services were withdrawn from 1 June 1986, leaving only the occasional goods train. Freight trains transport mainly agricultural and forestry goods from both termini to the FJB station, only small consignments of solid and gaseous fuels going the other way. Goods traffic between Altnagelberg and Heidenreichstein ceased from 29 May 1992.
The southern branch, opened in 1902 from Gmuend to Steinbach-Gross Pertholz and in 1903 onto Gross Gerungs sees - at least at the time being - regular passenger and goods trains. A timetabled steam service ran for the last time in 1996 (May to October, augmented by several weekend specials running only as far as Weitra in December). Passenger numbers, rising in the last ten years, declined when an expensive steam supplement was introduced in May 1996 and the former morning and afternoon trains to Gross Gerungs were combined into a single train each way in a drive to stem the thriving costs.
Preservation: The Waldviertler Schmalspurbahnverein (WSV) was founded in 1987, despite resistance from railway men's union (GdE) circles, aiming at the provision of a touristic steam service. In the early years a rather erratic traffic prevailed, while in subsequent years a regular pattern emerged with a train departing around 9.30am from Gmuend, running alternatively to Litschau or Heidenreichstein, on summer Saturdays from mid-July to mid-September. Departure from the outer terminus is around 3.0pm to arrive for a convenient connection to Vienna. A visit to a a glass-maker is included in the morning leg when Neunagelberg station acts as a railhead.
The vehicles include steam locomotive 399.03 (ex-NÖLB class Mh) and a mix of Austrian rebuilt (Spanten) carriages including buffet car B[WR]i/s 3889, Bi/s 3883, 3884, 3888, 3890 as well as brake Di/s 6493 and tool van Gw/s 10007, several other Bi/s hired in from OeBB as traffic demands.
When the Heidenreichstein branch closed in May 1992, the society leased the line from Altnagelberg (km 0.295) to Heidenreichstein (km 13.110) to allow for running trains to the terminus. Since then the society is responsible for all aspects (Operation, PW, S&T, etc). As most of the line is inaccessible by road, some rail-going vehicles had to be located, attempts recorded successful in 1994.
A GDR-built industrial (750 millimeter gauge) 37hp diesel-mechanic locomotive arrived via Taurachbahn company (Salzburg province). After regauging to 760 mm (at Ceske Velenice works) the diminutive engine (0-4-0) was put into service, together with several trucks used for transporting tools, sleepers and ballast. To help the society’s finances the executives decided to build two (partially open) passenger cars (four wheeled) and run diesel trains during summer weekends. These services are marketed as "Feldbahn trains" and provide valuable income. For 1997, a second diesel locomotive (0-4-0dm, 38hp motor) and a steam engine (0-4-0T, ex-OeAMG Donawitz works No. 100.13, regauged from 790 mm) will enter service on the Feldbahn trains.
The running of steam specials on the southern branch deemed unfeasible and will be cut back from 1997 to fortnightly operation. In connection with the early morning arrival from Vienna, every other Saturday May to October, a steam train runs Gmuend-Gross Gerungs-Weitra, where passengers stay overnight while the steam hauled rake runs ECS [empty coaching stock] to Gmuend. Next day a diesel railcar trip Weitra-Gmuend-Altnagelberg-Gmuend follows, connecting into the WSV's special from/to Heidenreichstein.