7th October 2006

D.G.E.G.
Güterstrecken zwischen Donau und Traunsee

Route:
R16692 : Linz Hauptbahnhof to Rottenegg
R16693 : Rottenegg to Aschach an der Donau
R16694 : Aschach an der Donau to Gmunden Seebahnhof (2)
R16695 : Gmunden Seebahnhof to Nettingsdorf
R16696 : Nettingsdorf to Linz Hauptbahnhof

Notes:
(1) The train was originally advertised to be formed of the class 5081 DMU based at Wels. This was declared a failure some weeks before the tour was due to run so a 5047 was used instead.
(2) Original routing advertised for this Sonderfahrt included the Vöcklabruck to Kammer Schörfling branch, Aigen-Schlägl, beyond the passenger station to the end of the line at Aschach an der Donau to Agrana and sidings to the Paper Factories on the Gmunden branch.
(3) Charter ran into the former Salzburg direction main line platform at Lambach to reverse having been switched onto the Gmunden branch on the approach to Lambach and then back again just before the station to pass a fright staged on the main line at the east end of the station.

Source : Andy Pullar

Tour Review
(by Andy Pullar)

The thought that all good things come to those that wait flashed through my mind as I leafed through the Google translation of the DGEG advertisement for this trip. Memories went back to 1 April 1988 and the end of a week gricing lines earmarked for imminent closure in Austria. The plan had been to travel from Vienna to Salzburg on the midnight 15 and catch the first train of the morning back to Lambach to rake in the Gmunden branch. Unfortunately on opening my eyes the station sign read Innsbruck Hbf.

Fast forward to 7th October 2006 and thanks to DGEG I finally got off a standard gauge train at Gmunden Seebahnhof. And given the majority of fellow travellers it came as no surprise when the unit was manoeuvred up to the buffer stops for maximum mileage. There was also some bonus mileage in the form of the connection between the Westbahn and Mühlkreisbahn in Linz and the freight/ diversionary line between Traun and Marchtrenk.

This charter was part of a package tour around the railways of Upper Austria and Salzburg that had started on the Wednesday with visits to the local railways to the west of Linz including depot/workshop visits. The Thursday morning option saw those that had booked this option visiting the ÖBB locomotive workshops at Linz followed by part of the internal railway of the VOEST Alpine Steelworks. The afternoon trip took in the ÖGEG Museum and railway at Ampflwang. Friday was taken up by charter trains on the Stieglbahn and Salzburger Lokalbahn followed by the Linz tram network and Pöstlingbergbahn in the evening for those that wished.

I joined the DGEG group for the trip to the Salzburg area on the Friday primarily because I had never been to either of the local railway’s systems. I flew from Stansted to Salzburg on the Thursday night and headed to Attnang Pucheim and the overnight to Innsbruck to take in the Salzburg avoiding line. After a few early morning ned moves on early commutes in and out of Innsbruck I got back to Salzburg with plenty of time to meet the DGEG group particularly as they were running behind schedule because of the lateness of their service train from Linz.

The original DGEG intention was for a charter that would run between the Stieglbahn and Salzburger Lokalbahn. This was scuppered by engineering works so a trolley bus was used to take passengers to the Stieglbahn and return them to the Salzburger Lokalbahn for a thrash in various historic units with the highlight being a ride behind the 1911 steeplecab loco E11 along the link to the ÖBB boundary. Disappointment at the changes to the original plans was exacerbated by the sight of the 4 wheel coach that had been used on the Stieglbahn being returned to the SLB by a 2067 diesel.

However, the Saturday trip was the main reason for my being in the area. For the sake of nostalgia ( tight b&^*%*d) I forsook a night in a Linz hotel and planned to whip in a Taurus sparky on the overnight Munich – Budapest between Salzburg and Linz. I was somewhat pleased when a 1044 dropped on the front but this euphoria didn’t last for long as it dawned on me I had inadvertently got on the through coaches to Venice. 1 April 1988 take 2!

Fortunately, unlike 18 years before, a leap at Bischofshofen provided a get out of jail card in the form of the Venice to Vienna service with a bonus 1044, a 2068 gronk shunt at Salzburg and a DB 101. Breakfast at Linz was bolted down and the throng joined at platform 10, which for a German rail enthusiast group, seemed mostly to be formed of a number of familiar infamous faces from somewhat nearer home.

As on the Friday, some changes had been made to the itinerary since the original DGEG advertisement. Out went the section beyond Rottenegg to Aigen Schlagl owing to engineering work. The one train a day line from Vöcklabruck to Kammer Schörfling was ditched as it couldn’t be fitted into the schedule and the hoped for run beyond the station at Aschach an der Donau didn’t materialise for operational reasons. However, the main interest was still there and a mass scramble for seats ensued when the plastic one coach kart hoved into the platform vice the heritage unit originally hoped for by the organiser.

An on time departure was soon followed by the first reversal of the day at the west end of the East Yard. Some choice track was soon being raked in past Stadthafen Yard, across the Donaubrücke, the tram route on the level and along the street into Urfahr station for a short wait for operational reasons; the timings to Urfahr being somewhat generous. The first objective of the day to reach Rottenegg was achieved a couple of minutes early in between the service trains on the single line branch the first part of which gives great views of the Danube.

Once the connecting rail replacement buses from Aigen Schlagl had made a good imitation of somewhere on the SWT network it was back to Linz Hbf for a 5 minute early return to platform 10 by way of the same route as outward. Haven’t these people heard of RST! There was the chance for some to leap at Urfahr to photograph the train as it ran up the road before leaping back on a few yards further up the connecting track towards the Donaubrücke.

The next leg of the journey offered the chance for those averse to catching trains at unearthly hours of the morning a chance to travel along the Aschach an der Donau line. Needless to say this was not required track for me so was a bit of a stagger made a bit more palatable by running between Linz and Wels along the freight line through Rutzing. The Westbahn was joined at Marchtrenk which was met with a degree of displeasure by some that were hoping the freight line over the flyover into the yard at Wels would be taken. A delay occurred getting a path to Haiding around a freight train and so a shack on the Danube was reached 6 minutes late. The Danube itself was just out of sight further along the line beyond the station towards the factory that must be the reason this line still exists.

Despite the lateness and some photo run pasts at Kp1 near Haiding on the way back the tour was still on time back at Wels. This was turned into a nine minute late departure on the connection from the Passau platforms onto the Westbahn. Lambach was originally on the mainline until upgrading the Westbahn had placed it on a loop where freight trains are sometime staged. The 7th October was no exception and the platforms were reached by a weave onto the Gmunden branch and back again to get round the freight whose locos were in the process of running round.

Though late arriving the train departed on time thanks to some extended turn round time. The first part of the Gmunden line still has a passenger service as far as Stadl Paura in the form of the LV tram style service to Vorchdorf-Eggenberg. Once this section had been negotiated, a side trip along the siding to the ÖHB Military Depot was arranged including a photo runby. Back to Stadl Paura and a quick turn round brought an end to the 18 year wait for a standard gauge train to deposit me by the side of the Traunsee. No metre gauge train was scheduled around the time the charter was at Gmunden so no mixed gauge photo opportunities were to be had. After the branch buffers were duly kissed departure was a few minutes late and more photo stops were staged on the branch on the way back.

The final excitement of the day was enjoyed between Wels and Linz with the train running back along the goods line from Marchtrenk. However, rather than taking the direct west to north curve to Traun the west to south curve was taken with Linz being reached by a reversal at Nettingsdorf. A fitting end to a splendid day’s jaunt around the Güterstrecken zwischen Donau und Traunsee.

Having spent 19 years waiting for another opportunity to travel on the standard gauge line to Gmunden Seebahnhof it would just be my luck that some desperate railtourer will come along a year later and cover the same track and more besides loco hauled. Dare I travel overnight if this happens!

Source : Andy Pullar

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Andy Pullar)

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