18th May 2008

ÖBB
Nostalgie-Tagesfahrt Tour 014 Fest der Region Leithaauen – Fischawiesen - Leithagebirgeraunsee

Route: Train 1

Route: Train 2

Notes :
(1) Loco propelling.
(2) Loco running tender first.

Source : Andrew Pullar (train 1 to Mannersdorf / train 2 to Wien )

Tour Review
(from Andrew Pullar)

As noted by a Six Bells reviewer of a previous erlebnis bahn offering back in 2005 the ÖBB Excursion brochure or their website or lists some trips each year that appeal to the railway enthusiast as well as the general public. There are the regular extra trains from May to October that run to scenic locations, primarily catering for the cycling and walking hobbyists, which run along tracks that otherwise wouldn’t see a passenger train utilising heritage traction and rolling stock. These extrazug [EZ] are augmented by one off sonderzug [SZ] specials prompted by commemorating a particular line’s history or a regional festival or similar special event.

I missed travelling over a few routes back in the 1980s that closed to regular service trains in the 1990s. My interest in Austrian Railways having been rekindled over the last couple of years I eagerly scan the excursions on offer for some routes I still have on my hit list. (It also helps that I get eight days free travel on the ÖBB network a year too but that is another story).

A couple of tours stood out for me for required track; one in August using the heritage Blauer Blitz express DMU set on shuttles along the 5.5km branch from Wien Liesing to Waldmühle and the other advertised for May covering two branches from Götzendorf (on the mainline from Vienna to Hungary) also using the Blauer Blitz shuttling up and down but with the added attraction of the kriegslok 52.4984 being allowed out to play. I hope to fit in a side trip to Waldmühle following some other desperate railtour moves to cover rare track on offer in the Graz area in August. However before then my immediate pre-occupation was Nostaglie Tagesfahrt O14 on the 18th May.

Having trawled through all the cheap flights available to Central Europe on the internet, I chose Friedrichshafen on the Friday 16/05 as the cheapest and most convenient for my purposes. The bonus was some rabbit haulage (turned out to be a shove but I’m not picky), some DB electric haulage (again a shove for part of the route) and some required line. This allowed me also to sample some extrazug mileage on the Saturday. There was supposedly a bonus on offer when I noticed the message on the European rail group hinting of the annual diversion of EN467 Wiener Walzer around the Bregenz avoiding line. My plans fell into place though I had to extend my days off to the Tuesday 20/05 to catch EN467 (these diversions happen on a weekday when they occur). Wishing to keep my freebies to the summer I took advantage of the Euro 2008 Interrail promotion which just meant I needed to get tickets for the German bits of my travels and have enough money set aside for the O14 excursion. I made an online booking and got a reservation and request to pay the conductor on the train confirmation e-mail. Travelling east to west and vice versa in Austria and Switzerland meant I could get away with out needing to check in baggage at the airport or use hotels whilst I was away by utilising the overnights that still run without requiring advance reservations and the shower facilities at the main line stations.

Despite getting a few items confiscated by security before take off, Friday and Saturday went better than could be expected. Glorious sunshine, some new haulages and required track including an extension of the Interrail pass to Znojmo in the Czech Republic and the Drosendorf EZ. Heritage loco 2050.04 was at Drosendorf to photograph at the head of a private charter as well as the required 2143 diesel I enjoyed for haulage whilst sipping the local wine (no beer on this train). I even made a minus ten at Absdorf - Hippersdorf to catch train EZ6993 Erlebniszug Wachau that runs into Vienna’s south station using the freight line along the Danube past Donaukaibahnhof Yard hauled by a required 1046 electric as a bonus. Very retro. The only downside to all this was the appearance of a loco painted in the colours of the Russian football team on a train I had to catch (now my favourites to be champions come 29/06. I’d put your money on it!).

Sunday dawned and the glorious weather of the previous two days had evaporated into one threatening rain and blustery conditions and a marked drop in temperature. Just the weather needed for an outdoor festival. Still there was time to rake in a 2016 diesel for haulage by staggering off the 06:00 arrival (EN297) at Wien Westbahnhof onto a number six tram to Simmering. I could have had two but I chickened out of a plus two move one shack down the line. There was time for a bit of frühstuck and a check on the power for the first of EZs (1044-041 to Passau and 1046.014 to Krems) before boarding the Blauer Blitz for the morning’s grice. The first time I had had the pleasure of travelling in this machine and probably not the last.

The journey to Fischamend was clearly a positioning move with more stewards than passengers and I hadn’t bothered much about the route this would take. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the train taking the goods line at Kledering Yard to Klein Shwechat before traversing the connection onto the upgraded Flughafen line [in hindsight a logical route to take to reach the Flughafen line from the Ostbahn]. The time passed without incident except I quaffed a beer before midday for something to do and had to sort out a reservation issue with a fellow traveller who’s ticket specified the same seat as mine. Is this a record? A double booking of a seat on an otherwise almost empty train!

At near enough the appointed time the through freight line to Götzendorf was taken skirting around the east side of the airport to Klein Neusiedl before heading south to the connection with the Ostbahn and a rendezvous with the second train headed by the rather impressive kettle towing a rake of open balcony coaches. The Blauer Blitz stopped along the route to pick up a couple of passengers at strategically sited boarding platforms one door wide and I duly scored the track noting the various freight sidings along the route that obviously justify it still being open. One spur appears to connect with a Firm specialising in railway maintenance equipment with extensive sidings full of rail mounted paraphernalia. It was also possible to see the Lafarge Cement Works at Mannersdorf as the train approached the Ostbahn.

I had toyed with a leap to Bratislava (the line via Kittsee was closed when I last properly griced Austria back in the 1980s) and back before travelling onto the other required freight only branch on offer but two things persuaded me otherwise. One was the invasion of plastic on the hourly Sunday services to Bratislava and the other was the fact I wasn’t quick enough out of my seat and found myself heading back to Fischamend! I discovered too late that only one door in the centre of the train was open because of the short platforms on the branch.

A few beers later and I found myself back at Götzendorf this time staying on train 1 on purpose. The layout at Mannersdorf meant that the Klein Neusiedl branch points are to the east of Götzendorf beyond the level crossing facing towards Vienna. The Mannersdorf branch points are beyond the Klein Neusiedl branch but face away from Vienna. So, whilst the excursion shuttles could run directly into the station off the Klein Neusiedl line a reversal on the main line was required for the train to access the Mannersdorf line. Once negotiated it was the expected stagger down the 6km length of required track with a pause to stop at the festival site at 23.95Kp near the location of the one time Götzendorf Lokalbahn halt (24.4kp) and a crossing of the Leitha river which gives it’s name to the region.

The stop at Mannersdorf was a typical stop short of the end of the line with everyone out to photograph the unit and taking a bit longer than the allotted time to do so. It’s a good job those photographing the moment included the train crew. The road to Götzendorf runs parallel to the railway for most of it’s length so once back at the main line station it was out for a wander taking photos as the train trundled past.

It was soon time to sample the stagger again but this time on train 2 with the kettle propelling the train to the junction before setting off tender first down the line. By this time the party was in full swing and the locals were out in force milling around the point one of a kilometre of road set aside for the festival attractions. This seemed to consist of a beer tent, a würst and burger stall or two and a couple of souvenir sellers pitches with star billing going to an Austrian Group singing country and western songs from the back of a lorry. The excitement was too much so I stayed on the train and enjoyed watching the chasers annoying the less interested car drivers. A Mannersdorf fire tender was also seen following the train which it continued to do so all the time the train was shuttling up and down between Mannersdorf and Klein Neusiedl. Desperation had set in by the time I had boarded train 2 and the alternative crossover was duly griced on the main line to justify my hanging around.

Such were the timings on the branches I got off at the festival site on the way back and perched myself on the side of the road to photograph the kriegslock as it headed back to the main line and again as it reversed back in to Götzendorf station. Photos at the station itself were not much kop because of the people milling about and a Shane Warne look alike who insisted on getting so close to the loco to take his shots he was practically under the boiler.

At this point I should have made the move for a very required 2050.04 on the Neusiedlersee EZ returning to Vienna from Pamhagen but it meant incarcerating myself in some plastic to get in position and I just couldn’t motivate myself to do the leap. Also I like posing on the open balcony of the nostalgic stock along the main line so opted for continuing with train 2 for the rest of the day. Another trip to Klein Neusiedl was endured to witness the loco running round and being watered courtesy of the Mannersdorf Fire Brigade and in the process losing the Shane Warne-a-like before enjoying the 27km run tender first along the Ostbahn to end the day. The ride standing on the balcony I had promised myself was abandoned not long after passing Gramatneusiedl (19kms still to go) when the heavens finally opened in biblical proportions. It looked like a scene from the perfect storm as the wooden end door of the coach swung to and fro on its hinges with the water pouring down in torrents on the balcony and smoke and steam adding to the mood.

After an on time arrival in Vienna there was time to view the incoming extras including 2050.04 from Neusiedl am See (Pamhagen) (2050.02 worked the day before) and Wiener Lokalbahn loco number 90 out for a rare passenger spin on the new for this year EZ from Ernstbrunn (different motive power advertised each weekend for this train). Whilst 2050.04 was required fortunately WLB 90 or the track to Ernstbrunn was not; there not being any public transport at the current end of that line that once ran through to Mistelbach you are stuck for the day. I watched train No1 also arrive a couple of minutes ahead of schedule before I headed off to Bruck and der Leitha by the unavoidable electric cart in order to board the overnight train to Zurich.

Andrew Pullar

Times Booked Only)
(from Andrew Pullar)

Train 1

Train 2

Back to "The Railtour Files"