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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 1 (April 1, 1938.)

The Austrian Railways

The Austrian Railways.

A century of railway operation has just been celebrated in Austria. As usual, the name of Stephenson is to the forefront in this connection, for the pioneer steam locomotives operated in Austria, running over imported English rails, were built by Robert Stephenson and Co., and John Taylor and Co. Broadly speaking, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway formed the model upon which the first Austrian line was constructed, and the pioneer system was the “Nordbahn,” opened between Florisdorf and Deutsch-Wagram. To-day, the “Nordbahn” ranks as one of the most important Austrian railways, tapping the richest coal deposits in the country.

The present railways system is centred on the State capital, Vienna. There are about 3,600 miles of line embraced in the Austrian Federal Railways, and two main trunk routes connect Vienna respectively with the Swiss frontier at Buchs, via the Arl-berg Tunnel; and with Italy, and other Adriatic centres. There is also an important route connecting Vienna with the Hungarian capital of Budapest. This, by the way, has recently been electrified. Steam locomotives of the Austrian Federal Railways total 2,250 approximately. For express passenger working there are generally employed engines of the 2-6-4, 4-8-0, and 2-8-4 wheel arrangements. The 2-8-4 class is the most powerful, drawing 550-ton trains at speeds of up to 60 m.p.h., and weighing with loaded tender 108 tons.