Electrifications Schemes in Europe.

A probable result of the fusion of the German and Austrian railways will be the early electrification of many routes at present steam-operated. At the moment Germany is busy on the electrification of the Nuremburg-Halle main-line and branches, a conversion involving some 220 route miles. In Austria, the Salzburg-Linz section of the main-line between Salzburg and Vienna is being electrified, and a big work likely to be put in hand is the conversion to electricity of the Semmering main-line southwards from Vienna. In neighbouring Switzerland, electrification of the few main-lines still steam-operated is proceeding apace, while further south, in Italy, the 260-mile stretch of track from Salerno to Reggio di Calabria has recently been electrified, giving electric service through from Bologna, a distance of 660 miles. In France, there has recently been witnessed the completion of the important Paris-Le Mans route, and work is proceeding rapidly on the Tours-Bordeaux electrification. Denmark's contribution to the electrification programme takes the form of the electrification of the Copenhagen suburban routes, now proceeding steadily. Holland plans to add another 200 miles to her electric railways this year, while Poland contemplates large extensions to the Warsaw suburban electrification. Altogether, electrification is much to the fore in Europe at the moment.

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