Austrian narrow gauge railways

8th April 2005

	1099.004 leads a sister into Ober Grafendorf with an early morning train for Mariazell	1936 vintage 91.004 can	2092.001 marshalls narrow gauge timber carrying wagons at St Polten Alpenbahnhof
2095.006 and 2095.011 share duties at Wieselburg an der Erlauf.	2095.006 stands at Gresten with the last train of the day back to Wieselburg an der Erlauf. It is difficult to believe that this line is now standard gauge.	2095.013 and a sister pass the silo and goods shed on approach to Kilb.	2095.014 is standing at Ober Grafendorf fuel point while 2091.004 is stabled.
2095.015 lays over at a very windy Ruprechtshofen on the line known as "Die Krumpe" between Ober Grafendorf and Gresten, much of which is now closed or converted to standard gauge.	2095.02 in the station area at Zell am See. This loco appears to be overhauled fairly recently (at that time) and looks like one of the first to carry the "flying snail" logo.	399.04 simmers on shed at Gmund in 1982	A busy time at Ober Grafendorf as 2095.004 and a class 1099 shunt freight wagons, while 2095.013 stands at the Gresten line platform with a train for "Die Krumpe"

What started me off on Austrian Railways were those wonderful 760mm gauge tank locos on the Steyrtalbahn. I was hooked on the narrow gauge lines from then on.

My first visit was in May 1981 to Garsten for the Steyrtalbahn, then moving on for a quick trip along part of the Pinzgaur Lokalbahn from Zell am See. At that time the stock was still green and some of the class 2095 diesels still carried the "flugelrad" cast emblems and numbers.

Having returned to Austria several times since I find that the Federal Railway operations still appeal more to me than the numerous private operators.

As can be seen in these photographs colour schemes come and go !!!