AUSTRIA | Railways

[nachalnik]

Another reason for the 550mm platform level in Austria and Switzerland is, that there are some stations where even this level cannot be enabled due to the location of stations in sharp curves.
If the platform is located in a sharp curve, only 380mm platform level is possible, as 550mm platforms would be a problem regarding gauge clearance (only possible with a bigger than allowed gap between train and platform).

Trains which are designed for step free access at 550mm platforms, are also allowed to stop at 380mm platforms (max step difference is 170mm). But there would be a problem with trains designed for step free entrance at higher levels.

Of course new stations are not built in sharp curves, but there are some station on the existing networks, where the local situation does not allow wider curves and thus 550mm-platforms.

One example is Bruck an der Mur, which is an important transfer hub on the main line from Vienna to the south:





(photo: http://www.railfaneurope.net)


The station is currently being reconstructed, but the platform level cannot be raised due to the curves (which cannot be widened without spending an unreasonable amount of money to remove the mountain next to the station...).
So this station will never ever have 550mm platforms.

I think in Switzerland there are some examples too, if I remember correctly Bern is a station, where the curves don't allow higher platform levels.


Nachalnik

[keber]

Originally Posted by K_

Overhead power rails are getting quite common in tunnels as well. I guess here it is used for aesthetic reasons.

Nope, because of "available space" reason. With those rigid catenary you don't need high poles and additional tension poles.
However their cost is much bigger so it is still not used a lot.

Also ballastless track costs about twice of a normal track (around 1500-2000 € per meter of track) and it is not sane reason to use it on station, if adjoining infrastructure uses ballast track.

[K_]

Originally Posted by nachalnik

I think in Switzerland there are some examples too, if I remember correctly Bern is a station, where the curves don't allow higher platform levels.

That's correct, but some platforms have been extended on the Western end, and since the extensions are straight these are 550mm high. Which means that some platforms are 380mm at one end and 550mm at the other. Which is a pain sometimes when boarding an ICE...

[KingNick]

Constructions are already on their way for the connection between the eastern railway and the railway to the airport:

Originally Posted by KingNick

Mittlerweile wird schon ordentlich gebaut bei der Verbindung Ostbahn - Flughafenschnellbahn:





Alle Rechte liegen bei User "mitleser" vom EBFÖ: http://www.bahnforum.info/smf/index....288#msg1386288

Basically what they are building is a long bridge to cross Vienna's central hump yard. This is done to save time (Railjets are not forced to cross all the switches with really low speed) and keep operations going at the yard plus it connects Vienna's new main station with the airport.

[thun]

Austria is about to unify the operation of its lines. Therefore, some railways in Eastern Austria switched operations from left hand side-traffic to right hand side in some 80 stations, which has always been used on the West- and Ostbahn. The Südbahn will keep left hand side traffic for some more time.
The reason for this particularity is that the Südbahn was constructed by English engineers which designed it accordingly to English standards. For the newer railroads the Continental system of right hand side traffic was adopted.
http://***************/1343744066057/...-Rechtsverkehr

[KingNick]

Well the reason why they change sides in the first place is the new central station in Vienna, otherwise the station's capacity would be around 30 % lower as all lines are bundled there.

Speaking of the new central station: Trains are now using the tracks through the station instead of the bypass, which will be torn down any day now.







Source: http://diepresse.com/home/panorama/1...ndex.do&popup=

[thun]

Love the design.

[nachalnik]

Some recent pics (11.8.2012) from Vienna main station:










RJ 63 Munich - Budapest:







EC 103 Warszawa - Villach:

[vitacit]

Originally Posted by nachalnik

Some recent pics (11.8.2012) from Vienna main station:










RJ 63 Munich - Budapest:







EC 103 Warszawa - Villach:

i was in wien on saturday (i live in bratislava, which just behind the corner) to see the city again and so... sudbahnhof is growing and will be absolutely adorable ! i can't wait until it will be done !!!

[KingNick]

Test runs for the new HS-line between Vienna and St. Pölten started yesterday:

[nachalnik]

Originally Posted by KingNick

Test runs for the new HS-line between Vienna and St. Pölten started yesterday:

Well, the test runs already started several weeks ago.

Now there are some special high-speed test runs with ICE-S and speeds up to 330 km/h, but the railjet already ran at 253 km/h some weeks ago.


Nachalnik

[Bart_LCY]

Don't know if this was posted here before.

Cabride on the New Lower Inn Valley railway (German: Neue Unterinntalbahn)

Description of the video says that this was a test ride on the 26th of July, 2012.

From rabik68 channel on YT.

[KingNick]

Building railway lines the Austrian way. Let's built a fucking tunnel, aight? Those 40 km cost 2.36 billion Euros.

Thanks though, haven't seen this one so far.

[KingNick]

Talking about fucking tunnels:

The two separated tubes of the Koralmtunnel have been connected for the very first time on the Styrian side. As for today 4 respectively 5 km of 33 km tunnel have been dug.

http://steiermark.orf.at/news/stories/2547463/

On the Carinthian side this baby started drilling some days ago:



Apparently it is capable of evacuating up to 30 Meters a day.

Furthermore it is reported in Austria that the chances the EU co-financing the project have risen. This means that about 1/5th of the entire costs (around 1 Billion Euros) could be carried by the EU.

http://kaernten.orf.at/news/stories/2547526/

[Coccodrillo]

There will be no track link between the two tubes, not a wise decision in my opinion.

*************

How are the tramway projects in Innsbruck going? I read some 8 years ago for plans to convert trolleybus lines O and R into tramway lines, but apparently nothing has been done (except replacing the trolleybuses with diesel buses).

[KingNick]

What about the emergency station? I can imagine that the tracks are connected there.

[nachalnik]

Originally Posted by KingNick

Talking about fucking tunnels:

The two separated tubes of the Koralmtunnel have been connected for the very first time on the Styrian side.

Thats not exactly true.

Not the two tubes have been connected, but the eastern (KAT1) and the central (KAT2) sections of the tubes have been connected.
Drilling the tunnel in Styria was started from two points: The eastern tunnel end and the "Zwischenangriff Leibenfeld".

http://steiermark.orf.at/news/stories/2547463/

On the Carinthian side this baby started drilling some days ago:

Njet.

As you can see on the photo, this machine is intended for KAT2 - the Styrian side...
Also it will start digging only in the beginning of 2013.



Nachalnik

[rheintram]

Originally Posted by Coccodrillo

How are the tramway projects in Innsbruck going? I read some 8 years ago for plans to convert trolleybus lines O and R into tramway lines, but apparently nothing has been done (except replacing the trolleybuses with diesel buses).

Not true, works are underway and in December the first new section will become operational. It will serve a section of the O bus and eventually replace the whole line (and ultimately go even further west and east)

[ravijaypee2012]

very nice

[KingNick]

Ride for the press on the new St. Pölten - Vienna HSR-link.