Schafbergbahn | |
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Schafbergbahn near St. Wolfgang
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Overview | |
Type | Rack railway |
Locale | St. Wolfgang (Austria) |
Termini |
St. Wolfgang Schafbergspitze |
Stations | 4 |
Operation | |
Opened | 1893 |
Owner | Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) |
Operator(s) | SLB |
Technical | |
Line length | 5.85 km (3.64 mi) |
Number of tracks | Single track |
Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) |
Electrification | no |
Maximum incline | 26% |
The Schafberg Railway (German: Schafbergbahn) is a metre gauge cog railway in Upper Austria and Salzburg leading from Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut up to the Schafberg (1,783 m). With a total length of 5.85 km it gains about 1,200 m in height difference. Railway operation started in 1893.
The rail gauge is 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in). It uses the Abt system. Today steam locomotives (both oil and coal fired), two modern Stadler-manufactured diesel locomotives, and a diesel railcar are in operation. Owned by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), it is operated by the local company SLB (SchafbergBahn und Wolfgangsee Schifffahrt), part of the Salzburg AG group, that operates also the shipping on the Wolfgangsee lake.
The lower station is located in the east of St. Wolfgang (in the state of Upper Austria), in front of Wolfgangsee. After leaving the town, and starting to climb the mountain, the line enters in the municipal territory of St. Gilgen, in the state of Salzburg. Nearest railway was the Salzkammergut-Lokalbahn Salzburg-Bad Ischl (closed in 1957), that counted a "St. Wolfgang" station in the opposite side of the lake, linked to Schafbergbahn's one with a ferry.