Wiener Neustädter Lokomotivfabrik
| Industry | Rail industry |
|---|---|
| Fate | destroyed by bombs |
| Founder | Günther Wenzel and others |
| Headquarters | Wiener Neustadt, Austria |
|
Key people
|
Georg Sigl |
| Products | Steam locomotives |
The Wiener Neustädter Lokomotivfabrik (Wiener Neustadt locomotive factory) was the largest locomotive and engineering factory in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During World War II the company produced armaments as part of Rax-Werk Ges.mbH which was associated with the Mauthausen concentration camp.
In 1841 the Wiener Neustadt-Vienna railway line was open, and in 1842 the private railway Austrian Eastern Railway (Wien-Raaber-Eisenbahn or Raaber Bahn) was opened, by 1854 the Semmering railway was complete. Thus around that time a favourable situation existed for the creation of a locomotive production facility in Austria.
In 1842 in Wiener Neustadt a locomotive works was founded by Günther Wenzel, engineer of the Wien-Raaber-Eisenbahn company, the ironworks-master Josef Sessler, Heinrich Bühler and Fidelius Armbruster. The plant was built on land to the north-east of Wiener Neustadt in part on an abandoned cotton factory, and partly on a rifle and metal finishing plant.
From 1845 the company was wholly owned by Wenzel Gunther; it was sold in 1861 to the Vienna Maschinenfabrik owner Georg Sigl who expanded it into the largest plant in the Empire. By 1870 the 1000th locomotive had been made and the workforce exceeded 4000. The product line was expanded to include printing presses and other machinery. In 1875 the company became an Aktiengesellschaft (public company) named Aktien Gesellschaft der Lokomotiv-Fabrik vormals G. Sigl
The Wiener Neustadt Lokomotivfabrik played an early role in the Austrian labor movement; as a result of the March revolution of 1848 (Märzrevolution) a 10-hour day was introduced, but was withdrawn by and for the workers, but they were withdrawn in the course of counter-revolution. In 1865, the first Austrian Workers' Association was established in the locomotive works of Wiener Neustadt.
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Wikipedia