AUSTRIA: Stadler Rail has delivered a second diesel locomotive for the metre-gauge SchafbergBahn, ready for the start of the April to October operating season on Austria’s steepest rack railway which climbs 1 190 m to the summit of the 1 783 m Schafberg.
Locomotive Vz32 was ordered to handle increased ridership on the 5·85 km long line, which carried 272 855 passengers in 2015 with a one-day record ridership of 4 300 in August.
The 18 tonne locomotive with a maximum speed of 15 km/h will provide the capacity to carry up to 400 people per hour. Services can run up to every 20 min, with a journey time of 35 min using one of the two Stadler diesel locomotives, 45 min with one of the four modern oil-fired steam locomotives or 60 min with one of the six historic coal-fired steam locomotives. The fleet also includes a 1964 diesel railcar.
