Historical photos

A journey into the history of the railroad

The Tyrolean mountains were a great challenge for the pioneers of railroad construction. The picture shows a freight train on the Ötztal bridge of the Arlbergbahn around 1930.

(Bild: ÖNB Bildarchiv/Österr. Fremdenverkehr)

The book celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Austrian Federal Railways also includes a few detours to Tyrol. Spectacular lines were built over the mountains here. The first plans for Innsbruck's main station reveal some surprising facts. 

When the first railroad line was opened between Liverpool and Manchester in 1830, a new era of travel began in Europe. Just a few decades later, the Tyrol, which had been remote for a long time, was also connected to the world by spectacular railroads across the Alps.

In addition to its importance for the military and trade, the railroad was also a driving force for tourism. According to historical records, Emperor Franz Joseph I ordered the construction of the first railroad line in western Austria from Innsbruck to Wörgl in 1853. Soon the connection between Innsbruck and Munich would also be on rails.

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Fotos

Main station planned next to the Triumphal Gate
The first assessments and expert opinions on the possibilities of the new means of transportation in Tyrol came from Alois von Negrelli (1799 - 1858), whose work on the Suez Canal is considered one of the greatest technical achievements of the 19th century. Negrelli worked in Innsbruck in his younger years and knew the city well. He had the Triumphpforte and the Hofgarten in mind as the site for the main railway station. As is well known, Negrelli's recommendations were not implemented.

The Innsbruck city archives state that "the low land prices outside the city limits were one of the reasons for building the station on pastureland in Wilten. It was not until 1861 that the station area became part of the Innsbruck city area".

The "glass train" from Germany at the Martinswand tunnel in 1936. Even today, the journey along this route is spectacular.

(Bild: Scherl/SZ Photo)

The "Krokodil" electric locomotive was built from 1923. Here you can see it on a visit to Tyrol in the Inn Valley.

(Bild: ÖBB-Infra)

From terminus station to transport hub
In particular, the connection over the Brenner Pass, which was in operation from 1867, revitalized the town through tourism. On May 8, 1867, the first locomotive passed through the Bergisel Tunnel and on July 25, a test train ran the entire route from Innsbruck to Bolzano. Until then, Innsbruck had been a terminus station for trains arriving from the east.

Inspired by the successes, one bold project after another was realized. With the opening of the Arlberg Railway in 1884, Innsbruck had finally become a transportation hub. Another milestone in 1912: the Mittenwald Railway departs.

The photos shown here are taken from the book celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Austrian Federal Railways entitled "Einsteigen, bitte!" (published by Molden). An exciting reference book for railroad enthusiasts.