Joy in the Murau region

Trains whistle 150 times a day: now there is a solution

One of the two crossings in the forest near Teufenbach.

(Bild: Kevin Geißler)

Two inconspicuous level crossings in the forest in Teufenbach-Katsch (Murau district) mean that trains have to sound up to 150 warning signals a day. But now there is a solution between the municipality and ÖBB - and many residents can breathe a sigh of relief.

"You almost can't sleep," reported a resident of Teufenbach-Katsch when the "Krone" first reported on the problem two years ago. The railroad line runs east of the village in the direction of Carinthia. It crosses hiking trails twice in the forest: these crossings are not technically secured, i.e. without traffic lights or barriers. Whenever a train passes, it emits three whistle signals - this adds up to up to 150 signals per day, even at night.

A petition to "stop the noise pollution" was launched - and now, two years later, there is a solution. At the municipal council meeting on Wednesday, an agreement was reached with the Federal Railways to close the two crosswalks ("Steinschlossweg" and "Schrattenberg"). This means that loud train signals will no longer be necessary in future - they can still be heard clearly in the neighboring communities of Scheifling and Niederwölz.

Hiking trails can still be used
The next steps in the extensive process are now being initiated. Completion is expected in the first quarter of 2026. The existing hiking trails can still be used with a modified route, meaning that the hiking destinations Steinschloss and Schrattenberg ruins will still be easily accessible in the future. Incidentally, all costs will be borne by ÖBB.

"By agreeing to this contract, we are meeting a long-standing demand to discontinue the train signals," says Mayor Lydia Künstner-Stöckl (SPÖ). She sees "a truly optimal solution for our population".