Strassenbahn Ebelsberg-St Florian

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	Strassenbahn Ebelsberg-St Florian Stern & Hafferl - Page 2 All images link to larger copies which will open in a new window/tab
	This page shows images of the 900mm narrow gauge electric railway/tramway which connected the towns of Ebelsberg to St Florian. Ebelsberg later joined the Linz tramway system but through running was not used. The railway/tramway was operated by Stern und Hafferl who ran numerous local electric railways in Upper Austria, supplied from the power stations which were their main enterprise. It closed in 1974 but was re-opened later as a museum line, which I visited in 1989. Operations were later suspended and the future does not look bright.

The Strassenbahn Ebelsberg-St. Florian, also called the Florianerbahn, was an interurban tramway in Upper Austria. It ran from 1913 and 2013 is its centenary. It was originally licensed as a narrow gauge branch line between the formerly independent municipality of Ebelsberg (now a suburb of Linz ) and St Florian. Owner was Stern & Hafferl who still run a selection of small electric railways in Upper Austria. The railway was later re-designated as a tramway (Strassenbahn).

The track gauge was 900 mm like that of the Linz tram and it was electrified at 600 volts DC. Regular operation lasted from 2 September 1913 until the end of the 1973, just a the year before my first visit to Linz in 1974. From 1929, Ebelsberg was also directly connected to the Linz tram network. Through running into Linz from St Florian was considered, but the Stern & Hafferl railcars were too wide. Linz trailers were sometimes worked through to St Florian however, and through ticketing was available.

The tramway closed in 1973 with final special trains in January 1974. It was taken over by the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte (ÖGEG) and partially reopened as the Museumbahn St Florian. I visited it in August 1989 and the images below are from this date.

The tramway began operation in 1913 with three small 4-wheel trams numbered EM1-3, supplied by Graz Waggonfabrik in 1912. Tram EM2 was scrapped in 1975, after the closure of the tramway in 1973. Trams EM1 & 3 passed to the ÖGEG and No.1 was running on my 1989 visit. Other operational trams on the Museumbahn included one from Gmunden and one from the Pöstlingbergbahn.

Five matching Graz trailers numbered EP1-5 were delivered in 1912-13. EP1-3 were renumbered EB20224, EB20222 and EB20223 in 1974 and moved elsewhere within the Stern & Hafferl organisation. I photographed EP!, regauged to a metre, on the Attergaubahn.

There were also two goods vans, latterly numbered E 501 & 521 also built by Graz. A third van E502 was built by Stabeg in 1946. All three vans were scrapped in 1974 after the closure of the tramway in 1973.

A ride on the tramway
On my visit in 1989 it was necessary to catch a bus from the Ebelsberg terminus of the Linz tramway (since extended) to Pichling since the Florianerbahn had been breached by a new road. The route of the railway was visible from the bus, complete with overhead, running parallel to the road and separated by a few metres of grass. The were no facilities whatsoever at the Pichling terminus, the tracks just ended in a field. A couple of trailers stored there were the only sign that it was the 'station'. They would have been vandalised in days if left out like that in the UK (although the copper overhead of the closed Museumbahn was stolen in 2011). Three trams were in service, St Florian No.1, Gmunden No.7 and Pöstlingbergbahn XIII. These were listed in the guide book as the only operable trains. Other trams awaiting restoration existed, including some Linz two-axle vehicles and trailers which were outside.

Pöstlingbergbahn XIII soon turned up at Pichling and we boarded it for the painfully slow journey to Ebelsberg. I do not recall any other passengers. The track state was appalling and the tram felt as if it might derail at each rail joint as we lurched along at barely above walking pace. Some sections appeared to have been re-laid and were a little better. Indeed, work was under way at the Pichling terminus to extend track towards Ebelsberg.

At St Florian we photographed the rolling stock scattered around and then visited the famous abbey. As we entered the abbey church the somebody began practising on the impressive organ - amazing to hear the instrument played by Anton Bruckner who had been the organist here. When we returned to the tram terminus, St Florian 1 and Gmunden 7 had been prepared for use. Of course we travelled on the original No.1, and the two trams travelled in convoy on the arduous trip back to Pichling. There was a handful of passengers waiting there. The connecting bus had been missed so we walked back to Ebelsberg in blistering heat. It had been a bizarre experience.

	Sections on this Page Strassenbahn Ebelsberg-St Florian EM 1-3 - original S&H motor trams EP1-5 - original S&H trailers Gmunden GM7 - museum tram Pöstlingbergbahn XIII - museum tram Linz 11 - museum tram Linz 32 - museum tram Pichling terminus St Florian Associated Pages Railways Header Page Cruise Ships Ocean Liners UK Excursion Vessels World Ferry Fleets Simplon Postcards - Home Page Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates	Simplon Austrian Railway & Tramway Pages:- Railways Header Page ÖBB Page 1 - Locomotive Classes ÖBB Page 2 - Schafberg Rack Railway Achenseebahn:- Jenbach-Seespitz Attergaubahn:- Vöcklamarkt–Attersee (Stern & Hafferl Page 1) Florianerbahn:- Strassenbahn Ebelsberg-St Florian (Stern & Hafferl Page 2) - this page Linz Trams Pöstlingbergbahn (Linz) Simplon Facebook Pages:- - Simplon Ship Postcards facebook page - Simplon Minor Railways facebook page - Simplon Piers & Lighthouses facebook page - Simplon Tramways facebook page - Simplon Cliff Lifts facebook page References Lokalbahn Ebelsberg-St Florian Seit 1913 - ÖGEG - 1988
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