Rails Across Europe

Eastern and Southern Europe

David Cable

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Transport
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781473844339
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Rail Transportation
• Index: Technology & Engineering

The two volumes covering Rails Across Europe are divided into one, covering the North and West of the continent, the other dealing with the South and East.The photos were taken by David Cable, a well-regarded author of several photographic albums of trains throughout the world, supplemented by a few taken by friends.The books show pictures of modern traction mainly from the 1980s to the current era, covering the huge variety of classes locomotives as well as multiple units and the panoply of colour schemes that continue to grow.The photos were taken both at railway stations and in the countryside and give a wide range of locations. The first volume covers Scandinavia, the Baltic states, Germany, Poland, the Benelux countries, the United Kingdom and Ireland.The second volume deals with France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and the majority of Central European and Balkan countries, which had been in the former Soviet Eastern Block.

Austria

The Wilder Kaiser Mountains form a backdrop to a westbound freight train passing through Kitzbuhel station, headed by OBB 1110 001-3 in May 1987.

A nice selection of light engines are seen heading east at Schwarzsee, near Kitzbuhel, in May 1987. Nearest the camera is 1020 015-2, with a class 1010 and class 1044 in the lead.

1063 021-8 attaches a van to a Bischofshofen to Worgl train at Schwarzach St Veit, in June 1992, as another train arrives on the adjacent track.

At the old station at St Anton, the VSOE bound for Venezia stops to allow passengers to stretch their legs, but why can’t they learn to keep out of the way of the photographer?!! The train is hauled by 1110 519-4 in a special livery and has been banked up through the Arlberg tunnel by 1020 037-6.

With a colourful selection of vans, a westbound parcels train arrives at St Anton in June 1992 behind OBB 1042 612-0. The livery with the white band instead of overall red, adds to the neat design of these engines.

On a beautiful sunny morning in June 2002, 1044 276-2 surmounts the summit at Brenner with EC81 from Munchen to Milano. Of particular note are the class 1012s stabled in the siding, which have since been purchased by Hector Rail in Sweden.

The classic view at St Jodok shows OBB 1822 004-6 rounding the curve with a morning Lienz to Innsbruck service. This is another class some of which were purchased by a company in a different European country, in this case Poland, although they were not used to any extent there.

The CAT (City Airport Trains) service operates between the city and airport at Wien, with this premium service carrying special colours in green, white and black. Over the years, different classes have been used, commencing, as seen here, with the class 1014. CAT 1014 007-7 is seen passing Mannsworth with a Wien Flughafen to Wien Nord train in June 2005.

The sun does not always shine as here at Enns in June 2005, where 1116 241-8 speeds past on its way from Basel to Wien Westbahnhof with the spray flying. This station has now been by-passed by the high speed line from Linz to Wien, so that major expresses are no longer seen at this station. However, it still hosts plenty of freight and local passenger services.

Don’t get your wires crossed!! 1116 208-8 and 1061 021-6 stand on the turntable at Villach West shed in June 2005, with the tangle of wires adding to the scene.

The Austrian railways have been one of the major players in giving locomotives colour schemes to recognise various events. In this case, the Austrian Red Cross was recognised on 1116 264-1, which is seen at a celebration in Innsbruck Hbf in May 2006.

A train from Ceske Budejovice to Linz has arrived at Summerau, on the border of the Czech Republic. The CD class 340 has been removed and 1044 085-9 i...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Notes on railways of each country
• Rails Across Europe