 |
Back to gallery | Danish  |
German |
||
 |
ÖBB - Österreichische Bundesbahnen Austrian Federal Railways |
|
The greater part of the Austrian railways are run by the State through ÖBB - Österreichische Bundesbahnen. ÖBB
has since 1993 been an independent company with organization and economy organized in an "infrastructural division" and a "service sector". The State is carrying the costs for the infrastructural division and is collecting payment from the companies including the service sector of ÖBB using the infrastructure (the rails.) Beyond this division in two pieces of the ÖBB, the service sector is further divided in sectors responsible for passenger traffic, goods traffic, planning and technology etc. The Austrian railway network was established within the structure being the mark of the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy with partly private and partly national railway companies. In 1882 the state took over the total running of the company. But due to the financial situation in Austria-Hungary the nationalization of the railways were only partially effected. ÖBB (then BBÔ) was in 1922/23 organized as a private company, still provided that the state continued to have superior authority and supervisors'commitments.From 1938 to 1945 ÖBB was a partner of the Deutsche Reichsbahn. After the war ÖBB was carried on as a national company. after the end of World War II 41 % of the railway network was unfit for use, e.g. 381 bridges and 2/3 of the rolling stock being destroyed. After the reconstruction the previously started electrification process was continued. In 1945 1001 kms were electrified ( in 1937 = 918 kms), in 1963 more than 2000 kms and in the beginning of 1998 electrification was extended to 3418 kms. The power consumption (one-phased alternating current 16,66 Hertz) was in 1997 about 2,1 millards kWh. It was supplied by 14 hydraulic power plants, of which 7 are owned by ÖBB. Beyond railway service ÖBB is carrying boat traffic at the Lakes Bodensee and Wolfgansee.
Line map of Austria
|
|
|