Sign up to support the militants of the Ybbstalbahn/Austria!

Friends of rails, tracks and trains in the United Kingdom!

The Ybbstalbahn in Lower Austria is closed now for several years and in those years there were long discussions how to do with the line.
At the beginning it seemed clear for a majority of local and regional politicians to create a cycling path, but more and more it seemed also, that a compromise could be made: to conserve a part of the line as touristline from Waidhofen up to the community of Hollenstein, especially as the community of Hollenstein refuses the cycling path from the beginning of the discussion and wanted to conserve the rails.

And right in the middle of hope-giving negociations in a surprising act of violence the owner of line demolished the railway station of Hollenstein in the morning of last friday!

Here one article in a national newspaper (KURIER):


and a picture of the station after this act of vandalism:


One of the militants, Mr Karl Piaty, famous Holder of a Pastry- and Confectionery shop in Waidhofen, created a petiton adressed to the Vice President an Treasureholder of Lower Austria, Mr. Sobotka.

This petition is - within 24 hours - already signed by 450 people in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, France and of course the UK...

The Petition's text is as simple as possible:

Mr Sobotka, save the Ybbstalbahn!


and here the link to the petition to be signed:
https://secure.avaaz.org/de/petitio...iederoesterreich_Rette_die_Ybbstalbahn/?email


As I know about the international reputaion of that line and about a lots of visitors from Britain in the past, I hope to get a lots of support from you!

 

It's a pleasant area. I've signed.

 

It's a pleasant area and there were always a lots of british railfans there, that's why i thought of asking you for support!

For me it was a little railway-universe by himself, a mainline with a junction and a little branch, one of the most charming resorts ever.

Last time when I was in the region (for professional reasons, the line was already closed) the receptionist of my hotel and I started a discussion, and he said that a lots of Britains were chosing his hotel as headquarter to explore the Ybbstalbahn, Mariazellerbahn, the Wachau and the Waldviertel!


Just one thing I want to ask You:

Please can you give me the web-adresses of sites or threads in english, which are concerning the Ybbstalbahn as one of the aims is to prove the importance of the line for international tourism!

Post them here, please and thank You very much in advance!

 

Signed !! Good luck

 

I, too, have signed the petition. I wish you every success.

 

Thank You All!

Ron, did You ever travel the Ybbs-valey?

For all which do not know the region, a site (sorry, only german, but apreciate the photos) describing the line:


Part One
Part Two

and in Part Three a report about the part of the line, which is a touristline.

here today's situation:

(1) the 5 km which are conserved for the urban transport of waidhofen
(2) the tourist line
____ closed, but tracks still existing
- - - - - demolished last weeks

For people, which understand french there is a description at Passions metriques


the petition to be signed is here

 

Today I want to introduce the most important associations arround the Ybbstalbahn:


ProYbbstalbahn is an association, which was founded years ago, even when there was still regular traffic on the line, to campaign for approvements, restauration, modernisation of the line. Today this association is the most important platform for the militants.

then we have te Club 598 , which conserved railway vehicles of all type, but the most important one loco of the ÖBB Narrow gague Class 598

here an old video when she made a short trip from Waidhofen to Ybbsitz while the line was still active.



the better video is this, also with the steam engine, but at the same time showing regular circulation.





and finally the site of the company which is ready to organize circulation on the line:

In English : YTM Ybbstal-Touristik- und Mobilität

And HERE You may sign the petiton


.

 

Mr. Piaty stopped his petition as "the time to ask for something is over".

A sit-in last monday in the regional capitla of St. Pölten opende the doors to the office of Mr. Wilfling, the regions minister of transports. at the same time local politicians continued with their politics of destruction.

With the demolition of the station of Opponitz the last vew hundreds of meters of 25kg profiles (I do not know exactly which ones) disappeared last week.

Today when demolition works in the Ofenloch, the gorge of the Ybbs Valley should start a small crowd of 20 people blocked the engine.

Tomorrow the militants are going to continue their fight for their railway!


Nota: when You look at the dismantled rails at the left you can see the very good condition of the rails, all the line from Waidhofen to Hollenstein is like this! Waht a shame to destroy something which is in a condition like this!