Driver s Eye View Höllental Electric Railway ( Austria) Payerbach to Reichenau an der Rax

The narrow gauge (760 mm) Höllental Railway situated in Lower Austria starts from the (ÖBB) Semmering Railway station of Payerbach Reichenau running for approximately 5 kilometres to Hirschwang via the attractive market town of Reichenau an der Rax. Trains operate from a 550 volt overhead power supply. Opened in 1918 to serve a paper mill, passenger and general goods traffic commenced in 1926. Local commuter traffic was augmented by tourists visiting the Rax Cable Car, also opened in 1926. In the early 60s the line required substantial investment, leading to post office buses replacing trains in 1963 with goods traffic to the Hirschwang paper mill ceasing in 1982. In 1979 the Austrian Society for Local Railways (ÖGLB) began operating passenger trains for tourists on summer weekends. As the only operator after 1982, ÖGLB assumed responsibly for maintaining the railway, although Payerbach Hirschwang GmbH, is still the legal owner of the line. The tour was organised by th