Achensee Railway, Heritage steam railway in Jenbach, Austria
The Achensee Railway is a narrow-gauge rack railway that connects Jenbach with a high-altitude lake in the mountains. It uses both standard rails and a toothed gear system to navigate the steep slope safely and reliably.
The railway was conceived in the 1880s and opened in 1889, making the mountain region accessible for the first time. This infrastructure achievement enabled people to reach high-altitude areas regularly and safely.
The railway takes its name from the lake it reaches and connects the valley world with high-altitude landscapes. Visitors notice how the scenery shifts continuously as the train climbs, revealing higher forests and mountain slopes at each stage.
The train journey takes about an hour and passes through progressively steeper terrain as the locomotive climbs steadily. Bring warm clothing since temperatures drop with elevation, and plan for a relaxed pace to enjoy the changing landscape.
The locomotives were crafted by hand when trains were built with meticulous care by skilled workers. The original rack system continues to operate unchanged to this day, demonstrating how thoughtfully the line was engineered from the start.
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