Day of issue of the "Achensee Railway" commemorative stamp in the railways series
This year's motif in the "Railways" series is the Tyrolean Achensee Railway with its nostalgic steam locomotives, which is a highly popular tourist attraction.
On 1 August 1888 Emperor Franz Joseph I granted the concession for the "construction and operation of a narrow-gauge locomotive railway with mixed adhesion and toothed rail operation", and on 8 June 1889 the opening celebrations already took place. The metre-gauge Achensee railway connects the Jenbach railway station with the ship mooring station on Lake Achensee over a 6.76 kilometre route. Initially, the railway line ended 400 metres before the pier at Seespitz, and the passengers' luggage was transported to the ships on a roller conveyor. It was not until 1916 that the railway line was extended to its current terminus. After the insolvency of the Achenseebahn AG, the state of Tyrol, the Zillertalbahn and some neighbouring municipalities took over the railway operation as Achensee Infrastruktur- und Betriebs-GmbH in 2021.
The first section of the line from Jenbach to Eben with a gradient of up to 160 per mille is mastered with the cogwheel drive, with the locomotive pushing the train. Afterwards, the locomotive is placed in front of the train and pulls it to the final destination. Only the steam-powered locomotives No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 built in 1888/89 are used.
Locomotive No. 4 was used as a source of spare parts during World War II, but was later reactivated. The Achensee Railway runs several times a day from April to October; the travel time is around 50 minutes.
What?
Day of issue of the commemorative stamp "Achensee Railway" in the "Railways" series
When?
15 July 2023 / 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where?
At Jenbach train station next to the dining waggon, Bahnhofstrasse 3-5, 6200 Jenbach
Photos © Ö. Post AG (group photo) Helmut Lechner (Achensee Railway Office/Sales), Martina Prinz (Head of Philately POS, Österreichische Post AG), Martin Harb (Mayor of the municipality Eben am Achensee), Evelyn Achhorner (Member of the Regional Parliament in Tyrol, Achensee Railway staff members
