[PRCo] Innsbruck Austria

[Fred Schneider]

While you are delving into old Pennsylvania trolleys, don't miss this  
wonderful one shot taken on the Stubaitalbahn outside of Innsbruck,  
Austria.   The word Tal = valley.   Bahn = railway   So it is the  
Stubai Valley Railway.  The Stubaitalbahn started as a 3000 volt  
alternating current line, then high voltage DC, then 700 volts DC.  
The cars start in front of the train station in Innsbruck, wander  
south through the streets, then climb into the Tirolean Alps through  
hairpin turns inside tunnels, reaching the towns of Natters, then  
Mutters, and eventually Fulpmes.   I think I have photographed this  
lovely little line four times in summer, fall and winter.  You  
haven't lived until you've seen the Alps from the window of a city  
trolley second hand from northern Germany.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qesvDZpmp5s&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SGa9FpGbPY&feature=related

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stubaitalbahn

http://www.austrian-railways.org/stu1.htm

On one of my winter trips I was met by a German friend who came down  
from Munich to spend the day with me.   He had a local Austrian  
railfan in tow.   When we got to Fulpmes I noticed that the station  
Schnellimbis (fast food restaurant) was selling Gluwein.   Having  
never had it before and recognizing the last four letters, I asked  
Christopf what Gluwein was.   He explained that Gluwein was a  
Tiroleanspecialitaten, or perhaps a Wintertiroleanspecialitaten.  You  
take the house wine, put it on the stove, add cloves and sugar, warm  
it to warm the innards on a cold day and serve it in a cup.   In the  
case, the cup was styrofoam.  The three of us boarded the tram going  
back to Innsbruck, each with a styrofoam cup that day.  And I can  
guarantee you, this man was converted.   It's good for what hurts  
you.   (There is also a German restaurant in this area with Tirolean  
owners ... it isn't on the menu but it is made on demand when I walk  
in.)

The is another adjacent line that goes up into the Alps to the east  
of the line to Fulpes that started as a steam railroad.  Also worth  
seeing.

And there are a couple of local routes down in the town of Innsbruck  
which just received new cars in November.

Where is Innsbruck?   Start at Munich, Germany and head south over  
the Brenner Pass Road as though you were going to Bologna, Italy.   
You'll go right through Innsbruck.  When you tire of photographing  
the Alps and the cows with their bells and the architecture and the  
trolleys, you can also work on the north-south and east-west  
mainlines of the Austrian Federal Railways.   And no one will tell  
you a camera is illegal!

And you can go a hour or so to the south into Italy to see the ice  
man mummy and an old trolley up on the mountains ...wooden cars  
dating back 100 years and still running.