Wasn’t the ehem Feldbahn Mauer a marvel of engineering? Right here before us stands a testament to a bygone era. This narrow-gauge railway once served the Geriatriezentrum Am Wienerwald. It was a vital lifeline. This 500 mm gauge railway transported essential supplies. Food fuel and clothing were carried to the Lainz nursing home.
The ehem Feldbahn Mauer wasn’t just any industrial railway. It was built in 1904. That makes it the oldest Feldbahn in Austria. The Vienna City Administration commissioned its construction. Lehmann & Leyer built a 4 km network. The track used steel sleepers and flat bottom rails. Construction was remarkably fast. The whole project took only three months to complete.
The original design included 61 cast-iron turntables. They were placed at crossings and branches to different buildings. Later in 1925 Langfelder & Sohn updated the system. They replaced the turntables with switches. Grooved rails were added at tramway intersections. Four AEG battery locomotives were added. These were replaced again in 1981. New flat wagons with hand brakes were also incorporated.
In 1966 the ehem Feldbahn Mauer received a new diesel locomotive. The JW 15 from Jenbacher Werke was a significant upgrade. It handled snow removal and work train duties. It also served as backup for the battery locomotives. By 2011 the ehem Feldbahn Mauer’s primary function was food delivery. The train made two or three runs daily.
Sadly the ehem Feldbahn Mauer ceased operation on November 27 2011. Parts of the track remain. They’re considered industrial heritage. The engine sheds were unfortunately demolished. The ehem Feldbahn Mauer reminds us of a simpler time. A time when human ingenuity and determination conquered logistics challenges. Let’s carry the memory of this remarkable Feldbahn with us.