Last Semmering Dispatcher
Since 1854 the station of Semmering was of course staffed with a local dispatcher, who controlled the traffic of the mountain route. Such was the case and traffic routine for 166 years ... But tonight with the timetable change 2021 the legendary mountain route now becomes completely remote-controlled from the operation center in Vienna ...
To honor this historical moment, I asked the last dispatcher the day before his final shift for a portrait in front of the beautiful "Ghega" monument, dedicated in 1869 to the glorious architect of the first Mountain Railway "Carl Ritter from Ghega" ...
The smart old Railwayman served at Semmering for the last 17 years and still wears his very first original red dispatcher cap proudly since he started his career in 1982. The final 2 years to his retirement he will serve at another location. Thus Semmering station remains now abandoned, likely 8 years before trains will pass it deep below in a 27 km long tunnel ...
Please compare the portrait with the wonderful, linked photograph from 1904, presenting the monument at the 50 year jubilee with a superb parade of old veteran technicians, engineers and railwaymen, who were involved masterminds in the construction works and early days of 1854 ...
www.technischesmuseum.at/museum/online-sammlung#sammlung/...
Semmering, 12 / 20
Last Semmering Dispatcher
Since 1854 the station of Semmering was of course staffed with a local dispatcher, who controlled the traffic of the mountain route. Such was the case and traffic routine for 166 years ... But tonight with the timetable change 2021 the legendary mountain route now becomes completely remote-controlled from the operation center in Vienna ...
To honor this historical moment, I asked the last dispatcher the day before his final shift for a portrait in front of the beautiful "Ghega" monument, dedicated in 1869 to the glorious architect of the first Mountain Railway "Carl Ritter from Ghega" ...
The smart old Railwayman served at Semmering for the last 17 years and still wears his very first original red dispatcher cap proudly since he started his career in 1982. The final 2 years to his retirement he will serve at another location. Thus Semmering station remains now abandoned, likely 8 years before trains will pass it deep below in a 27 km long tunnel ...
Please compare the portrait with the wonderful, linked photograph from 1904, presenting the monument at the 50 year jubilee with a superb parade of old veteran technicians, engineers and railwaymen, who were involved masterminds in the construction works and early days of 1854 ...
www.technischesmuseum.at/museum/online-sammlung#sammlung/...
Semmering, 12 / 20