175 years of the Geislinger Steige: A look at the railway icon of the Swabian Alb!

175 years of the Geislinger Steige: A look at the railway icon of the Swabian Alb!

The Geislinger Steige, a technical masterpiece from the pioneering era of the railway, will celebrate its 175th birthday on June 28th and 29th, 2025. This impressive structure was opened on June 29, 1850 and is still one of the first mountain crossings by a railway in continental Europe. The route not only shapes the appearance of the town of Geislingen in the Göppingen district, it is also one of the steepest railway lines in Europe with a gradient of 22.5 per mille and overcomes a height difference of 112 meters over a length of 5.7 kilometers Industrial display reported.

The construction, which began in 1847 with around 3,000 workers, posed an immense challenge. At the time, Geislingen only had 2,345 residents, which complicated the accommodation of the workers. Most of the construction workers came from Württemberg, but some also came from Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland. In the early years a push locomotive was used, some of which are still in use today.

Economic impact and historical development

The creation of the railway line led to a noticeable economic boom in the region. Factories were built along the Filstal, providing tens of thousands of jobs. For example, the Straub & Sohn machine factory was converted into Maschinenfabrik AG in 1883, which became Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG in 1929. Another important employer, Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik AG (WMF), emerged from a plaque factory in 1880 and has established itself as the largest employer in the Filstal to this day.

The current and future benefits of the Geislinger Steige remain undisputed. The new Stuttgart-Ulm line, which was inaugurated in 2022, has shortened travel times, but the old route is still very important for regional traffic. Around 80 freight trains are planned to run on the Geislinger Steige every day in 2025, as the old route is ideal for transporting heavy freight trains.

175th anniversary celebrations

An impressive program will be on offer at the upcoming festival weekend. Historic steam trains, including steam locomotives from 1921 and 1922 and an electric locomotive from 1943, will delight visitors. Such events provide a wonderful opportunity for railway enthusiasts to celebrate the history of the Geislinger Steige and its technical advances Train Extra pleasantly summarized.

The Geislinger Steige remains not only an important part of the regional railway history, but also a symbol of progress and development in the Baden-Württemberg region. It is their legacy that will continue to amaze future generations.