Narrow-gauge railway – old technology steams into the future

Reflex level gauges from KLINGER keep the Liliputbahn’s steam engines in the Vienna Prater running safely.

One million kilometers – that’s a remarkable distance to cover for a light railway, especially on a track length of barely four kilometers. Since the narrow-gauge railway started running in 1928, it has been in continuous operation, its route taking it from the main station in the Prater amusement park to the terminal loop at the sports stadium via the Schweizerhaus restaurant. Two of the six locomotives are steam engines. Built especially for this railway, they have been in service here from the very beginning and are still running today. KLINGER is doing its part to make this possible, using “19th century technology that still has its use in the 21st century,” as Markus Fuchs, Key Account & Product Manager for Industrial Valves at KLINGER Gebetsroither explains.

Keeping it real

“We use KLINGER reflex level gauges in our steam engines. These have sight glasses that show the driver the water level in the boiler. That’s really important since a low level can cause the boiler to burst,” says Ronald Durstmüller. Managing the operation and workshop of the Liliputbahn in the Vienna Prater, he knows the complex technology behind the historic steam engines like the back of his hand. The two identical engines Da1 (fabrication number 8441) and Da2 (number 8442) were both built nearly 100 years ago, in 1928. In keeping them running, Ronald is keen to keep them in their original condition. This includes making do without electronics, which would be an easy way of automating water level monitoring in the boiler. “But any automation would make a mockery of our efforts to preserve the tradition we’re committed to here,” he says. Markus agrees: “An immediate visual check of the fill level is still state of the art, even in industry.”

Pressure- and heat-resistant sight glass

That’s why, like in the past, there’s no way round using mechanical parts for this. The KLINGER K-DZ reflex level gauges are the perfect choice for the cabs of steam engines. Ronald Durstmüller describes the special requirements placed on the material:

The Liliput railway has been using KLINGER reflex level gauges for more than 30 years now, not least because the products are set to remain available for a long time to come. With KLINGER headquartered in Lower Austria, the short delivery routes are a further boon. “Plus, like our Liliputbahn, KLINGER has a long history,” says Ronald.

Challenges ahead for steam power

For some parts that need to be replaced, it’s harder to find reliable manufacturers like KLINGER. Many replacement parts are made in the railway operator’s own workshop, often drawing on the expertise of other steam engine operators, such as the railway museums in Strasshof and Schwechat. In all, 15 engines of the model run by the Liliputbahn were built in Munich at the time. Ten of these are still in service, for example in Dresden, Stuttgart and Leipzig. They all struggle with the same problem of sourcing fuel. “We can’t get coal anymore because of the global coal phase-out. Small operators like us, who need only little amounts, are the first to feel the squeeze,” says Ronald.

An environment-friendly coal substitute

As of early 2022, the low-odor, smokeless Welsh coal that has kept the engines running is no longer available, forcing the Liliputbahn’s operators to search for alternatives. They came upon a new kind of fuel: coal-like briquettes that are made, in roughly equal parts, of ground olive kernels and anthracite dust, with sugar syrup used as binding agent. Although this coal substitute is still being tested, it has the potential to power the Liliputbahn into a new, more environment-friendly future.