MOUNTAINS; COSTUMED PEOPLE ONTO TRAIN; TRAIN ARRIVES STATION; TRAIN TRAVELLING; MOUNTAINS.




Initials JP/VS/JF/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AUSTRIANS IN COLOURFUL PERIOD DRESS TODAY (SUNDAY) CELEBRATED THE CENTENARY OF THE RAILWAY THROUGH HISTORIC BRENNER PASS.

THE MOUNTAINS OF THE SOUTHERN TIROL MADE A SPECTACULAR BACKDROP AS THE TRAIN, PULLED BY A 100-YEAR-OLD ENGINE, CHUGGED ITS WAY THROUGH THE PASS.

THE RAILWAY LINE LINKING INNSBRUCK IN AUSTRIA WITH BOLZANO IN ITALY WAS COMPLETED IN 1867 AFTER FOUR YEARS WORK. EVEN IN THOSE DAYS, THE COST WAS HUGE - NEARLY GBP17,000,000 STERLING. MORE THAN 20,000 WORKMEN WERE ENGAGED ON THE PROJECT AND THREE THOUSAND OF THESE WERE INJURED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION.

IN THE OLD DAYS, IT TOOK TRAINS TWO HOURS FROM INNSBRUCK TO BOLZANO AND THAT WAS DOWN HILL. TODAY, IT ONLY TAKES 39 MINUTES. THE UPWARD JOURNEY TO AUSTRIA WAS SIN HOURS IN 1867 - BUT IN 1967 THE EXPRESSES DO IT IN TWO.

THE RAILWAY'S DESIGNER, KARL VON ETZEL, DID NOT LIVE TO SEE THE COMPLETION OF THE 80 MILES (126 KMS) OF TRACK. BUT HIS FORESIGHT AND THOROUGHNESS PAID OFF BECAUSE TODAY, GOODS CARRIED THROUGH BRENNER PASS ACCOUNT FRO 50% OF ALL RAIL MERCHANDISE PASSING THROUGH AUSTRIA.