The line from Mixnitz ( on the Graz - Peggau - Brück an der Mur line) to St. Erhard, was promoted by the owners of a magnesite mine and smelter opened in 1906 in the Breitenau region of Steiermark. Transporting the product by horse and cart proved expensive, and in 1910 the owners proposed a narrow-gauge (760mm) line linking the smelter with the standard-gauge line at Miznitz. Opened in 1913, the line was extended beyond the mine to the village of St. Erhard, and a sparse passenger service was introduced. Four other goods halts were opened for general goods traffic at the same time. The line prospered on the smelter traffic, but passenger numbers were never high, except during the two World Wars, when the area was used for training soldiers. The line closed to passenger traffic in 1966, and subsequently general goods traffic simply faded away, although even today facilities exist "just in case". The line was electrified at opening at 800 v d.c., 400 amps, and two 4-wheel steeple-cab electric locomotives were purchased new from AEG. Numbered E1 and E2, they are still in use today, usually for shunting at Mixnitz. The locos weigh 15 tonnes, and have a maximum speed of 30 km/h. Two more, larger, electric locos were purchased from ÖAM, E3 in 1957 and E4 in 1963. These Bo-Bo locos have a top speed of 40 km/h, and weight 30 tonnes. Two electric trolleys were obtained from the Ybbs tramway in 1954, and one has subsequently been electrically altered to run on the line as an inspection vehicle/ Never owned by a public body, the line is nevertheless operated by Steiermarkische Landesbahnen, who maintain the locos on behalf of the mine owners. At the main line junction there are two standard-gauge shunters to move the wagons at the transhipment point - VEL1 was built by Gebus in 1956, with a Bo wheel arrangement, weighing 20 tonnes, and with an 18 km/h top speed. VHL 2 followed a year later - a Jenbacherwerke JW200 standard product, (3.559.137/1967) weighing 27 tonnes, and with a (rarely attained) top speed of 60 km/h. Unlike the electric transmission of VEL1, this has hydraulic transmission. The line commences in the goods yard alongside the ÖBB Mixnitz-Bärenschützklamm station. The line runs parallel with the ÖBB line northwards alongside the Mur for about 400 metres before branching off up the valley at Maustatt. The line keeps the Breitenauer Bach company all the way up the valley, crossing it three times, and the minor road which follows the line, twice. The line speed is 25 km/h. After the passenger service ceased, the line was cut back by about 400 metres to the magnesite plant, and is now 10.38 km long. There is a workshop and loco shed at Mixnitz It is possible to hire a train for photographic purposes, and occasionally passenger services have been run on the line. Information from Steiermärkische Landesbahnen, A-8010 Graz, Radetzkystraße 31, phone: +43(316)812581-0; fax: +43(316)81258125. A model of one of the original locos, together with two sheeted wagons, is available (2005) from LGB, product code 29300. The Austrian model firm of Halling (http://www.halling.at) also produce (2006/7) a model of eloks E1 and E2 in both original and current liveries in HOe scale.

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