Semmering railway

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/semmering-railway

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How high is Semmering railway?Approximately 450 meters (1,480 ft) over its 41 km length
2. What is the location?Austria, linking Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag
3. What is the year of completion?1854
4. What is the Semmering Railway and why is it special?It is a 41‑kilometer train line in Austria that climbs steep mountains, and it was the first standard‑gauge mountain railway in the world, built in 1854.
5. How did the engineers build the railway through the mountains?They used 14 tunnels, some over 1.2 km long, and 16 viaducts and bridges, and they made tight curves with a 190‑meter radius to handle the steep 2.5‑2.8% slopes.

Standard Gauge: The nominal distance between the inner edges of two parallel railway tracks, typically 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in).
Mountain Railway: A railway line constructed to operate in mountainous regions, often featuring steep gradients and sharp curves.
Viaduct: A long bridge, typically composed of a series of arches or spans, used to carry a railway or road over a valley or low-lying land.
Gradient: The measure of steepness of a slope, often expressed as a percentage or ratio of vertical rise to horizontal distance.