The Semmering railway, lying between the Gloggnitz and the Mürzzuschlag stations, was built between 1848 and 1854 by the architect Carl Ritter von Ghega (1802-1860). It is 41 kilometers long and is part of the railway line which connects the cities of Vienna and Graz and which continues until Trieste on the Adriatic Sea.
In order to build the railway line in the Semmering mountain region, the construction of 14 tunnels, 16 viaducts and over 100 arched passageways were needed. In addition, new specially designed locomotives were needed to cope with the sharp curves and steep upward gradients.