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Roaming Moose 'Emil' Halts Westbahn in St. Pölten for Hours

Rail staff approached in a slow shunting locomotive to move the animal safely off the line.

Overview

  • ÖBB suspended trains on the Westbahn at St. Pölten on Saturday evening after the moose entered the main station tracks.
  • The closure lasted from about 21:30 until shortly before 01:00, with passenger delays reported up to roughly 120 minutes.
  • Police later said the animal left the urban area heading north, and services returned to normal by Sunday morning.
  • Crowds gathered at multiple sightings as the local animal-welfare group urged people to keep their distance, warning that stress can trigger dangerous flight behavior.
  • Emil has roamed eastern Austria for around two and a half weeks, covering about 250 kilometers and reportedly swimming the Danube, with experts saying he likely dispersed from Czechia or Poland.