Abstract

Development of the first railways on the Slovak territory within Austrian Empire (till 1867) and within Austro-Hungarian Monarchy after 1867. History of the horse-drawn railway line Bratislava-Trnava, and history of railway lines building by four companies: Hungarian Central Railway Company, Považská Railway Company, Košice Bohumín Railway and Prešov Tarnow Railway. Description of unique historical steam locomotive types. Development of bridge systems in the world and use of some bridge systems on Slovak territory in the second half of 19^th century. Description of historical railway bridge types and information about their authors. Exceptional historical photographs of locomotives and railway bridges.

Keywords:Historical engineering structures; Railway bridges; Unique locomotives; Bridge load tests; Rare photographs; Slovak territory