Gottfried O. Rieck
Founder
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At the turn of the nineteenth century, a trip in a steam
locomotive through the charming landscapes and magnificent
cities of Europe was part of the special “fin
de siecle” atmosphere. With good reason,
journeys in the great trains of the past remain an unforgettable
part of our collective memory.
The comfortable compartments and the extravagant furnishings
contributed to the marvelous experience, just like the
impeccable service at the dazzling dinners with their
culinary highlights.
uch trains were expressly constructed for use by the
European court and moneyed aristocracy; their manufacturers
were proud to be creating artworks out of steel and
iron, creations that could offer not only the greatest
possible comfort but also luxurious elegance.
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This striving after the highest perfection
and harmony provided the occasion to produce luxury trains
again. Thus the travelers of today discover a complete riding
experience in one of the most beautiful palaces on rails:
the Majestic Imperator Train de Luxe
THE MAJESTIC IMPERATOR TRAIN DE
LUXE - A Palace on Rails
In 1991, a century after the original train was built, Gottfried
Rieck, an engineer with the Austrian Federal Railways, along
with his wife Sibylle, set out to realize their dream of rebuilding
one carriage of this legendary train. Gottfried had worked
for the railways for over thirty-five years, having begun
his career shoveling coal on a steam locomotive. After many
months, their dream became reality with the rebirth of the
Salon I carriage, adapting the still existing original plans
to meet strict modern safety requirements.
Designing Engineers combined the very strict security standards
of modern trains with the lavish and exquisite grandeur of
the original. The passion driven family Rieck soon was able
to inject other paramours of nostalgic trains with their dream
of reconstructing historic railway vehicles and make them
operational again: Michael von Rosen and his son Michael Jr..
also became associates of this project.
On May 19, 1998, the youngest female descendant of Emperor
Franz Joseph I. and his famous wife Empress Elisabeth, Maria
Christina Habsburg-Lothringen, baptized the glamorously restored
Majestic Imperator Luxury train composed of six wagons altogether.
And this is how the couple Rieck was able to fulfill their
dream: "To offer their passengers an adventure that they
would never forget and that would always stand out in their
memories."
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