Kohlgrube, the mining colony in the municipality of Wolfsegg am Hausruck, can be considered the nucleus of lignite mining in the Hausruck region, as mining activities have been documented here since 1776. Kohlgrube once had over 1,000 inhabitants, most of whom were directly or indirectly employed in the mining industry. After the eastern mining area was exhausted, mining in Kohlgrube ceased in 1964.
To the south of Kohlgrube lies the Lorenz Tunnel, a small exhibition tunnel. Next to it is an information board with an overview map of the Kohlgrube mining facilities – unfortunately, it is already difficult to read. This tunnel portal, however, is a demonstration tunnel and not the original entrance, which has likely suffered the fate of many entrances here – it is likely dilapidated and forgotten. The tunnel is named after the former mining director of Kohlgrube, Wenzl Lorenz (1818-1871).
Around the Kohlgrube mining colony, located in a depression, there were numerous tunnels in which lignite was mined and transported on two 580 mm gauge coal railways. The coal was transported to the Kohlgrube crusher (from the coal railways via a cable car), where it was crushed and sorted. The coal was then transported on the 1,106 mm gauge coal railway (like a horse-drawn railway) via Wufing (tunnel) to Breitenschützing, where it was transferred to the Empress Elisabeth Railway (now the Western Railway line).