Rail transport in Norway

Norway
Bergensbanen at Finse, the highest point of the Norwegian railways.
Operation
National railway	Norges Statsbaner
Infrastructure company	Jernbaneverket
Statistics
Ridership	54 million
Passenger km	2,717 million
Freight	25 million tonnes
System length
Total	4,087 kilometres (2,540 mi)
Double track	242 kilometres (150 mi)
Electrified	2,622 kilometres (1,629 mi)
High-speed	64 kilometres (40 mi)
Gauge
Main	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification
Main	15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC
Features
No. tunnels	696
Longest tunnel	Romeriksporten
No. bridges	2,760
Longest bridge	Strømsløpet Bridge
Highest elevation	1,237 metres (4,058 ft)
at	Finse

A Class 63 steam engine

The completion of Bergensbanen

A BM 73b at Råde Station

The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,087 km of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) (standard gauge) track of which 2,622 km is electrified and 242 km double track. There are 696 tunnels and 2760 bridges.

Jernbaneverket is a state owned agency which builds and maintains all railway tracks, while other companies operate them. These companies include Norges Statsbaner, NSB Anbud, CargoNet, Flytoget, Hector Rail, Tågåkeriet and Ofotbanen.

Norway is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Norway is 76.

History

Main article: History of rail transport in Norway

The first railway in Norway was Hovedbanen between Oslo and Eidsvoll and opened in 1854. The main purpose of the railway was to freight lumber from Mjøsa to the capital, but also passenger traffic was offered. In the period between the 1860s and the 1880s Norway saw a boom of smaller railways being built, including isolated railways in Central and Western Norway. The predominant gauge at the time was 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) (narrow gauge) , but some lines were built in 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) (standard gauge). The height of the era came in 1877 when Rørosbanen connected Central Norway to the capital. In 1883 the entire main railway network was taken over by NSB, though a number of industrial railways and branch lines continued to be operated by private companies.

Three urban railways, in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, were started as horsecar systems between 1875 and 1893. They were all electrified around the turn of the century.

The second construction boom of the main railway arose in the 1910s and included the Bergensbane across Finse to Bergen, connecting Eastern and Western Norway. Also a number of other larger projects were built through the 1920s, including a second line, Dovrebanen, to Trondheim. This period also saw the first electrified railways and a steady conversion from narrow gauge to standard gauge. Norway chose to electrify their network at 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC.

During World War II there was a massive construction by the German Forces as part of creating Festung Norwegen, including large sections of Nordlandsbanen and the completion of Sørlandsbanen. After the war the main effort was to complete Nordlandsbanen (that reached Bodø in 1962) and completing the decision to electrify 50% of the network, a task not completed until 1970. This allowed the retirement of the steam locomotive, being replaced with electric engines like the El 11 and El 13 or the diesel powered Di 3. In 1966 Norway's only rapid transit, Oslo T-bane was opened, but in the same decade the Bergen tramway was closed. In the 1970s and 80s a lot of branch lines were also abandoned.

In 1980 the massive project of connecting the eastern and western railway networks around Oslo was completed with the opening of the Oslo Tunnel and Oslo Central Station. In 1996 NSB was split in the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate, Jernbaneverket and operating company NSB BA. Since the companies have been split into 10 separate companies and corporations. In 1998 the first new line in 36 years was opened when the high-speed railway Gardermobanen was opened to allow travel at 210 km/h between Oslo, Oslo Airport and Eidsvoll. The 1990s also saw the massive introduction of multiple units on passenger trains. In the 2000s the freight segment was deregulated and a number of freight companies have started competing with the NSB partial subsidiary CargoNet.

Network

Track

The main railway network consists of 4087 km of lines, of which 242 km is double track and 60 km high-speed rail (210 km/h). In addition there is 225 km of urban railways, of which 218 km is double track. In addition there are some industrial tracks and minor branch lines and some abandoned and heritage railways. The entire main network is 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) (standard gauge), as are the urban railways in Oslo and Bergen. Of the operational railways in Norway, only the Trondheim Tramway has a different gauge, the meter gauge, 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in). Some heritage railways, though, operate with various kinds of narrow gauge.

Kirkenes-Bjørnevatnbanen used to be the northernmost railway in the world; however, it was closed down in 1997, but shall open again in 2009. Still, Narvik is one of the northernmost towns in the world to have a railway connection, as the terminus for Ofotbanen. It connects to Kiruna, Sweden, but not to Bodø, the northern terminus of the Norwegian railway network. Kiruna is, however, connected to the Swedish railway network, which again is connected to the Norwegian network at the Swedish station of Charlottenberg, Storlien and Kornsjø.

Traction

2622 km (64%) of the railway network is electrified, all of it at 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC with overhead wires. The only sections that are not electrified are the lines north of Mjøsa, with the sole exception of Dovrebanen and the Ofotbanen. On non-electrified sections diesel locomotives are used. All of the urban railways use 750 V DC, via overhead wires on the tramways and via third-rail on the Oslo T-bane.

Future expansion plans

In its plans, Jernbaneverket will concentrate its expansions primarily on the cramped network around Oslo and the larger cities.

• Oslo-Ski: New doubletrack in new corridor for intercity and freight trains finished in 2018. Existing doubletrack is used for local trains.
• Skøyen-Asker: New doubletrack in new corridor for intercity and freight trains. Existing doubletrack is used for local trains.
• Vestfoldbanen: Before 2019: 17km doubletrack connected to existing doubletrack from Drammen, and 5,5km doubletrack north of Tønsberg. Between Larvik and Porsgrunn ca 25km of new doubletrack will cut 22 minutes of travel time. The plan is to make the whole line doubletrack after 2019.
• Sørlandsbanen: Double track from Stavanger to Sandnes will be ready in 2009. Later plans may include a new line through Drangsdalen, and connect Sørlandsbanen to Vestfoldbanen between Porsgrunn and Skorstøl.
• Østfoldbanen: before 2019: Østfoldbanen is today double track both north and south of Moss, but in Moss 10km remains as a single track bottleneck. Plans is to build a tunnel under the city. After 2019 plans is to build double track further south to Halden/Kornsjø.
• Ringeriksbanen is a planned railway between Sandvika and Hønefoss that will reduce travel time between Oslo and Hønefoss/Bergen by 50 minutes.
• Bergensbanen: Double track from Bergen to Arna.
• Dovrebanen: Before 2019: Expanding to double track from Eidsvoll and 3 km north, and on the 33km between Minnesund and Sørli. After 2019 plans is to build double track of the rest of the part between Eidsvoll and Hamar, and maybe further to Lillehammer.
• Nordlandsbanen/Meråkerbanen: New tunnel through Gevingåsen and new bridge south of Stjørdal. Possibly electrifying of Meråkerbanen and Nordlandsbanen up to Steinkjær.

^[1]

The Bergen Light Rail will open in 2010 while there is discussion as to whether an automated rapid transit from Lysaker to Fornebu outside Oslo should be built. Also the Oslo T-bane will be expanded.

Main article: High-speed rail in Norway

The question about building a high-speed railway between the largest Southern Norwegian cities has been discussed at political level, and a report was ready by the end of 2007. Advocates for rail transport and environmentalists have wanted to build high speed railways, including upgrades to 250 km/h on Sørlandsbanen, Bergensbanen and Dovrebanen while others, including Norsk Bane, have suggested construction of a new line through Haukeli to Stavanger, Haugesund and Bergen.

Heritage

There are also several operational museum railways in Norway, including Krøderbanen, Setesdalsbanen, Aurskog-Hølandsbanen, Thamshavnbanen, Rjukanbanen, Valdresbanen, Nesttun-Osbanen and Gamle Vossebanen. The Norwegian Railway Museum is located in Hamar and includes exhibits of train hardware, related objects, as well as document and photography archives.

Railway links with adjacent countries

• Sweden - yes - same gauge - same voltage (three electric lines and one non-electric)
• Denmark - yes - same gauge - through Sweden
• Germany - yes - same gauge - through Sweden and Denmark
• Finland - yes - through Sweden, break-of-gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)/1,524 mm (5 ft)  at the Swedish/Finnish border
• Russia - yes - through Sweden and Finland

Operation

Railway companies

Traditionally, all trains were operated by NSB, but the deregulation in the 2000s has led to the introduction of a number of new freight operators, including CargoNet, Hector Rail, Tågåkeriet and Ofotbanen. The conservative-liberal government tried to introduce public service obligation bids on subsidized passenger routes in 2005, but the contract was won by the NSB subsidiary NSB Anbud and the following red-green government has cancelled further PSO contracting. Also the Airport Express Train has been made a separate company.

Passenger rolling stock

Until the 1990s only commuter and regional trains were operated with multiple units, but since then NSB has ordered numerous multiple units for its regional and express lines. Express trains are operated with 16 BM 73 units with tilting technology, regional trains with 16 BM 70, 6 BM 73b (both electric) and 15 BM 93 (diesel) units while the local trains are operated by 71 BM 69 and 36 BM 72 (both electric) while the local trains around Trondheim, Trønderbanen, uses 14 BM 92 diesel multiple unit. The Airport Express Train uses 16 BM 71 and NSB Anbud operates 9 BM 69g units. Ofotbanen operates three BM 68 electric multiple units.

NSB still uses locomotive hauled passenger trains on a few of the long distance lines. For this task they use 22 El 18s and 5 Di 4s in addition to six El 17 on Flåmsbana. Most of the cars are B7 on long distance services and B5 on regional services. Most of the locomotives have been transferred to the freight division CargoNet.

Freight rolling stock

CargoNet uses a combination of 30 El 14, 15 El 16, 19 Di 8 and 6 CD66. The other companies use stock retired by NSB, including Ofotbanen's 7 El 13, 5 Di 3 and 2 T43, HectorRail's 6 El 15 (now known as 161) and Tåkåkeriet's Rc2.

Norwegian railway network

Fully operational lines

Line name	Termini		Length	Power	Opened	Other info
Bergensbanen	Hønefoss	Bergen	371 km	Electric	01.12.1909	Operated route Oslo S–Drammen-Bergen (495 km)
Flåmsbana	Myrdal	Flåm	20 km	Electric	15.10.1941	Branch to Bergensbanen
Randsfjordbanen	Hokksund	Hønefoss	54 km	Electric	13.10.1868	Operated as part of Bergensbanen
Bratsbergbanen	Eidanger	Nordagutu	47 km	Electric	17.12.1917	Operated route Porsgrunn-Notodden (incl. Tinnosbanen) Eidanger–Skien operated as part of Vestfoldbanen
Tinnosbanen	Hjuksebø	Notodden	10 km	Electric	09.08.1909	Operated route Porsgrunn-Notodden as part of Bratsbergbanen
Dovrebanen	Eidsvoll	Trondheim	492 km	Electric	20.09.1921	Operated route Oslo S–Dombås-Trondheim (553 km)
Raumabanen	Dombås	Åndalsnes	115 km	Diesel	30.11.1924	Operated as branch to Dovrebanen
Drammenbanen	Oslo S	Drammen	42 km	Electric	07.10.1872
Askerbanen	Sandvika	Asker	15 km	Electric	01.08.2005	Parallel line to Drammenbanen
Spikkestadbanen	Asker	Spikkestad	12 km	Electric	(07.10.1872) 03.06.1973	Branch to and originally part of Drammenbanen Operated route Spikkestad-Oslo S-Moss
Gardermobanen	Etterstad	Eidsvoll	64 km	Electric	22.08.1999	Operated route Oslo S-Lillestrøm-Gardermoen/-Eidsvoll
Gjøvikbanen	Oslo S	Gjøvik	123 km	Electric	28.11.1902
Hovedbanen	Oslo S	Eidsvoll	84 km	Electric	01.09.1854
Kongsvingerbanen	Lillestrøm	Charlottenberg	116 km	Electric	04.11.1865	Operated route Oslo S-Lillestrøm-Kongsvinger/-Sweden Continues as Värmlandsbanan
Meråkerbanen	Hell	Storlien	70 km	Diesel	17.10.1881	Operated route Trondheim-Hell-Meråker-Sweden Continues as Mittbanan
Nordlandsbanen	Trondheim	Bodø	734 km	Diesel	01.02.1962
Ofotbanen	Narvik	Bjørnfjell	43 km	Electric	15.11.1902	Continues as Malmbanan
Rørosbanen	Hamar	Støren	382 km	Diesel	17.10.1877	Operated route Oslo S-Hamar-Røros-Trondheim
Sørlandsbanen	Drammen	Stavanger	549 km	Electric	01.03.1944	Operated route Oslo S-Kristiansand-Stavanger (588 km)
Arendalsbanen	Arendal	Nelaug	36 km	Electric	(18.12.1910) 22.06.1938	Branch to Sørlandsbanen Originally part of Treungenbanen
Vestfoldbanen	Drammen	Eidanger	138 km	Electric	24.11.1882	Operated route (Lillehammer-)Oslo S-Skien
Østfoldbanen	Oslo S	Kornsjø	171 km	Electric	25.07.1879	Operated route Oslo S-Halden/-Sweden Continues as Norge/Vänernbanan
Østfoldbanen, Eastern line	Ski	Rakkestad	54 km	Electric	24.11.1882	Operated route Oslo S-Rakkestad

Freight only lines

Line name	Termini		Length	Power	Opened	Other info
Alnabru-Grefsenlinjen	Grefsen	Alnabru	2 km	Electric	20.01.1901	Connecting Hovedbanen and Gjøvikbanen
Brevikbanen	Eidanger	Brevik	9 km	Electric	24.11.1882	Branch to Vestfoldbanen
Dalane–Suldallinjen	Dalane	Suldal	1 km	Electric	15.05.1943	Bypass to Sørlandsbanen
Loenga–Alnabrulinjen	Loenga	Alnabru	3 km	Electric	01.05.1907	Connecting Hovedbanen and Østfoldbanen
Roa-Hønefossbanen	Roa	Hønefoss	34 km	Electric	01.12.1909	Operated as branch to Bergensbanen
Skøyen–Filipstadlinjen	Skøyen	Filipstad	2 km	Electric	(07.10.1872) 01.06.1980	Branch to and originally part of Drammenbanen
Solørbanen	Kongsvinger	Elverum	88 km	Diesel	04.12.1910	Connecting Kongsvingerbanen and Rørosbanen
Stavne-Leangenbanen	Stavne	Leangen	6 km	Diesel	24.11.1882	Connecting Dovrebanen and Nordlandsbanen
Østfoldbanen, Eastern line	Rakkestad	Sarpsborg	26 km	Electric	24.11.1882	Alternate for Østfoldbanen

Lines with no regular traffic

Line name	Termini		Length	Power	Opened	Discontinued	Other info
Nesttunbanen	Bergen	Minde	4 km	Electric	11.07.1883	01.02.1965	Branch to Bergensbanen
Hardangerbana	Voss	Palmafoss	3 km	Electric	01.04.1935	01.06.1985	Branch to Bergensbanen
Kragerøbanen	Neslandsvatn	Merkebekk	6 km	Diesel	02.12.1927	01.01.1989	Branch to Sørlandsbanen
Namsosbanen	Grong	Namsos	52 km	Diesel	01.11.1933	01.01.1978	Branch to Nordlandsbanen
Numedalsbanen	Kongsberg	Rollag	48 km	Diesel	20.11.1927	01.01.1989	Branch to Sørlandsbanen
Treungenbanen	Nelaug	Simonstad	8 km	Diesel	18.12.1910	01.01.1967	Branch to Sørlandsbanen

Heritage railway

Line name	Termini		Length	Power	Opened	Discontinued	Other info
Gamle Vossebanen	Tunestveit	Midttun	22 km	Steam	11.07.1883	01.08.1964	Connection to Bergensbanen
Krøderbanen	Vikersund	Krøderen	26 km	Steam	28.11.1872	19.01.1958	Connection to Bergensbanen
Tinnosbanen	Notodden	Tinnoset	30 km	Electric	09.08.1909	05.07.1991	Connected by ferry Connection to Bratsbergbanen
Rjukanbanen	Mæl	Rjukan	16 km	Electric	09.08.1909	05.07.1991
Setesdalsbanen	Grovane	Røyknes	8 km	Steam	27.11.1896	02.09.1962	Connection to Sørlandsbanen
Urskog–Hølandsbanen	Sørumsand	Fossum	4 km	Steam	07.12.1903	01.07.1960
Thamshavnbanen	Bårdshaug	Svorkmo	22 km	Electric	15.07.1908	30.05.1974
Valdresbanen	Eina	Dokka	47 km	Diesel	28.11.1902	01.01.1989	Connection to Gjøvikbanen

No traffic allowed

Line name	Termini		Length	Power	Opened	Discontinued	Other info
Flekkefjordbanen	Sira	Flekkefjord	17 km	Diesel	01.11.1904	01.01.1991	Branch to Sørlandsbanen
Kragerøbanen	Merkebekk	Sannidal	12 km	Diesel	02.12.1927	01.01.1989	Branch to Sørlandsbanen
Numedalsbanen	Rollag	Rødberg	45 km	Diesel	20.11.1927	01.01.1989	Branch to Sørlandsbanen
Valdresbanen	Dokka	Bjørgo	43 km	Diesel	01.11.1903	01.01.1989	Branch to Gjøvikbanen

Urban railways

• Holmenkollbanen (Oslo T-bane) (1898)
• Gråkallbanen (Trondheim Tramway) (to Ila 1893, Lian 1933)
• Røabanen (Oslo T-bane) (1912)
• Fløibanen (Bergen) (1914)
• Lilleakerbanen (Oslo Tramway) (1919)
• Sognsvannsbanen (Oslo T-bane) (1933)
• Kjelsåsbanen (Oslo Tramway) (1934)
• Kolsåsbanen (Oslo T-bane) (1924)
• Østensjøbanen (Oslo T-bane) (1926)
• Lambertseterbanen (Oslo T-bane) (1957)
• Grorudbanen (Oslo T-bane) (1966)
• Furusetbanen (Oslo T-bane) (1970)

Abandoned railways

See Chronology of Norwegian railway lines.

• Losbylinja (Østmorksaga-Fjellhamar) (1861-ca 1940)
• Kalvskinnet-Heimdallinjen (Kalvskinnet-Heimdal) (1864-1884)
• Krøderbanen (Vikersund–Krøderen) (1872 - 1985)
• Sulitjelmabanen (Finneid-Sulitjelma) (1892-1972)
• Nesttun-Osbanen (Nesttun-Os) (1894-1935)
• Setesdalsbanen (Kristiansand-Byglandsfjord) (1896-1962)
• Urskog-Hølandsbanen (Sørumsand-Skulerud) (1896-1960)
• Lillesand-Flaksvandbanen (Lillesand-Flaksvann) (1896-1953)
• Hafslundbanen (Hafslund–Sundløkka) (1898–1973)
• Tønsberg-Eidsfossbanen (Tønsberg-Eidsfoss) (1901-1938)
• Holmestrand-Vittingfossbanen (Holmestrand-Vittingfoss) (1902-1938)
• Skreiabanen (Reinsvoll–Skreia (1902–1987)
• Lierbanen (Lier-Svangstrand) (1904)
• Flekkefjordbanen (Sira-Flekkefjord) (1904-1990)
• Valdresbanen (Eina-Fagernes) (1906-1988)
• Grimstadbanen (Grimstad-Rise) (1907-1961)
• Havnebanen (Loenga–Filipstad) (1907–1983)
• Thamshavnbanen (Løkken ^{[disambiguation needed ]}-Thamshavn) (1908-1974)
• Rjukanbanen (Rjukan-Mæl) (1908-1991)
• Tinnosbanen (Tinnoset-Notodden) (1908-1990)
• Kirkenes-Bjørnevatnbanen (Kirkenes-Bjørnevatn) (1910-1997)
• Treungenbanen (Nelaug-Treungen) (1913-1967)
• Vestmarkabanen (Skotterud–Vestmarka) (1918–)
• Askim–Solbergfosslinjen (Askim-Solbergfoss) (1918-)
• Ålgårdbanen (Ganddal-Ålgård) (1924-1988)
• Sperillbanen (Hen-Sperillen) (1926-1957)
• Numedalsbanen (Kongsberg-Rødberg) (1927-1988)
• Kragerøbanen (Neslandsvatn-Kragerø) (1927-1988)
• Namsoslinjen (Grong-Namsos) (1933)
• Hardangerbana (Voss-Granvin) (1935)
• Røykenvikbanen (Jaren–Røykenvik)
• Ilsvikbanen (Skansen–Fagervika)
• Hauerseter-Gardermobanen (Hauerseter–Gardermoen)

Abandoned urban railways

• Ladelinjen (Trondheim Tramway) (1901–1988)
• Elgeseterlinjen (Trondheim Tramway) (1913–1983)
• Singsakerlinjen (Trondheim Tramway) (1927–1968)

See also

• Rail transport by country
• Transport in Norway
• Norwegian railway signalling
• Norges Statsbaner rolling stock

References

1. ^ Jernbaneverket. "Prosjekter" (in Norwegian). http://www.jernbaneverket.no/prosjekter/. Retrieved 2007-04-09.