Norway
The first Norwegian railway opened on 1st September, 1854 between
Christiania (Oslo) and Eidsvoll, about 68km. It was built to standard
.
Much of Norway is difficult terrain with sparse population, so railway
development was confined mainly to the southern part of the country.
However, there is a long route penetrating the Arctic Circle running
north from Trondheim to Bodø and, even further north, the Ore Railway, a line conveying iron ore from
Luleå in Sweden to the port of between Narvik, plus a few special
tourist trains. The latter line has no direct connection with the
rest of the Norwegian system.
The standard gauge network was supplemented by a number of narrow
gauge mineral and logging railways, a few of which survive today as
tourist lines.
Although Norway is not a member of the EU, it has adopted the European
model of separate accountability for train operation and infrastructure
costs. To this end, a separate infrastructure company (Jernbaneverket)
has been spun off. The State Railway company still operates most
passenger trains, although local services in the Oslo area are under
local authority direction.
Main Line Railways
- NSB Norwegian State
Railways, the national network
- Jernbaneverket the Norwegian track authority
- CargoNet
national freight operator
- Hector Rail
independent freight operator
- Veolia
Transport Sverige Swedish passenger train operator with two routes
which enter Norway, Mittnabotåget to Trondheim and
Lapplandståget to Narvik. The latter route has no physical
connection with the remainder of the Norwegian railway network
(Site mainly in Swedish with information on the interbational
services in English)
Local and Tourist Railways
- Bergens
Elektriske Sporvei historic tram route from a museum in Bergen
(Site in Norwegian, when last checked had not been updated since
2009)
- Flåm Railway
stunningly picturesque tourist line running from Myrdal (on the NSB main
line to Bergen) down to Flåm on a branch of the magnificent Sognefjord.
The line drops over 860m in its 20km length, and its maximum gradient of
5.5% ranks it as one of the steepest adhesion worked standard gauge
passenger railways in the world.
- Raumabanen
local service trains between Dombås and Åndalsnes, about 114 km,
standard gauge. Special tourist services operate on the section
between Bjorli and Åndalsnes.
- Gamle
Vossebanen steam hauled, standard gauge tourist railway between
Garnes and Midtun, near Bergen.
- Krøderbanen tourist railway between Krøderen
and Vikersund. 26 km, standard gauge. Steam hauled or diesel railcars
(Site in Norwegian)
- Lommedalsbanen tourist railway in Bærum.
About 1km, 600mm gauge. Usually steam hauled
(Site in Norwegian)
- Setesdalsbanen tourist railway between Grovane and
Røyknes. About 8 km, 1067mm gauge. Usually steam hauled
- Sporveismuseet tram museum in Oslo offering rides
in histiric trams on the Oslo network typically one day a month and by
private charter (Site in Norwegian)
- Thamshamnbanen tourist railway between Bårdshaug and
Løkken Verk. About 22 km, 1000mm gauge. Historic electric locomotive
haulage (Site in Norwegian)
- Urskog-Hølandsbanen tourist railway in Sørumsand.
About 4 km, 750mm gauge. Usually steam hauled
(Site in Norwegian)
- Voldresbanen tourist railway between Eina and Hov.
About 23 km, standard gauge. Diesel hauled or diesel railcars
(Site in Norwegian)
Urban Railways, Trams and Funiculars
- Oslo trams
and local railways
- Bergen
- Bybanen
new tram system
- Fløibanen
funicular rising over 300m from the city to the summit station on the
Fløyen mountain
- Gråkallbanen rural tram route between the suburbs
of Trondheim and the lake at Lian, a distance of about 9km (Site
in Norwegian)
- Gaustabanen
funicular rising 600m in a little over 1km from Rjukan to Gaustatoppen
- Mågelibanen funicular in Tyssedal, from Skjeggedal
to Mågelitopp
Spitzbergen
The largest island of the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean
was once an important centre of mining for coal and various metals. Some
of the mines are still operational. Most of them had a railway system
at one time or another. Particularly noteworthy among these were:
- Ny Ålesund a 900mm gauge system which had already closed by
the 1930s, but which is remarkable for being the most northerly railway
in the world (with the possible exception of a short section of tramway
recently discovered on a former Soviet air base in Franz Josef Land). One
steam locomotive and several wagons of the Ny Ålesund system are preserved
as static exhibits. (No website located at present)
- Barentsburg a 600mm gauge system using battery electric
locomotives, operating almost entirely underground and in covered ways
on the surface. Not an unusual system for the area or type of
operation, but noteworthy for having been reported to be still in
recent use, certainly until 2007. A fire in early 2008, geological
concerns and estimated coal reserves only until 2010 mean that it
may not reopen. (No website located at present)
- Grumantbyen there are proposals to reopen this mine,
closed in 1962, which might require the installation of new railway
equipment. Coal would be exported via Barentsburg, but would probably
be transported the 25 km or so from the mine by road. (No
website located at present)
Bjrnya (Bear Island)
A metre gauge line was operational for a few years in the early 1920s.
The remains of one of the locomotives are visible on the beach.
