Valdres Line

The Valdres Line (Norwegian: Valdresbanen) was a Norwegian railway that connected to the Gjøvik Line at Eina with Fagernes in the district of Valdres. The first stretch opened on 23 November 1902, and the entire route was operational on October 10, 1906. The line was shut down for regular traffic as of 1 January 1989.

Valdres Line
Norwegian: Valdresbanen
Now closed Etna Station
LocaleNorway
TerminusEina
Dokka
Commercial operations
Built byNorwegian State Railways
Original gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Original electrificationNone
Preserved operations
Stations(?)
Length48 kilometres (30 mi)
Preserved gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Commercial history
Opened23 November 1902
Closed1 January 1989

The entire length of the line was 108 kilometers. It connected the rural areas of Land and Valdres by rail to the main railroad network in Norway, including Oslo and international points beyond. Though there is no regular traffic on the line the 48 km stretch from Eina to Dokka is still permitted for trains and considered part of the national rail network.

History

The line was built by a private company, AS Valdresbanen, in four phases:

  1. Eina to Dokka (approximately 47 km): regular traffic 28 November 1902
  2. Dokka to Tonsåsen (31 km): 1 November 1903
  3. Tonsåsen to Aurdal (18 km): 29 September 1906
  4. Aurdal to Fagernes (13 km): 29 September 1906

In 1937, the Norwegian government through the Norwegian State Railways took over operations of the line, and in 1953 the line and equipment was modernized to the point that the trip from Oslo to Fagernes took 4.5 hours. In 1955 and 1956 tunnels were built at Høgberget and Tonsåsen, respectively. When Norwegian authorities decided to electrify half of the line distance of Norway in the 1950s and 60s, the Valdres Line was not chosen to be electrified, even though the Gjøvik Line was.

In 1985, a bus service was established between Oslo and Fagernes, reducing the number of annual passengers on the train line by 19,000. In 1988, the Norwegian legislature decided to shut down regular traffic on the Valdres Line while keeping the tracks between Eina and Leira open for purposes of national security. In 1989, a grassroots movement was started to keep the line, but to no avail. In 1991, the tracks between Leira and Fagernes were lifted (removed). A private company is formed to arrange chartered trips on the remaining railway.

Station number Station name Distance from Eina Distance from Oslo Distance from Fagernes Altitude Comments
1621 Eina . 100.89 108.08 401.80 Connection with the Gjøvik Line
. Bridge over Einavann 1.13 102.02 106.95 . Length 21.3 m
. Ra sidetrack 4.39 105.28 103.69 . /
1700.01 Røste 5.12 106.01 102.96 . established 1969, closed April 14, 1970
1700.02 Vestli 6.2 107.09 101.88 . Closed 1952
1701 Trevatn 8.25 109.14 99.83 385.50 Sp 01/07/59 u 07/01/68, hp/l ca/1970, closed January 1 89
1701.01 Halmrastsæter 10.78 111.67 97.30 . (hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1702 Skrukli 14.92 115.81 93.16 393.00 U 07/01/68, hp/l 05/08/83, closed January 1, 1989
1702.01 Opperud 18.2 119.09 89.88 . closed 1952
1703 Fall 19.84 120.73 88.24 299.20 Sp 07/01/68, u 10/06/68 hp/l 09/10/74, hp 15/11/84. Closed January 1, 1989
1703.01 Klinkenberg 21.69 122.58 86.39 . (hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1704 Hov 23.27 124.16 84.81 233.50 U/x January 1, 1989
1704.01 Kluke 25.4 126.29 82.68 . closed 1939
1704.02 Gabrielstugua 26.9 127.79 81.18 . (hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1705 Bjørnerud 28.06 128.95 80.02 175.20 S 1949, Sp 05/05/1959, hp/l 01/09/1959 hp 14/05/1968, closed January 1, 1989
1705.01 Steinsvoll 30.55 131.44 77.53 . (hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
.. Underpass riksvei 33 31.45 132.34 76.63 . Concrete bridge, length 43.6 m
1706 Fluberg 33.04 133.93 75.04 154.80 Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, hp/l November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
1706.01 Kronborg 36.87 137.76 71.21 . (hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1707 Odnes 39.31 140.2 68.77 138.60 Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, u/g January 1, 1989, l…//
1707.01 Åvella 42.51 143.4 65.57 . (hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/197
1708 Dokka 47.02 147.91 61.06 148.50 S/g January 1, 1989
. Bridge over Dølveita 47.7 148.59 60.38 . length 30 m
. Bridge over Dokka 48.08 148.97 60.00 . length 60 m
1709 Nordsinni 53.92 154.81 54.16 267.00 U 07/01/1968, hp 24/11/1971, closed January 1, 1989
. Håkonstad Tunnel 59.28 160.17 48.80 . length 115 m
1710 Etna 64.96 165.85 43.12 479.70 U 07/01/1968, hp November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
. Høgberget Tunnel 71.95 172.84 36.13 . length 784 m
1711 Tonsåsen 77.48 178.37 30.60 682.00 U 01/08/1984, l January 1, 1989
1712 Bjørgo 90.07 190.96 18.01 510.00 Sp 07/01/1968, closed January 1, 1989
1713 Aurdal 95.31 196.2 12.77 457.40 Sp 07/01/1968, u January 1, 1983, hp November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
1714 Leira 104.08 204.97 4.00 372.00 Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, closed January 1, 1989
. Fagernes Tunnel 105.95 206.84 2.13 . Length 80 m, demolish fall of 1991
1715 Fagernes 108.08 208.97 - 360.00 closed/ January 1, 1989

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