Dovre Line

Last updated
Dovre Line
Dovrebanen nordover ved Kvam.JPG
Dovrebanen at Kvam Station
Overview
Native nameDovrebanen
Owner Bane NOR
Termini
Stations25
Service
Type Railway
Operator(s) SJ Norge
Vy
CargoNet
Rolling stock Class 73, El 14, El 16, El 18
History
Opened1921, the original Dovre Line
Technical
Line length553 km (344 mi)
Number of tracks Single or double
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Electrification 15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Operating speedMax. 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph)
Route map

Contents

year
closed
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Trondheim Central
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BSicon HST.svg
Skansen
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Nidareid tunnel
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BSicon KRW+l.svg
BSicon BS2r.svg
BSicon KRWgr.svg
BSicon dKDSTe.svg
BSicon vHST.svg
Marienborg
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BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Stavne
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
Hoem tunnel
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Selsbakk
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
Selsbakk tunnel
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Lerbroelva bridge
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Heimdal
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Hegstad
1987
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BSicon SKRZ-G4o.svg
BSicon cRP4q.svg
Stamvei E6.svg E6
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Kvammen
1987
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Melhus
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Melhus
BSicon HST.svg
Kvål
BSicon HST.svg
Ler
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Lundesokna bridge
BSicon HST.svg
Lundamo
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Gulfoss
1993
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Gulfossen bridge
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Hovin
BSicon BHF.svg
Støren
BSicon ABZgl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Basmoen
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Snøan
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Soknedal
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Garli
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Berkåk
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Ulsberg
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Orkla bridge
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
Orkla tunnel
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Granholtet
1951
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Indsetveien
1966
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Gisna
1966
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Byna bridge
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Fagerhaug
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Myrplass
1966
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Rønningen
1951
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Garå
1966
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Oppdal
BSicon eHST.svg
Hevle
1966
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Driva
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Holan
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
Kolstad tunnel
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Drivstua
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Driva
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Øilien tunnel
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Klemma tunnel
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Kleivane tunnel
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Stølan tunnel
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Hestekrubben tunnel
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Grimsdal tunnel
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Nystubekk tunnel
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Høgsnyta tunnel
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Gammelhullet tunnel
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Kongsvoll
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Svoni
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summit (1,024.4 m)
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Hjerkinn
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Gjeitberget tunnel
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Vålåsjø
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Fokstua
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
Grønbogen tunnel
BSicon dCONTgq.svg
BSicon STR~L.svg
BSicon STR+r.svg
BSicon STR~R.svg
BSicon dTUNNEL1.svg
BSicon dTUNNEL1.svg
Dombås tunnel
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Dombås
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Dovre
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Tallerås bridge
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Brennhaug
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Sel
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Otta
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Sjoa
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Kvam
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Vinstra
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Harpefoss
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Hundtorp
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Ringebu
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Kvitfjell
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Fåvang
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Losna
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Tretten
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Øyer
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Hafjell
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Hunderfossen
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Hunder
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Fåberg
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Hovemoen
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Lillehammer
BSicon HST.svg
Bergseng
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Brøttum
BSicon eHST.svg
Ring
BSicon HST.svg
Moelv
BSicon eHST.svg
Ringsaker
BSicon HST.svg
Rudshøgda
BSicon eHST.svg
Veldre
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Brumunddal
BSicon HST.svg
Jessnes
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Nordvika
BSicon BHF.svg
Hamar
BSicon ABZgl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
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Akersvika
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Ottestad
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Stange
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Sørli
Timber freight terminal
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Steinsrud
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Tangen
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Skaberud
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Espa
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Strandlykkja
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Skrårud
1980
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Morskogen
2015
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Korslund
1980
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Ørbekk
1980
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Minnevika Bridge
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Minnesund
2023
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Bunes
1980
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Dokknes
1967
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Eidsvoll
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BSicon ABZgr.svg
BSicon CONTf.svg
year
closed

The Dovre Line (Norwegian : Dovrebanen) is a Norwegian railway line with three slightly different lines which all lead to the historic city of Trondheim.

Definition

The most inclusive of these meanings of Dovre Line thus includes the other two. To complicate the pattern even more, the first use of the Dovre Line was on the section between Dombås and Støren, completed in 1921. When this last section of the new standard gauge main line between Oslo and Trondheim via Lillehammer and Dombås was opened in 1921, the originally 49 km long narrow gauge section between Støren and Trondheim was made the northern part of the new Dovre Line. When talking about construction of railways in Norway, Dovre Line is the 158,1 km long Dombås - Støren section. [3]

Sections of the most inclusive use of Dovre Line (Dovrebanen)

SectionKmOriginal NameOpenedRemarkIllustration
Oslo - Eidsvoll64 Gardermobanen 1998Replaced Hovedbanen
Eidsvoll - Hamar59Eidsvold-Hamarbanen1880
Hamar - Tretten88Eidsvold-Trettenbanen1894
Tretten - Otta83Eidsvold-Ottabanen1896
Otta - Dombås46Eidsvold-Størenbanen/Syd1913
Dombås - Støren158Dovrebanen1921
Hjerkinn station at the Dovre Line, 1970 Hjerkinn station 1970.jpg
Hjerkinn station at the Dovre Line, 1970
Støren - Trondheim51Trondhjem-Størebanen1864Narrow gauge until 1919, dual until 1921 [4]

General description and short history

The section south of Eidsvoll was until 1998 Norway's first public railway, Hovedbanen, from 1854, 68 km long. The present line between Oslo and Eidsvoll is the 4 km shorter Gardermoen Line, the only high-speed line in the country. Hovedbanen is still in service for freight trains (and local commuters to Dal), but is not considered as a part of Dovre Line. The entire line from Oslo to Trondheim is 548 km today. It is a more heavily traveled line than the older Røros Line and electrification was completed 1 November 1970. [2] Between 1935 and 1958, the Dovre Line was served by some of Norway's largest steam locomotives, the 2-8-4 NSB Class 49 "Dovregubben" ("Dovre Giant").

Compared to the Røros Line, the Dovre Line takes a more westerly course running through the town of Lillehammer and over the mountainous stretches of Dovre, before merging with the Røros Line again at Støren. There is one branch line, the Rauma Line which leaves the Dovre Line at Dombås.

To avoid the fairly regular river flooding on the railway line along the river Gaula, the Gulfoss Tunnel was completed in 1918 in the Hovin area of Melhus in what is now Trøndelag county.

On 14 August 2023, the line was severed when the Randklev Bridge, which crosses the Lågen River in Ringebu, slid into the river. The river was swallowed by floodwater, a result of Storm Hans. The bridge was 172m in length and was opened in 1957. It had been closed when the collapse occurred. An adjacent road bridge, which is a former railway bridge, was not affected by the floodwater, but it has been closed as a precautionary measure. [5] The bridge was repaired, and reopened 20 May 2024. [6] [7]

Service

The Norwegian State Railways used to be the sole operator of passenger services on the Dovre Line. Since June 2020, the service is operated by SJ Norge under the brand "SJ Nord". [8] In each direction they are four express trains between Oslo and Trondheim, of which two daily departures with the tilting Class 73 units, offering travel times down to 6:37, with departures in the morning and afternoon. There is also a locomotive-hauled afternoon train and a night train with sleeper cars. In addition there is a morning service from Dombås to Oslo. At Dombås there is correspondence with Møre og Romsdal via the Rauma Line.

The southern part of the line has hourly departures with regional trains from Lillehammer to Oslo operated by Vy. In the northern end, the Dovre Line is served by the Trøndelag Commuter Rail.

Accidents

The original Dovre Line was completed and officially opened on 17 September 1921. The inauguration ended on a tragic note when the train returning from the celebrations collided just after leaving Trondheim in the Nidareid train disaster the next day. The worst Norwegian railway disaster in peacetime also happened on the Dovre Line on 22 February 1975 when two trains collided one kilometer north of Tretten station, killing 27 people and wounding 25. There were approximately 800 people on the two trains.

Plans

The section between Eidsvoll and Hamar is currently being rebuilt and partly realigned as a double track line capable of 200-250 km/h. Some sections has already been opened, and the whole section is scheduled to be complete by 2027.

Further north, there may be constructed some shorter double track sections between Hamar and Lillehammer. North of Lillehammer there are no plans for larger expansions. Longer crossing loops and renewal of the existing line and its infrastructure are the only plans in the foreseeable future.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SJ AB</span> Swedish state railway

SJ is a state-owned passenger train operator in Sweden. SJ was created in 2001, out of the public transport division of Statens Järnvägar, when the former government agency was divided into six separate state-owned limited companies. In 2018, SJ carried 31.8 million passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Norway</span>

The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,109 km of 1,435 mm track of which 2,644 km is electrified and 274 km double track. There are 697 tunnels and 2,760 bridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rauma Line</span> Norwegian railway

The Rauma Line is a 114.2 kilometres (71.0 mi) long railway between the town of Åndalsnes, and the village of Dombås, in Norway. Running down the Romsdalen valley, the line opened between 1921 and 1924 as a branch of the Dovre Line, which connects to the cities of Oslo and Trondheim. Originally intended as the first stage to connect Ålesund, and possibly also Molde and Kristiansund, no extensions have ever been realized. The unelectrified line is served four times daily with SJ Norge's Class 93, although in the summer the service only operates from Åndalsnes to Bjorli as a tourist service. CargoLink operates a daily freight train.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Røros Line</span> Railway line through the districts of Hedmarken, Østerdalen and Gauldalen, Norway

The Røros Line is a 383-kilometer (238 mi) railway line which runs through the districts of Hedmarken, Østerdalen and Gauldalen in Innlandet and Trøndelag, Norway. The line branches off from the Dovre Line at Hamar Station and runs a more easterly route to Støren Station, where the two lines meet again. The Røros Line also intersects with the Solør Line at Elverum Station. The single track, standard gauge line lacks electrification and only has centralized traffic control south of Røros Station. SJ Norge operate regional passenger trains. In addition the line is used by freight trains hauling lumber and wood chippings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nordland Line</span> Norwegian railway line between Trondheim and Bodø

The Nordland Line is a 729-kilometer (453 mi) railway line between Trondheim and Bodø, Norway. It is the longest in Norway and lacks electrification. The route runs through the counties of Trøndelag and Nordland, carrying a combination of commuter, long-haul passenger and freight trains. From Trondheim Central Station to Steinkjer Station the line is most heavily used, with hourly services by the Trøndelag Commuter Rail. There are three branch lines—the Stavne–Leangen Line at Leangen Station, the Meråker Line at Hell Station and the Namsos Line at Grong Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gardermoen Line</span> Railway line in Norway

The Gardermoen Line is a high-speed railway line between Oslo and Eidsvoll, Norway, running past Lillestrøm and Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. The line is 64 kilometres (40 mi) long and replaced the older Hoved Line as the main line north-east of Oslo. The older Hoved Line now handles commuter and freight traffic, while the Gardermoen Line handles high-speed passenger trains and freight trains laden with jet fuel for the airport. Both lines are owned by Bane NOR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norske Tog Class 93</span> Class of DMUs of Norway

Class 93 is a tilting two-carriage diesel multiple unit used by SJ Norge for passenger trains on non-electrified stretches of the Norwegian railway network. Used on the Nordland Line, the Røros Line and the Rauma Line, they were purchased to replace the aging Di 3 locomotive-hauled trains. The Class 93 was produced by Bombardier, and is part of the Talent family. Fifteen units were delivered between 2000 and 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trondhjem–Støren Line</span> Railway line in Norway

The Trondhjem–Støren Line was Trøndelag's first railway. It opened on 5 August 1864, ten years after the Trunk Line between Oslo and Eidsvoll opened. The 49 kilometer long railway line was narrow gauged and went between Trondheim and the Støren village in Midtre Gauldal municipality in the county of Sør-Trøndelag, Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trondheim Central Station</span> Railway station in Trondheim, Norway

Trondheim Central Station or Trondheim S is the main railway station serving the city of Trondheim, Norway. Located at Brattøra in the north part of the city centre, it is the terminus of the Dovre Line, running southwards, and the Nordland Line, which runs north. The railway is electrified south of the station but not north of it, so through trains must change locomotives at the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trøndelag Commuter Rail</span> Commuter train service in Norway

The Trøndelag Commuter Rail is a commuter train service operating in Trøndelag county, Norway. It was operated with Class 92 diesel multiple units by Vy, until 7 June 2020, when SJ Norge took over the contract until 2030. The service provides a commuter service connecting Trondheim to its suburbs, between towns in Innherred and as an airport rail link for Trondheim Airport, Værnes. Although passenger services have operated along the lines since 1864, the commuter train was created with an increase of service with existing rolling stock in 1993. In 2019, the system was used by 1.4 million passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lillehammer Station</span> Railway station in Lillehammer, Norway

Lillehammer is a railway station located in downtown Lillehammer, Norway, on the Dovre Line. The station was opened in 1894 with the construction of the railway between Hamar Station and Tretten Station. The station got a major overhaul before the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. It is located 184.18 kilometers (114.44 mi) from Oslo Central Station and at 179.5 meters (589 ft) above mean sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamar Station</span> Railway station in Hamar, Norway

Hamar Station is a railway station of the Dovre Line and the Røros Line located in downtown Hamar, Norway. Located 126.26 kilometers (78.45 mi) from Oslo Central Station, it is served by long-distance and regional trains on the Dovre Line, as the terminus for regional trains on the Røros Line. All trains are operated by SJ Norge, except the regional trains between Lillehammer and Oslo, which are operated by Vy. A side platform and an island platform are in regular use. The station handled 1,062,300 passengers in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSB Agenda</span>

NSB Agenda was a brand name created by Norges Statsbaner (NSB) for their regional train service, and used on the services in Eastern, Central and Northern Norway. Agenda trains were painted red and silver, and the brand name was in use between about 1999 and 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Støren Station</span> Railway station in Midtre Gauldal, Norway

Støren Station is a railway station located in the village of Støren in the municipality of Midtre Gauldal in Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located at the split between the Dovre Line and the Røros Line, with the former heading south via Gudbrandsdalen to Eastern Norway while the latter heads down Østerdalen to Eastern Norway. Going northwards, the Dovre Line continues to the city of Trondheim, located 52 kilometres (32 mi) to the north. The distance to Oslo via Dovre is 501.20 kilometres (311.43 mi) and via Røros it is 510.37 kilometres (317.13 mi). Støren is served by regional trains on the Røros Line and express trains on the Dovre Line by SJ Norge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heimdal Station</span> Railway station in Trondheim, Norway

Heimdal Station is a railway station located in Heimdal in Trondheim, Norway. Located 12 km south of Trondheim Central Station on the Dovre Line, it is served by express trains between Trondheim and Oslo Central Station as well as the regional train services Trøndelag Commuter Rail and Nabotåget, all operated by SJ Norge. The station is staffed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hjerkinn Station</span> Railway station in Dovre, Norway

Hjerkinn Station is a railway station located at Hjerkinn in Dovre, Norway. The station is located on the Dovre Line and served by four daily express trains each direction to Oslo and Trondheim. There is no settlement at Hjerkinn, though there is an army base as well as the nearby Dovre National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of railway electrification in Norway</span>

The Norwegian railway network consists of 2,552 kilometers (1,586 mi) of electrified railway lines, constituting 62% of the Norwegian National Rail Administration's 4,114 kilometers (2,556 mi) of line. The first three mainline systems to be electrified were private ore-hauling lines. The Thamshavn Line opened in 1909, and remained in revenue use until 1973, after which it was converted to a heritage railway. It is the world's oldest remaining alternating-current railway and the only narrow gauge railway in the country to have been electrified. It was followed by Norsk Transport's Rjukan and Tinnoset Lines two years later, and Sydvaranger's Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line in 1922. The Norwegian State Railways' (NSB) first electrification was parts of the Drammen Line in 1922 and the ore-hauling Ofoten Line, which connects to the Iron Ore Line in Sweden, in 1923. The use of El 1 locomotives on the Drammen Line proved a large cost-saver over steam locomotives, and NSB started electrifying other lines around Oslo; from 1927 to 1930, the remainder of the Drammen Line and the continuation along the Randsfjorden and Sørlandet Lines to Kongsvinger were converted, along with the first section of the Trunk Line. In 1935, the Hardanger Line became the first section of new NSB track to be electrified. From 1936 to 1940, NSB electrified the Østfold Line, as well as more of the Sørland Line and the Bratsberg Line, connecting all electric lines west of Oslo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vikingskipet Station</span>

Vikingskipet Station was a temporary railway station located at Åkervika in Hamar, Norway, on the Røros Line. The station was officially opened on 16 August 1993, and was used during 1993 and 1994 to allow spectators direct access to the sports venue Vikingskipet for the 1993 UCI Track Cycling World Championships and the speed skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics, saving them a 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) walk from Hamar Station. The station is a cul-de-sac station which is electrified, unlike the rest of the Røros Line. Officially is a side track of Hamar Station, denoted track 42.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rail transport in Norway</span>

The history of rail transport in Norway had begun by 1805.

Gulfoss Tunnel is a 701-meter (2,300 ft) railway tunnel situated in the municipality of Melhus in Trøndelag county, Norway. The tunnel runs beneath the village of Hovin, alongside the river Gaula past the Gulfossen waterfall. The tunnel carries a single, electrified track of the Dovrebanen railway line. The Trondhjem–Støren Line, which opened in 1864, crossed the river Gaula on a bridge to the opposite side of the river at the current site of the tunnel. This section of track was a challenge due to regular flooding. With the 1908 decision to build the Dovrebanen Line and gauge conversion, the Gulfossen section became one of two parts of the line to be reworked. Gulfoss Tunnel opened on 6 July 1918.

References

  1. "Norway rail trips: The Dovre line - Fjord Travel Norway". Fjord Travel Norway. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 Bjerke & Holom 2004, p. 75.
  3. Bjerke & Holom 2004, pp. 74–75.
  4. Bjerke & Holom 2004, p. 90.
  5. Bryant, Miranda (14 August 2023). "Storm Hans: railway bridge collapses in southern Norway". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  6. NRK (2024-04-12). "Dovrebanen åpner igjen 20. mai". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2024-04-12.
  7. "Dovrebanen åpnet for fullt etter gjenåpning av Randklev bru". Tu.no (in Norwegian). Teknisk Ukeblad. 20 May 2024.
  8. "Om SJ Norge". www.sj.no. Retrieved 18 September 2019.