Gråkallbanen

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Gråkallbanen AS

Type of Company	Private
Founded	1988
Headquarters	Trondheim, Norway
Key people	Erlend Solem (CEO)
Area served	Trondheim
Industry	Public Transport
Products	Tram
Parent	Veolia Transport Norway
Website	http://www.graakallbanen.no

One of the Gråkallbanen trams at the St. Olavs gate terminus

Gråkallbanen is a tram line located in Trondheim, Norway. It is the only tram line remaining in the city, following the termination of the rest of the tram line system in the city in 1988. The company operating the line sine 1988, Gråkallbanen AS, is part of the Veolia Corporation.

The line is the northern-most tramway line in the world. It runs from the street St Olav's Gate, through the districts of Byåsen and to the Lian station, a distance of 8.8 km. It serves as a transportation to the large recreation area of Bymarka. The company has six trams.

The line was constructed in 1924, and is unusual in that it uses one metre narrow gauge, and that its upper section is single track.

[edit] History

Before 1988 the tram was operated by Trondheim Trafikkselskap, now Team Trafikk. After the municipality decided to close down the tram line, a number of enthusiats decided to start their own operation of the line, and founded Gråkallbanen AS that took over the operations of line 1.

In 2004 Veolia Transports divition in Norway, Connex Norway bought the company. They paid NOK 1,8 million for the company, and invested another NOK 10,7 million after the purchase.

[edit] Plans

Gråkallbanen is working on a number of plans as of 2006. These include an extension of the network to the harbor area via Olav Trygvasons street and the railway station. Other plans include operating electrical busses in Trondheim as well as light rail operations in other Norwegian cities.