Bratsbergbanen

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Bratsbergbanen
The Y1 railcars tha operate on Bratsbergbanen.
Info
Type	Railway
Terminals	Notodden Eidanger
Operation
Opened	1916
Owner	Jernbaneverket
Operator(s)	Norges Statsbaner
Rolling stock	Y1
Technical
Line length	74 km
No. of tracks	1
Gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in)
Electrification	15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC

Bratsbergbanen

Legend Notodden Station Tinnosbanen to Tinnoset Station Notodden South (155 m) Gjestrud (51 m) 141.57 km Tinnegrend (1918 - 2004) Tinnegrend Rv360 (34 m) 139.85 km Tveitan (1939 - 2004) Skogen (116 m) Hjukseelva (164 m) Hjukse (100 m) 138.53 km Trykkerud (1939 - 2004) Sørlandsbanen from Kongsberg 136.24 km Hjuksebø (1917) 156.7 m asl Hagen (235 m) 140.85 km Holtsås (1917 - 2004) 126,3 m asl Plassedal (175 m) Sundsval (78 m) Sunde grustak 149.95 km Nordagutu Station (1917) 112.1 m asl Sørlandsbanen to Bø Skei (28 m) 150.15 km Dalsvatn (1920 - 2004) Dale (82 m) Storodden (135 m) Spirdalen (46 m) Magnus (122 m) Mjægetjern (74 m) 156.09 km Valebø (1917 - 2004) 161.2 m asl Valebø (333 m) Tjerndalen (66 m) Tjerndalen viaduct (135 m) Dragsvoll (122 m) Daletjern (59 m) Skjærdalen I (137 m) Skjærdalen II (16 m) Skjærdalen III (21 m) Garvannselva (20 m) 163.90 km Valeseter (1931) Franstjern (99 m) Svartufs I (98 m) Sagtjernelva (27 m) Svartufs II (60 m) Nisterudkollen (88 m) 168.42 km Nisterud Station (1919) Nisterud (141 m) Bøelva (ca. 20 m) Lia (1931) Bø (29 m) Hoppestadelva (65 m) 175.95 km Hoppestad (1920 - 2004) 180.50 km Skien Station (1917) 43,5 m asl Ivar Aasens gate Rv32 (ca. 20 m) Skien Tunnel (1,174 m) Skien Old Station 182.66 km Follestad Station (1918) 183.84 km Eikonrød (1916) Gunnar Knudsens veg Rv36 (ca. 70 m) 185.95 km Bøle (1883) Rv36 Norsk Hydro Godssenter Grenland 186.80 km Borgestad (1916 - 2006) 187.10 km Borgestadholmen (1883) 188.84 km Osebakken (1883) Rv36 Lilleelvgata Rv36 190.12 km Porsgrunn Station (1882) sidespor til Norsk Hydro Herøya Tunnel (1,838 m) Gunnekleivfjorden (ca. 20 m) Norsk Hydro, Herøya ny line Larvik-Porsgrunn, planned 192.60 km Eidanger (1882) Brevikbanen Vestfoldbanen

Bratsbergbanen is a railway line in Telemark county which runs between Eidanger and Notodden. At Skien, the line continues as Vestfoldbanen. The line was opened in 1917, connecting the older Tinnosbanen to the rest of the rail network. Along the route, the line crosses Sørlandsbanen and shares the Nordagutu station with that line. The tallest bridge on the Norwegian rail system, the 65 metre tall Hjukse Bru truss arch bridge, is on Bratsbergbanen. Bratsbergbanen is electrified, but the only passenger trains operating on the line now are diesel powered Y1s. This is the only place these units are used in Norway.

[edit] History

The original use of Bratsbergbanen was to connect the Norsk Hydro's fertilizer plant in Rjukan to the port in Skien. When the plant opened in 1909 a railway, Rjukanbanen, was buildt between Notodden and Rjukan, while transport from Notodden to Skien was performed along the Telemark canal. Bratsbergbanen was built to make it possible to transport the goods all the way to the port using railway.

Like several other Norwegian branch lines, Bratsbergbanen has had a troubled history. It was closed between October 2000 and August 2001. On August 25, 2004, the northern terminus at Notodden was moved by 800 m to a more central location. This 800 m extension of the line is not electrified.

[edit] External links

• Jernbaneverket's list of stations on Bratsbergbanen (Norwegian)
• Jernbaneverket's list of stations on Bratsbergbanen (in English, but lacks descriptions)