Sjisjka

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Sjisjka, also spelt Sjiska or Šiška, is a railway stop on the Swedish section of the Malmbanan between Gällivare and Kiruna.

The stop is located approximately 20 km south of Kiruna, between Kalixforsbron and Kaitum, at a tiny village with about eight buildings.

1 Nature reserve
2 History
3 Rail traffic
4 Wind park
5 Sources
6 External links

[edit] Nature reserve

Taking the train to Sjisjka is the only way to enter the Kaitum fjällurskogs naturreservat (nature reserve) apart from hiking or skiing.^[1] A footpath leads west from Sjisjka to Tjåurek and from there one can go on to Nikkaluokta, Laukkuluspa, Holmajärvi, Liettik or to Kaitum, which is slightly south of Sjisjka at the railway.^[2] There is no road to the railway station or the village. The nearest roads are in Kaitum and Kalixforsbron, each about 10km away. About 11km west of Sjisjka railway stop is the Sjisjka-ape mire (also spelt Šiškká-ahpi).^[3] A hill with the same name as the railway stop is situated between the mire and the railway station.

[edit] History

Sjisjka was the place where Sami artist Nils Nilsson Skum lived.^[4] Among the reasons that the railroad company, Statens Järnvägar, built a railway stop there was the fact that the artist lived there. Another reason was that it was the only place where the railway's initials, SJ, occur twice in the place's name.^[5]

[edit] Rail traffic

The railway traffic between Luleå/Boden and Kiruna is now run by Connex. Out of the three passenger trains passing Sjisjka each day in each direction, only one stops in each direction: the first morning train in the southerly direction and the last evening train in the northerly direction.^[6]

[edit] Wind park

In 2004, the energy company Vindkompaniet i Kiruna (wind company in Kiruna) filed a request to build 30 windmills on the Sjisjka hill near the railway stop.

The company Vindkompaniet i Kiruna wants to build windmills on a hill immediately west of Sjisjka.^[5] Originally, the plan was to build a road track from Kaitum to Sjisjka, parallel to the railway line, but this plan faced considerable criticism.^[7] In the new plan, the windmills are to be transported to Lappberg, and the length of the road is much smaller. This plan was approved by Miljödomstolen in 2007^[8], the final decision to build it was taken in december 2007^[9].