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.[1] 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.[2] It is the world's oldest remaining alternating-current railway and the only narrow gauge railway in the country to have been electrified.[3] It was followed by Norsk Transport's Rjukan and Tinnos Lines two years later,[4] and Sydvaranger's Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line in 1922.[5] The Norwegian State Railways' (NSB) first electrification was parts of the Drammen Line in 1922 and the ore-hauling Ofoten Line in 1923, which connects to the Ore Line in Sweden. 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 Randsfjord and Sørland 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.[3]
During the 1940s, NSB electrified the Sørland Line, although the final section from Egersund to Stavanger was not converted until 1956.[3] In 1957, the Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line became the only line to remove the electrification and replace the electric locomotives with diesel power.[5] The 1950s saw the electrification of several of regional and commuter lines around Oslo, including the Kongsvinger Line, the Trunk Line and the Dovre Line from Lillestrøm to Hamar, the Vestfold Line and the Eastern Østfold Line. This was largely due to NSB's program to remove all steam locomotives, either by electrification or by dieselization. In the late 1950s and 1960s, several to-be electrified lines were operated with diesel locomotives as an interim solution. The 1960s saw the remaining two stem lines in Southern Norway, the Bergen and Dovre Lines, electrified along with the Gjøvik Line. The Bergen Line was completed in 1964 and the Dovre Line completed in 1970. This finished all the planned electrifications, and the authorities deemed the remaining lines unprofitable to electrify because of low traffic. During the 1990s, a new program was attempted, this time to electrify the entire network, but only the Arendal Line was converted before the program was canceled. However, new lines around Oslo, including the Lieråsen and Oslo Tunnels on the Drammen Line, and the Gardermoen and Asker Lines were electrified at the time they opened. Further plans have been launched, in particular the section of the Nordland Line from Trondheim to Steinkjer, which is part of the Trøndelag Commuter Rail, and the Meråker Line, which connects to the electrified Middle Line in Sweden.[6]
In 2008, electric traction accounted for 90% of the passenger kilometers, 93% of the tonne kilometers and 74% of the energy consumption of all trains running in Norway, with the rest being accounted for by diesel traction.[7] Technology for electric railways was demonstrated in Germany in 1879;[8] the first revenue line took electric traction into use in 1881.[9] The first electric industrial railway in Norway opened in 1892 at Skotfos Bruk near Skien. Two years later, parts of the Oslo Tramway were electrified.[10] The first alternating current (AC) line became operational in 1892, while the first line to use a single-phase, single overhead wire power supply opened in Germany in 1903.[11] In 1912, all German railway agreed to use the 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC standard, which was later adopted first by Sweden and then by NSB.[11] Several of the private lines that preceded NBS's electrification chose different standards. Sydvaranger chose to install the only mainline direct current (DC) and third rail system.[3]
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The following list contains a chronology of when the various sections of mainline railway lines were electrified. The list excludes industrial and short branch lines, as well as systems installed at ports and yards. The list contains the date when the electrification was taken into regular use on each section.[12] It also notes if a section was opened as an electric railway, and if the line was prepared as an electric line, but where this was not taken into use immediately. The list contains the line and section to be electrified,[12] and its length. The length indicates the length of the mainline section at the time of electrification. Due to changes of routes and shortening of lines, the current length of sections may be shorter. The sixth column shows the electrification system, including voltage and frequency in case of AC and no frequency in case of DC.
† | Opened as electric |
†† | Planned as electric |
* | Private |
Date | Line | Section | Length (km) |
Length (mi) |
System | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 July 1908† | Thamshavn* | Thamshavn–Svorkmo | 19.3 | 12.0 | 15 kV 6.6 Hz AC | [2][13] |
October 1908† | Thamshavn* | Svorkmo–Løkken | 6.0 | 3.7 | 15 kV 6.6 Hz AC | [2][13] |
11 July 1911††[note 1] | Tinnos* | Notodden–Tinnoset | 30.0 | 18.6 | 10 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [4][14] |
30 November 1911††[note 2] | Rjukan* | Rjukan–Mæl | 16.0 | 9.9 | 10 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [4][14] |
23 December 1920 | Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn* | Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn | 7.5 | 4.7 | 750 V DC | [5][15] |
26 November 1922 | Drammen | Oslo V – Brakerøya | 50.8 | 31.6 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [16] |
11 July 1923 | Ofoten | Narvik–Riksgränsen | 41.9 | 26.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [17] |
1 September 1927 | Trunk | Oslo Ø – Lillestrøm | 21.0 | 13.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [18] |
15 October 1928 | Loenga–Alnabru | Loenga–Alnabru | 7.3 | 4.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [19] |
10 April 1929 | Sørland | Drammen–Kongsberg | 48.6 | 30.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [20] |
6 May 1930 | Drammen | Brakerøya–Drammen | 2.4 | 1.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [21] |
1 April 1935† | Hardanger | Voss–Granvin | 27.5 | 17.1 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [3][22] |
29 January 1936 | Sørland | Kongsberg–Hjuksebø | 36.9 | 22.9 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [23] |
7 May 1936 | Bratsberg | Notodden–Borgestad | 60.6 | 37.7 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [24] |
9 December 1936 | Østfold | Oslo Ø – Ljan | 7.2 | 4.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [25] |
18 January 1937 | Østfold | Ljan–Kolbotn | 5.6 | 3.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [25] |
1 September 1939 | Østfold | Kornsjø–Riksgrensen | 1.0 | 0.6 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [26] |
10 September 1939 | Østfold | Halden–Kornsjø | 32.5 | 20.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [27] |
24 September 1939 | Østfold | Kolbotn–Ås | 18.9 | 11.7 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [28] |
9 January 1940 | Østfold | Ås–Dilling | 34.1 | 21.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [29] |
1 May 1940 | Østfold | Dilling–Fredrikstad | 28.9 | 18.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [30] |
15 July 1940 | Østfold | Fredrikstad–Sarpsborg | 15.2 | 9.4 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [31] |
11 November 1940 | Østfold | Sarpsborg–Halden | 27.2 | 16.9 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [31] |
15 October 1942 | Sørland | Nordagutu–Lunde | 31.6 | 19.6 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [32] |
18 April 1943 | Sørland | Lunde–Neslandsvatn | 44.2 | 27.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [33] |
18 February 1944 | Sørland | Marnardal–Sira | 62.4 | 38.8 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [34] |
20 March 1944 | Vestfold | Skien–Eikonrød | 3.3 | 2.1 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [35] |
24 November 1944††[note 3] | Flåm | Myrdal–Flåm | 20.4 | 12.7 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [3][36] |
16 May 1946††[note 4] | Sørland | Kristiansand–Marnardal | 36.7 | 22.8 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [3][32] |
26 August 1948 | Sørland | Neslandsvatn–Nelaug | 60.7 | 37.7 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [23] |
1 June 1949 | Sørland | Nelaug–Kristiansand | 83.9 | 52.1 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [23] |
19 July 1949 | Brevik | Borgestad–Brevik | 9.4 | 5.8 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [37] |
1 February 1950 | Sørland | Sira–Egersund | 56.9 | 35.4 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [32] |
15 June 1951 | Kongsvinger | Lillestrøm–Riksgrensen | 114.6 | 71.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [38] |
15 June 1953 | Trunk | Lillestrøm–Eidsvoll | 46.9 | 29.1 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [39] |
15 June 1953 | Dovre | Eidsvoll–Hamar | 58.6 | 36.4 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [40] |
2 July 1954 | Bergen | Bergen–Voss | 106.7 | 66.3 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [41] |
3 June 1956 | Sørland | Egersund–Stavanger | 76.3 | 47.4 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [23] |
5 October 1956 | Vestfold | Eidanger–Larvik | 34.0 | 21.1 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [42] |
20 May 1957 | Vestfold | Larvik–Tønsberg | 43.0 | 26.7 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [32] |
5 December 1957 | Vestfold | Tønsberg–Drammen | 57.9 | 36.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [43] |
11 December 1957 | Horten | Skoppum–Horten | 7.0 | 4.3 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [44] |
5 December 1958 | Eastern Østfold | Ski–Sarpsborg | 80.5 | 50.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [45] |
4 October 1959 | Randsfjord | Hokksund–Hønefoss | 54.0 | 33.6 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [46] |
1 February 1961 | Roa–Hønefoss | Roa–Hønefoss | 32.0 | 19.9 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [47] |
1 February 1961 | Grefsen–Alnabru | Grefsen–Alnabru | 5.2 | 3.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [19] |
1 February 1961 | Gjøvik | Loenga–Kværner | 2.1 | 1.3 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [19] |
1 February 1961 | Gjøvik | Oslo Ø – Jaren | 71.9 | 44.7 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [48] |
1 December 1962 | Bergen | Hønefoss–Ål | 138.6 | 86.1 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [49] |
17 February 1963 | Gjøvik | Jaren–Eina | 29.0 | 18.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [50] |
21 August 1963 | Gjøvik | Eina–Gjøvik | 22.9 | 14.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [50] |
15 December 1963 | Bergen | Ål–Ustaoset | 36.5 | 22.7 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [51] |
1 August 1964 | Bergen | Tunestveit–Bergen | 12.0 | 7.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [50] |
7 December 1964 | Bergen | Ustaoset–Voss | 120.7 | 75.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [50] |
1 November 1966 | Dovre | Hamar–Fåberg | 65.4 | 40.6 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [52] |
5 November 1967 | Dovre | Fåberg–Otta | 106.6 | 66.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [53] |
29 September 1968 | Dovre | Otta–Hjerkinn | 84.5 | 52.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [54] |
1 November 1970 | Dovre | Hjerkinn – Trondheim S | 171.1 | 106.3 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [32] |
3 June 1973† | Drammen | Asker–Brakerøya | 15.5 | 9.6 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [55] |
1 June 1980† | Drammen | Oslo S – Skøyen | 3.6 | 2.2 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [55] |
15 June 1995 | Arendal | Nelaug–Arendal | 36.2 | 22.5 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [56] |
8 October 1998† | Gardermoen | Lillestrøm–Eidsvoll | 48.3 | 30.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [40] |
22 August 1999† | Gardermoen | Etterstad–Lillestrøm | 15.7 | 9.8 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [40] |
1 August 2005† | Asker | Sandvika–Asker | 9.7 | 6.0 | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC | [57] |
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