Valdres Line

The Valdres Line (Template:Langx) was a Norwegian railway that connected to the Gjøvik Line at Eina with Fagernes in the district of Valdres. The first stretch opened on 23 November 1902, and the entire route was operational on October 10, 1906. The line was shut down for regular traffic as of 1 January 1989.

The entire length of the line was . It connected the rural areas of Land and Valdres by rail to the main railroad network in Norway, including Oslo and international points beyond. Though there is no regular traffic on the line the stretch from Eina to Dokka is still permitted for trains and considered part of the national rail network.

History

The line was built by a private company, AS Valdresbanen, in four phases:

1. Eina to Dokka (approximately 47 km): regular traffic 28 November 1902
2. Dokka to Tonsåsen (31 km): 1 November 1903
3. Tonsåsen to Aurdal (18 km): 29 September 1906
4. Aurdal to Fagernes (13 km): 29 September 1906

In 1937, the Norwegian government through the Norwegian State Railways took over operations of the line, and in 1953 the line and equipment was modernized to the point that the trip from Oslo to Fagernes took 4.5 hours. In 1955 and 1956 tunnels were built at Høgberget and Tonsåsen, respectively. When Norwegian authorities decided to electrify half of the line distance of Norway in the 1950s and 60s, the Valdres Line was not chosen to be electrified, even though the Gjøvik Line was.

In 1985, a bus service was established between Oslo and Fagernes, reducing the number of annual passengers on the train line by 19,000. In 1988, the Norwegian legislature decided to shut down regular traffic on the Valdres Line while keeping the tracks between Eina and Leira open for purposes of national security. In 1989, a grassroots movement was started to keep the line, but to no avail. In 1991, the tracks between Leira and Fagernes were lifted (removed). A private company is formed to arrange chartered trips on the remaining railway.

Station number	Station name	Distance from						Altitude		Comments
		Eina		Oslo		Fagernes
		km	miles	km	miles	km	miles	m	ft
1621	Eina	–	–				Connection with the Gjøvik Line
.	Bridge over Einavann				–	–	Length
.	Ra sidetrack				–	–	/
1700.01	Røste				–	–	established 1969, closed April 14, 1970
1700.02	Vestli				–	–	Closed 1952
1701	Trevatn					Sp 01/07/59 u 07/01/68, hp/L ca/1970, closed January 1 89
1701.01	Halmrastsæter				–	–	(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1702	Skrukli					U 07/01/68, hp/L 05/08/83, closed January 1, 1989
1702.01	Opperud				–	–	closed 1952
1703	Fall					Sp 07/01/68, u 10/06/68 hp/L 09/10/74, hp 15/11/84. Closed January 1, 1989
1703.01	Klinkenberg				–	–	(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1704	Hov					U/x January 1, 1989
1704.01	Kluke				–	–	closed 1939
1704.02	Gabrielstugua				–	–	(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1705	Bjørnerud					S 1949, Sp 05/05/1959, hp/L 01/09/1959 hp 14/05/1968, closed January 1, 1989
1705.01	Steinsvoll				–	–	(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
..	Underpass riksvei 33				–	–	Concrete bridge, length
1706	Fluberg					Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, hp/L November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
1706.01	Kronborg				–	–	(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1707	Odnes					Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, u/g January 1, 1989, l...//
1707.01	Åvella				–	–	(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/197
1708	Dokka					S/g January 1, 1989
.	Bridge over Dølveita				–	–	length
.	Bridge over Dokka				–	–	length
1709	Nordsinni					U 07/01/1968, hp 24/11/1971, closed January 1, 1989
.	Håkonstad Tunnel				–	–	length
1710	Etna					U 07/01/1968, hp November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
.	Høgberget Tunnel				–	–	length
1711	Tonsåsen					U 01/08/1984, l January 1, 1989
1712	Bjørgo					Sp 07/01/1968, closed January 1, 1989
1713	Aurdal					Sp 07/01/1968, u January 1, 1983, hp November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
1714	Leira					Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, closed January 1, 1989
.	Fagernes Tunnel				–	–	Length , demolished fall of 1991
1715	Fagernes			–	–		closed/ January 1, 1989

External links

• Valdres Line advocacy organization