Lillesand–Flaksvand Line
Lillesand–Flaksvand Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Single | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrification | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Lillesand–Flaksvand Line (
Route
The 16.59-kilometer (10.31 mi) line was built at a minimum standard and as cheaply as possible. It had 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge, with the steepest gradient at 3.33 percent, a minimum curve radius of 60 meters (200 ft) and a track weight of 60 kilograms per meter (145 lb/yd).
In addition to the main line, there were 11 branches and spurs, totaling 1,550 metres (5,090 ft). At Lillesand Station, there was a station building, a wagon depot, a locomotive depot and tracks to the docks. At Møglestu, there was an extra parallel track and at Sandvad, there was a branch to a gravel pit. Extra tracks were laid at Storemyr for parking of wagons and at Ydderstad, there was a spur to load lumber. At Eikeland there three spurs, including one 600 metres (2,000 ft) long to a stone quarry. At Jordbruna, there was a spur for loading lumber, and at Tveite, there were three spurs, of which two went to the sand pit at Moelva and one to Myhre Torvstrøfabrikk. North of Tveite, there was a spur to leave part of the train if the locomotive needed to take two trips to get up the hill. At Birkeland Station, there were two extra tracks, one for stationing cargo trains and one to the sawmill. At Flaksvand Station, there were five tracks, of which three were at the station, one to the sawmill and for loading lumber.[3]
In Lillesand, the right-of-way has been converted to a road around the city center, although parts have been converted to a pedestrian path. Other parts have been reverted to agricultural land. From Storemyr, the route went through a forest, and has become an overgrown forestry road. From Eikeland to Tveite, the line has been converted to a hiking trail. At Birkleland, there are few remains of the line, although when leaving the village, part of the line is used as a pathway. Further along, the route is disused, but fenced in. The station buildings at Tveite and Flaksvand have been kept, the building at Lillesand has been preserved, while the station at Birkeland was dismounted because it was in the way of a new road.[4]
History
Public debate about constructing a railway from Lillesand up the valley following the river
Construction was subcontracted to Nicolay Nicolaysen Sontum of Bergen. Without any machines, the whole line was built by hand using tools and explosives.[3] The line opened on 4 June 1896.[5] Two steam locomotives from Sächsische Maschinenfabrik were delivered in May 1895 and given the names Lillesand and Flaksvand.[1] The locomotives weighed 15 tonnes (15 long tons; 17 short tons) and had a power output of 75 kilowatts (101 hp).[9] Three passenger cars were bought along with 34 freight cars. Most of the rolling stock remained in use until the closing of the line, at which time they were scrapped.[1] The initial service was two daily round trips, shortly afterwards increasing to three. The peak freight transport was reached in 1902, when 53,207 tonnes (52,367 long tons; 58,651 short tons) were transported.[10] It fell rapidly, and from 1906 it was never higher than 20,000 tonnes (20,000 long tons; 22,000 short tons). Also the passenger traffic fell, with the peak reached in 1900, when the line had 26,000 passengers.[1] In addition to lumber, an important customer was Myhre Torvstrøfabrikk, which produced peat.[11]
By 1908, the railway was losing money, of which two-thirds was covered by the state and one-third by the municipalities.
See also
- Narrow gauge railways in Norway
References
- ^ a b c d Aspenberg (1994): 204
- ^ Hodøl, Helge (1 March 2002). "Stasjoner" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ^ a b Hodøl, Helge (1 March 2002). "Anleggsperioden" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ^ a b Aspenberg (1994): 207
- ^ a b c Aspenberg (1994): 203
- ^ Aspenberg (1994): 203–204
- ^ Hodøl, Helge (1 March 2002). "Finansiering" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ^ Hodøl, Helge (1 March 2002). "Drøm blir virkelighet" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ^ Hodøl, Helge (1 March 2002). "Lokomotiver og vogner" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d Aspenberg (1994): 205
- ^ Hodøl, Helge (1 March 2002). "Transportgrunnlag" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
Bibliography
- ISBN 82-91448-00-0.
External links
- Historical information site (in Norwegian)