Randsfjorden Line

The Randsfjorden Line (Norwegian: Randsfjordbanen) is an 87-kilometre-long (54 mi) railway located in Buskerud in Norway connecting Drammen to Hønefoss and Jevnaker in Akershus county. The railway is primarily used for passenger trains, and the only scheduled trains on the stretch are Vy Tog express trains on the Bergen Line between Oslo and Bergen. Freight trains to Bergen go to Hønefoss via the Gjøvik Line. The railway is owned by Bane NOR.

Randsfjorden Line
The opening of Randsfjordbanen in 1868
Overview
Native name	Randsfjordbanen
Owner	Bane NOR
Termini	Drammen Station Randsfjord Station
Service
Type	Railway
System	Rail transport in Norway
Operator(s)	Vy Tog
Rolling stock	BM 73
History
Opened	1866 (to Vikersund) 1868 (to Randsfjorden)
Technical
Line length	87 kilometres (54 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Character	Long-haul passenger traffic
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Operating speed	Max. 130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map   elev (M) or length (m) in metres km 141.4 M 142.41 Randsfjord 1868 Styggdal 1931 140.15 Hen end point Norema 138.40 Eggemoen 1944 136.98 Marigård 1931 Vågård 1930 Østlandske Spennbetong Geiteryggen 1944 Østlandske Spennbetong Skytebanen 1931 Østlandske Spennbetong E16 Hensmoen Hen gravel pit Sperillen Line branch line 156.7 M 130.92 Hen 1868 151 m Ådalselva Ådalen 1931 Begna 1931 E16 Hofsfoss 1931 Norske Skog Follum Frydenlund 1931 c.15 m Soknedalsveien Rv35 Bergen Line 96.8 M 124.21 Hønefoss 1868 Roa-Hønefoss Line Nyveien underpass 1931 Tolpinrud 1953 c.100 m E16 Pålsgård broovergang 1931 173.8 m Bjerke Bridge over Sogna and Rv35 68.6 M 118.03 Ask 1868 Muggerud 1932 Egge 1931 Veholt 1931 Maurerud 1932 112.31 Tangen 1946 Støa 1931 56 m Skjærdalen 78.9 M 110.68 Tyristrand 1867 109.66 Hagabru 1931 Haugstangen 1931 Mitten 1931 74.2 M 105.19 Nakkerud 1874 c.20 m Henoa Fjellstangen 1931 Lerskallen 1950 Ås 1931 83.7 M 101.37 Drolsum 1903 Tørhaug 1931 Hervik 1931 Krøderen Line 67.1 M 95.91 Vikersund 1866 Rv284 66.2 M 91.45 Geithus 1875 Rv35 132.5 m Kattfoss bru over Drammenselva 90.35 Kattfoss 1956 88.60 Linnerud 1953 Rv287 22.7 M 85.37 Åmot 1866 103 m Døvikfoss bru over Drammenselva 81.89 Hassel 1961 17.1 M 79.78 Skotselv 1866 129 m Bingselva 4.6 M 75.20 Burud 1875 Hellefoss 1932 112.5 m Hoenselva to Sørlandet Line c.20 m Vestre Brugate Rv35 8.0 M 70.22 Hokksund 1866 25 m Vestfosselva industrial line 20 m Loselva 5.4 M 67.00 Steinberg 1906 85 m E134 5.2 M 64.03 Mjøndalen 1866 26 m E134 Rygkollen gravel pit Dalerovergangen Fv35 59.89 Daler 1966 7.2 M 57.13 Pukerud 1915 8.0 M 55.27 Gulskogen 1868 54.00 Sundland shunting Vestfold Line Nybyen freight terminal c.40 m Kreftings gate Rv282 2.2 M 52.86 Drammen 1866 Drammen Line elev (M) or length (m) km in metres

The entire line is standard gauge, and the 71 kilometres (44 mi) from Drammen to Hønefoss is electrified at 15 kV  16.7 Hz AC. The remaining 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from Hønefoss to Randsfjorden is not electrified and currently disused. The line gets its name from the lake Randsfjorden.

History

On 11 June 1857, railway director Carl Abraham Pihl was demanded by a Royal Decree to instruct a terrain investigation of the area along the river Drammenselva from Drammen to Randsfjorden. He presented the results of the investigation on 31 May 1858, which concluded that the terrain between Drammen and Randsfjorden was favorable for a rail line.

Pihl thereupon proposed a rail line from Randsfjorden with a branch line to Hen. He argued with forester Thorvald Meiddell, who wanted to construct a canal rather than a rail line. In a meeting on 12 September 1859 in the Drammen chairmanship, the rail line solution was decided upon. On 6 March 1863, the final decision was made, with six against three votes. It was also decided to make a government loan of 2,32 million kr. Parliament passed the construction of the rail line on 11 June 1863, with 65 against 44 votes.

The construction of the Randsfjord Line was begun on 4 December 1863, and, on 1 September 1866, the line was finished to Vikersund. Two years later, the entire line to Randsfjord Station was opened. A celebration took place at the station, where King Charles XV with his family took part.

On 1 December 1867 Skjærdalen and Tyristrand were connected to the line and finally on 12 October 1868 Hønefoss Station opened and the line could stretch all the way to Randsfjorden. The line was the fifth railway line to be built in Norway. When the Bergen Line was built a new line between Roa on Gjøvikbanen and Hønefoss was opened in 1909, providing two different lines between Hønefoss and Oslo.

Images

• 
  Hønefoss Station around 1900
• 
  Vikersund Station
• 
  Hokksund Station
• 
  Mjøndalen Station
• 
  Drammen Station
• 
  Hen Station

See also

• Narrow gauge railways in Norway

Bibliography

• Berntsen, Ulf; Lund, Thure; Lunner, Dagfinn (1997). På sporet med Krøderkippen (in Norwegian). Norwegian Railway Club / Krøderen Line Foundation. ISBN 82-90286-20-1.