Drammenbanen
Encyclopedia
The Drammen Line is a 52.86 kilometres (32.8 mi) railway line between Oslo
and Drammen
, Norway
, which was opened on 7 October 1872. It serves all trains west of Oslo Central Station and is owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.
The line opened as a 1067 mm narrow gauge railway, and rebuilt to standard gauge
between 1913 and 1922 . The line was electrified in 1922, as the first line on the national network to be electrified. The Lieråsen Tunnel
shortened the line in 1973, and in 1980 the Oslo Tunnel was built, allowing the line to connect to the new Oslo Central Station. The Asker Line that is under construction will run parallel to the Drammen Line.
At Drammen, the Vestfold Line branches off to the south while the Bergen Line and the Sørland Line continue together to Hokksund
along the Randsfjord Line. The entire line has double track due to the heavy traffic on the line. The longest Norwegian railway bridge is just before Drammen where the line crosses the Drammen river. That bridge is 454 metres long.
by the Hoved Line and to Sweden by the Kongsvinger Line, while Drammen was connected to Ringerike
by the Randsfjord Line. The most important use of the lines were shipment of lumber to the respective ports for export, but the lines also saw an increasing passenger traffic. Due to the cheap and quick construction method propagated by NSB at the time, the Randsfjord Line was built in narrow gauge; the lines connecting to Oslo were on the other hand built in standard gauge, to ensure compatibility with the Swedish railway network
. There was a considerable feeling of rivalry between the two cities at the time, and particularly in Drammen there was skepticism of building a line that could dilute the cities regional influence on behalf of the capital.
Radical forces eventually succeeded in changing the tide of opinion, and Drammen politicians allowed the construction of the line. The rail gauge issue still created a problem, as did the location of the railway station in Oslo; Oslo East Station was located at the then east end of the city, and a line from Drammen—located to the west of Oslo—would either have to take the long trip around the north of the city, or terminate at a separate station on the west end. The latter solution was chosen, and Oslo West Station was opened along with the new line.
railway between 1917–1920. On 13 November 1922 the dual gauge was removed. The line from Oslo V to Brakerøya
was electrified on 26 November 1922 while the line from Brakerøya to Drammen was electrified on 6 May 1930. The Drammen Line was the second railway line in Norway to be rebuilt to double track. The line from Oslo V to Sandvika
was opened with double track on 26 November 1922 while the line from Sandvika to Asker
was extended in three steps: Billingstad
–Hvalstad
on 24 July 1953, Hvalstad–Asker on 29 November 1955 and Billingstad–Sandvika on 9 November 1958.
on 3 June 1973, part of a new 15.2 kilometres (9.4 mi) line from Asker to Brakerøya. This concluded the double track to Drammen, and shortened the railway by 12438 metres (40,807.1 ft). Part of the old line, from Asker to Spikkestad
, has been kept as the single-tracked Spikkestad Line, used by commuter trains.
. The railway from Skøyen to Oslo V has been reclassified to the Skøyen–Filipstad Line, and is used for freight trains serving the Oslo Port. The former Port Line that connected the east and west stations was removed.
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and Drammen
Drammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, which was opened on 7 October 1872. It serves all trains west of Oslo Central Station and is owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.
The line opened as a 1067 mm narrow gauge railway, and rebuilt to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
between 1913 and 1922 . The line was electrified in 1922, as the first line on the national network to be electrified. The Lieråsen Tunnel
Lieråsen Tunnel
Lieråsen Tunnel is a railway tunnel on Drammenbanen between Asker Station and Lier Station in Norway. The 10,723 m long tunnel was opened in 1973 and was the longest railway tunnel in the country until Romeriksporten was opened in 1999....
shortened the line in 1973, and in 1980 the Oslo Tunnel was built, allowing the line to connect to the new Oslo Central Station. The Asker Line that is under construction will run parallel to the Drammen Line.
At Drammen, the Vestfold Line branches off to the south while the Bergen Line and the Sørland Line continue together to Hokksund
Hokksund
Hokksund is a town in the municipality of Øvre Eiker in the county of Buskerud in Norway.-History:Hokksund is the administrative centre, and largest town in Øvre Eiker, with a population of around 8,000. The river Drammenselva flows through the town, 500m from the centre. Hokksund has developed on...
along the Randsfjord Line. The entire line has double track due to the heavy traffic on the line. The longest Norwegian railway bridge is just before Drammen where the line crosses the Drammen river. That bridge is 454 metres long.
History
Both Drammen and Oslo were important ports serving Eastern Norway, and both had by the 1870s their own railway lines. Oslo was connected to RomerikeRomerike
Romerike is a traditional district located north-east of Oslo, in what is today south-eastern Norway. It consists of the Akershus municipalities Fet, Lørenskog, Nittedal, Rælingen, Skedsmo, Sørum and Aurskog-Høland in the southern end , and Ullensaker, Gjerdrum, Nannestad, Nes, Eidsvoll and Hurdal...
by the Hoved Line and to Sweden by the Kongsvinger Line, while Drammen was connected to Ringerike
Ringerike
oskar er kjempe kulRingerike is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Ringerike...
by the Randsfjord Line. The most important use of the lines were shipment of lumber to the respective ports for export, but the lines also saw an increasing passenger traffic. Due to the cheap and quick construction method propagated by NSB at the time, the Randsfjord Line was built in narrow gauge; the lines connecting to Oslo were on the other hand built in standard gauge, to ensure compatibility with the Swedish railway network
Rail transport in Sweden
Rail transport in Sweden uses a network of 13,000 km of track, the 20th largest in the world. Construction of the first railway line in Sweden began in 1855. The major operator is the state-owned SJ AB....
. There was a considerable feeling of rivalry between the two cities at the time, and particularly in Drammen there was skepticism of building a line that could dilute the cities regional influence on behalf of the capital.
Radical forces eventually succeeded in changing the tide of opinion, and Drammen politicians allowed the construction of the line. The rail gauge issue still created a problem, as did the location of the railway station in Oslo; Oslo East Station was located at the then east end of the city, and a line from Drammen—located to the west of Oslo—would either have to take the long trip around the north of the city, or terminate at a separate station on the west end. The latter solution was chosen, and Oslo West Station was opened along with the new line.
Electrification and double track
Built as a narrow gauge railway, the Drammen Line was converted to a dual gaugeDual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
railway between 1917–1920. On 13 November 1922 the dual gauge was removed. The line from Oslo V to Brakerøya
Brakerøya Station
Brakerøya Station is a railway station located at the village of Brakerøya in Drammen, Norway on the railway Drammenbanen. The station is served by commuter trains 440 and 450 with half hour headway by Norges Statsbaner.-History:...
was electrified on 26 November 1922 while the line from Brakerøya to Drammen was electrified on 6 May 1930. The Drammen Line was the second railway line in Norway to be rebuilt to double track. The line from Oslo V to Sandvika
Sandvika Station
Sandvika Station is a railway station located in downtown Sandvika in Bærum, Akershus, Norway. The station serves as a local public transport hub and is located on the Asker Line and the Drammen Line. The station was opened with the Drammen Line in 1872. In 2005 the Asker Line opened allowing...
was opened with double track on 26 November 1922 while the line from Sandvika to Asker
Asker Station
Asker is a railway station located in downtown Asker in Akershus, Norway. The station serves as the main public transportation hub for the municipalities located around the Asker Line, the Drammen Line and the Spikkestad Line. The station was opened with the Drammen Line in 1872...
was extended in three steps: Billingstad
Billingstad Station
Billingstad Station is a railway station located at Billingstad in Asker, Norway on Drammenbanen. The station is served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 400 operated by Norges Statsbaner with two hourly services. The station was opened in 1919....
–Hvalstad
Hvalstad Station
Hvalstad Station is a railway station located at Hvalstad in Asker, Norway on the Drammen Line. The station is served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 400 operated by Norges Statsbaner with two hourly services.-History:...
on 24 July 1953, Hvalstad–Asker on 29 November 1955 and Billingstad–Sandvika on 9 November 1958.
Lieråsen Tunnel
The most significant shortening of the line came with the opening of the 10.7 kilometres (10,700 m) long Lieråsen TunnelLieråsen Tunnel
Lieråsen Tunnel is a railway tunnel on Drammenbanen between Asker Station and Lier Station in Norway. The 10,723 m long tunnel was opened in 1973 and was the longest railway tunnel in the country until Romeriksporten was opened in 1999....
on 3 June 1973, part of a new 15.2 kilometres (9.4 mi) line from Asker to Brakerøya. This concluded the double track to Drammen, and shortened the railway by 12438 metres (40,807.1 ft). Part of the old line, from Asker to Spikkestad
Spikkestad Station
Spikkestad Station is a railway station located at Spikkestad in Røyken, Norway and the terminus of Spikkestadbanen. The station was opened as part of Drammenbanen in 1885, but in 1973 the new Lieråsen Tunnel opened through Lieråsen, and the old part of Drammenbanen was transformed to a commuter...
, has been kept as the single-tracked Spikkestad Line, used by commuter trains.
Oslo Tunnel
After decades of planning, the 3632 kilometres (2,256.8 mi) Oslo Tunnel opened in 1980, extending the Drammen Line from Skøyen to the new Oslo Central Station, that replaced Oslo East Station. The former terminus of Oslo West Station was closed, and has since been converted into the office of the Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
. The railway from Skøyen to Oslo V has been reclassified to the Skøyen–Filipstad Line, and is used for freight trains serving the Oslo Port. The former Port Line that connected the east and west stations was removed.