Drammenbanen
| Drammenbanen | |
| 250px | |
|---|---|
| NSB BM69 local train units are used on Drammenbanen, here shown at Oslo S, the terminus of the line. | |
| Info | |
| Type | Railway |
| Start station | Oslo S |
| End station | Drammen |
| No. of stations | 17 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1872 |
| Owner | Jernbaneverket |
| Operator(s) | Norges Statsbaner Flytoget CargoNet |
| Rolling stock | BM69, BM70, BM71, BM72, BM73 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 52.86 km |
| Track length | 105.72 km |
| No. of tracks | 2 |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Electrified | 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC |
Drammenbanen is a 52.86 km long railway line between Oslo and Drammen which was opened on October 7 1872 as a 1067 mm narrow gauge railway, and rebuilt to standard gauge between 1913 and 1922 . The line was electrified in 1922. It was the first line on the national network to be electrified, although Rjukanbanen operated by Norsk Hydro was electrified 11 years earlier.
At Drammen Vestfoldbanen branches off to the south while Bergensbanen and Sørlandsbanen continue together to Hokksund. 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.
The most significant shortening of the line came with the opening of the 10.7 km long Lier tunnel in 1973 . Part of the old line is still operational as the Spikkestadlinjen branch line. Until the opening of Oslo Tunnel and Oslo Sentralstasjon, Drammenbanen ended at the western station in Oslo. In 2005 the new Askerbanen railway line opened from Asker to Sandvika, making it possible for regional- and express trains to bypass the slower local- and freight trains on Drammenbanen. Askerbanen will be expanded to Lysaker by 2011 and possibly to Skøyen some time after 2015.
Stations
- Oslo Sentralstasjon
- Nationaltheatret
- Skøyen
- Lysaker
- Stabekk
- Høvik
- Blommenholm
- Sandvika
- Slependen
- Billingstad
- Hvalstad
- Vaksås
- Høn
- Asker
- Lier
- Brakerøra
- Drammen
References
- ↑ Timeline from Norsk jernbanemuseum
- ↑ Caplex entry on the Lier tunnel
- Jernbaneverket's history page (Norwegian)
