Randsfjordbanen

Randsfjordbanen
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The opening of Randsfjordbanen in 1868
Info
Type	Railway
System	Norwegian Railway
Start station	Drammen Station
End station	Randsfjord Station
Operation
Opened	1866 (to Vikersund) 1868 (to Randsfjorden)
Owner	Jernbaneverket
Operator(s)	Norges Statsbaner
Character	Long-haul passenger traffic
Rolling stock	BM 73
Technical
Line length	87 kilometres (54 mi)
No. of tracks	1
Gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in)
Electrified	15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC

Randsfjordbanen is 87 km railway located in Buskerud in Norway connecting Drammen to Hønefoss and Hadeland in Oppland. The railway is primeraly used for passenger trains, and the only scheduled trains on the stretch are Norges Statsbaner express trains on Bergensbanen between Oslo and Bergen. Freight trains to Bergen go to Hønefoss via Gjøvikbanen. The railway is owned by the Government of Norway through Jernbaneverket.

The entire line is standard gauge, and the 71 km from Drammen to Hønefoss is electrified at 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC. The remaining 16 km from Hønefoss to Randsfjord is not electrified and currently disused. The line gets its name from the lake Randsfjorden.

History

The Norwegian legislature, Stortinget, decided on June 11, 1863 with 65 against 44 votes to build the line. The first stretch of the line opened on October 31, 1866 between Vikersund and Drammen. On December 1, 1867 Skjærdalen and Tyristrand were connected to the line and finally on October 12, 1868 Hønefoss Staion opened and the line could stretch all the way to Randsfjorden. The line was the fifth railway line to be built in Norway. When Bergensbanen was built a new line between Roa and Hønefoss was opened in 1909, providing two different lines between Hønefoss and Oslo.