Sørland Line

Infobox rail line
name = Sørland Line
nativename = Sørlandsbanen

---

caption = Kongsberg Station in Kongsberg
type = Railway
system =
status =
start = Hokksund
end = Stavanger
stations = 27
open = 1871 (to Kongsberg)
1944 (completed)
close =
owner = Norwegian National Rail Administration
operator = Norges Statsbaner
CargoNet
character = Long-haul passenger/freight
stock = BM73, El 18
linelength = 528
tracklength =
notrack = Single
gauge = RailGauge|sg
el = 15 kV AC
speed =
elevation =

{!Railway line header1

The Sørland Line ( _no. Sørlandsbanen) is a railway line between Drammen (though this is connected to Oslo by means of the Drammen Line) via Kristiansand to Stavanger. The line is 545 km long between Oslo and Stavanger.

History

The railway was constructed in many phases, the first bit being opened in 1871 and the last bit not opened until 1944. While there was a continual construction effort from Oslo westward until Moi, the Jær Line from Egersund to Stavanger in Western Norway was opened in 1878. Until 1913 name occurring in plans and in built sections was Vestland Line ("The West Country Line").

Sørlandsbanen was completed by the German occupation force during World War II. It was opened for regular traffic on 1 May 1944. The line was an important communications line for transportation of troops, as well as war material. Long stretches of the Sørland Line railway are away from the coast, instead of the more densely populated coastline. One reason for this was to protect the line from invading forces, and also to prevent the line being bombarded by navy ships.

On 15 November 1950 the Hjuksebø train disaster killed 14 people in a collision between an express train and runaway freight cars.

ubsections

Among the stretches which the Sørland Line can be divided into are:
*Oslo–Drammen is the Drammen Line, completed in 1872.
*Drammen–Kongsberg was opened in 1871.
*Kongsberg–Bø was opened in 1924.
*Lunde–Neslandsvatn (Kragerø) was opened in 1927.
*Neslandsvatn–Nelaug (Arendal) was opened in 1935.
*Nelaug–Kristiansand was opened in 1938.
*Kristiansand–Moi was opened in 1944.
*Moi (Flekkefjord)–Egersund was opened in 1904.
*Egersund–Stavanger is the Jær Line, and was opened in 1878.

Branch lines

Sørlandsbanen has one operational branch line, the Arendal Line, which runs between Nelaug and Arendal. Another branch line, the Flekkefjord Line, from Sira to Flekkefjord, was once part of the main line. Upon completion of the Sørland Line in 1944, it was turned into a branch line, and it was closed in 1990. Other branch lines which are closed are the Numedal Line between Kongsberg and Rødberg (in Nore og Uvdal), the Setesdal Line and the Kragerø Line between Neslandsvatn and Kragerø.

Kristiansand Station is designed as a terminal station. Therefore, trains from Stavanger towards Oslo reverse direction when leaving Kristiansand.

External links

* [http://www.jernbaneverket.no/english/forTravellers/index.jhtml?intSecId=1151409 The Norwegian National Rail Administration's list of stations on Sørlandsbanen]