Urskog–Høland Line

The Urskog–Høland Line (Norwegian: Urskog–Hølandsbanen), also known as Tertitten, is a narrow gauge railway between Sørumsand and Skulerud in Norway.

Urskog–Høland Line
Norwegian: Urskog–Hølandsbanen
Loco No. 7 Prydz with a mixed train on the Urskog–Hølandsbanen, 18 July 2006
Commercial operations
Original gauge750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
Preserved operations
Preserved gauge750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
Commercial history
Opened1896
Closed1961
Skulerud Station on May 27, 1907

History

The original line was 57 kilometres (35 mi) long and was built in three stages: Urskogbanen opened in 1896, running from Bingsfossen to Bjørkelangen; Hølandsbanen from Bjørkelangen to Skulerud opened in 1898 and finally the line between Bingsfos and Sørumsand in 1903. Today part of the line is preserved as a museum at Sørumsand in Sørum kommune. The railway company was headquartered at Bjørkelangen. The line was built in the least expensive way as a so-called tertiary railway with a 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) gauge track. This gave the line its diminutive, affectionate nickname, "Tertitten". The railway was run as a privately owned joint stock company until 1945 when it was bought by the government and run by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) under the name Aurskog-Hølandbanen.

The basis for the railway lay mostly in forest and agriculture products. Lumber was transported to Skulerud and from there it was rafted to Halden. At one time a tour billed as "The Great Roundtrip" was a popular tourist attraction, combining the train ride with a boat ride on the steam ship "DS Turisten" which trafficked the Halden Canal.

The restoration

A cooperative consisting of volunteers was established in 1961 with the aim of securing the line for posterity. A 3-kilometer track at Sørumsand was given to the group along with two steam locomotives and some other stock. The first run as a heritage railway was undertaken in 1966. This stretch had no buildings or side tracks, and all facilities which meet the present-day visitor was built after becoming a heritage railway. Three of the steam locomotives and two passenger carriages were restored.

When the heritage railway was established the terminus was just outside the town center of Sørumsand, with the track leading to the station building already having been removed. In 1987 the line had been extended and the first train could depart from the town center again. After another two years the entire operation, including station building, was finished, and the extended track was officially inaugurated. The entire complex is protected by law. The Urskog–Høland Line is now a museum under the umbrella of Museene i Akershus (MiA) run i cooperation with "Venneforeningen Tertitten".

Locomotives
Bjørkelangen Station
No.2 "Urskog" and Killingmo Station at the Norwegian Railway Museum

Steam
Number Name Axle config Type Built by Remarks
4 Setskogen 2-6-2T 2 cyl. steam Sächsische Maschinenfabrik (Hartmann) 3356 of 1909 NSB type XXVIII
6 Høland 2-6-2T 2 cyl. steam Sächsische Maschinenfabrik (Hartmann) 4658 of 1925 NSB type XXIX
7 Prydz 2-6-2T 2 cyl. steam Henschel 28463 of 1950 NSB type XXIX

Diesel
Number Name Axle config Type Built by Remarks
12 Tinfos
14 Bingsfos UHB 1996 Derived from NSB shunter
Skd 220 B Diesel-hydraulic NSB Normal gauge

Rolling stock

Passenger
Number Type Built by Axle config Description
1 Co Skabo 1896 2-2 3rd class carriage
2 BCo Skabo 1896 2-2 2nd and 3rd class carriage
3 BCo Skabo 1898 2-2 2nd and 3rd class carriage
5 CFo Skabo 1898 2-2 Baggage and 3rd class carriage
10 BCo Skabo 1913 2-2 2nd and 3rd class carriage
100 A 21 Skabo 1926 2-2

Freight
Number Type Built by Axle config Description
1 To Skabo 1895 2-2 Flatcar
9 G Strømmen 1895 2 Goods van
13 G Strømmen 1895 2 Goods van
19 K Strømmen 1896 2 Gondola car
26 Go Moss Jernstøberi og Mek. vst. 1898 2-2 Goods van
27 To Moss Jernstøberi og Mek. vst. 1898 2-2 Flatcar
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See also
  • Narrow gauge railways in Norway
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