Narrow-gauge railways in Norway

In Norway, a number of main lines were in the 19th century built with narrow gauge, 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm), to save cost in a sparsely populated mountainous country. This included Norway's first own long-distance line, the Røros Line, connecting Oslo and Trondheim, 1877. Some secondary railways also had this gauge. These railways have been rebuilt to standard gauge or closed down. Some private railways had 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) and one had 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in). A few railways partly still are operated as museum railways, specifically the Thamshavn Line, Urskog–Høland Line and the Setesdal Line. The Trondheim Tramway is also narrow gauge.

Carl Abraham Pihl and his entourage inspecting the construction of the Røros Line in 1877
Støren Station on the Røros Line during the 1880s

List of narrow-gauge lines

Line Length Opened Gauge Converted Notes
Ålgård Line 12 km (7.5 mi)19211,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1944Branch of the Sørlandet Line
Brevik Line 10 km (6.2 mi)18951,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1921Branch of the Vestfold Line
Drammen Line 52 km (32 mi)18721,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1922
Flekkefjord Line 17 km (11 mi)19041,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1941Closed in 1989
Grimstad Line 22 km (14 mi)19071,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1936Closed in 1961
Hokksund–Kongsberg 87 km (54 mi)18711,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1909Since renamed to the Sørlandet Line
Holmestrand–Vittingfoss Line 30 km (19 mi)19021,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)Closed in 1938
Horten Line 7 km (4.3 mi)18811,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1949Branch of the Vestfold Line
Jæren Line 74 km (46 mi)18781,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1944Since 1944 part of the Sørlandet Line
Krøderen Line 26 km (16 mi)18721,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1909Closed in 1985, now a heritage railway
Lier Line 21 km (13 mi)19041,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)Closed in 1937
Lillesand–Flaksvand Line 17 km (11 mi)18961,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)Closed in 1953
Nesttun–Os Line 24 km (15 mi)1894750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in)Closed in 1935
Randsfjorden Line 87 km (54 mi)18661,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1909
Røros Line 383 km (238 mi)18621,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1941Converted in stages
Setesdal Line 78 km (48 mi)18951,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)Closed in 1962. Opened as a heritage railwayin (first section) in 1966. Now runs on the preserved scenic 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) stretch Grovane-Røyknes
Sulitjelma Line 36 km (22 mi)1892750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in)1915Built with 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge, converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge, closed in 1972
Thamshavn Line 25 km (16 mi)19081,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in)Electric. Closed in 1974, now a heritage railway
Tønsberg–Eidsfoss Line 84 km (52 mi)19011,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)Closed in 1938
Trondhjem–Støren Line 51 km (32 mi)18641,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1921Since 1877 part of the Røros Line and since 1921 part of the Dovre Line
Urskog–Høland Line 57 km (35 mi)1896750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in)Closed in 1960. Opened in 1966 as a heritage railway
Vestfold Line 148 km (92 mi)18811,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1949
Voss Line 106 km (66 mi)18831,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)1909Since 1909 part of the Bergen Line

References

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