vteValdres Line
Distance Height Km m asl 208.97 Fagernes (1906 - 1989) 360.0 206.84 Fagernes Tunnel (80 m) Rv51 204.97 Leira (1906 - 1989) 372.0 196.20 Aurdal (1905 - 1989) 457.40 Fv220 E16 track demolished until here 190.96 Bjørgo (1905 - 1989) 510.0 178.37 Tonsåsen (1903 - 1989) 682.0 Fv219 172.92 Høgberget (1948 - 1956) 172,84 Høgberget (784 m) Fv234 165.85 Etna (1904 - 1989) 479.7 160.17 Håkonstad (115 m) 154.81 Nordsinni (1904 - 1989) 267.0 Fv187 148.97 Dokka (60 m) Rv33 148.59 Dølveita (30 m) Fv250 147.91 Dokka (1902 - 1989) 148.5 Rv33 143.40 Åvella (1937 - 1970) 140.20 Odnes (1902 - 1989) 138.6 137.76 Kronborg (1939 - 1970) 133.93 Fluberg (1902 - 1989) 154.8 Fv139 132.34 Rv34 (44 m) 131.44 Steinsvoll (1969 - 1970) 128.95 Bjørnerud (1905 - 1989) 175,2 127.79 Gabrielstugua (1939 - 1970) 126.29 Kluke (1937 - 1939) Fv130 124.16 Hov (1902 - 1989) 233.5 Fv247 122.58 Klinkenberg (1937 - 1970) 120.73 Fall (1902 - 1989) 299.2 Fv114 119.09 Opperud (1937 - 1952) 115.81 Skrukli (1902 - 1989) 393.0 111.67 Halmrastsæter (1937 - 1970) 109.14 Trevatn (1902 - 1989) 385.5 107.09 Vestli (1937 - 1952) 106.01 Røste (1969 - 1970) Raufoss Ammunisjon branch line (2 tracks) 105.28 102.02 Langvika (21 m) Gjøvik Line from Roa 100.89 Eina (1901) 401.8 to Gjøvik
DistanceHeight
Kmm asl
208.97Fagernes (1906 - 1989)360.0
206.84Fagernes Tunnel (80 m)
Rv51
204.97Leira (1906 - 1989)372.0
196.20Aurdal (1905 - 1989)457.40
Fv220
E16
track demolished until here
190.96Bjørgo (1905 - 1989)510.0
178.37Tonsåsen (1903 - 1989)682.0
Fv219
172.92Høgberget (1948 - 1956)
172,84Høgberget (784 m)
Fv234
165.85Etna (1904 - 1989)479.7
160.17Håkonstad (115 m)
154.81Nordsinni (1904 - 1989)267.0
Fv187
148.97Dokka (60 m)
Rv33
148.59Dølveita (30 m)
Fv250
147.91Dokka (1902 - 1989)148.5
Rv33
143.40Åvella (1937 - 1970)
140.20Odnes (1902 - 1989)138.6
137.76Kronborg (1939 - 1970)
133.93Fluberg (1902 - 1989)154.8
Fv139
132.34Rv34 (44 m)
131.44Steinsvoll (1969 - 1970)
128.95Bjørnerud (1905 - 1989)175,2
127.79Gabrielstugua (1939 - 1970)
126.29Kluke (1937 - 1939)
Fv130
124.16Hov (1902 - 1989)233.5
Fv247
122.58Klinkenberg (1937 - 1970)
120.73Fall (1902 - 1989)299.2
Fv114
119.09Opperud (1937 - 1952)
115.81Skrukli (1902 - 1989)393.0
111.67Halmrastsæter (1937 - 1970)
109.14Trevatn (1902 - 1989)385.5
107.09Vestli (1937 - 1952)
106.01Røste (1969 - 1970)
Raufoss Ammunisjon branch line (2 tracks)
105.28
102.02Langvika (21 m)
Gjøvik Line from Roa
100.89Eina (1901)401.8
to Gjøvik

The Valdres Line (Norwegian: Valdresbanen) was a Norwegian railway that connected to the Gjøvik Line at Eina with Fagernes in the district of Valdres. The first stretch opened on 23 November 1902, and the entire route was operational on October 10, 1906. The line was shut down for regular traffic as of 1 January 1989.

The entire length of the line was 108 kilometres (67 mi). It connected the rural areas of Land and Valdres by rail to the main railroad network in Norway, including Oslo and international points beyond. Though there is no regular traffic on the line the 48 kilometres (30 mi) stretch from Eina to Dokka is still permitted for trains and considered part of the national rail network.

History

The line was built by a private company, AS Valdresbanen, in four phases:

  1. Eina to Dokka (approximately 47 km): regular traffic 28 November 1902
  2. Dokka to Tonsåsen (31 km): 1 November 1903
  3. Tonsåsen to Aurdal (18 km): 29 September 1906
  4. Aurdal to Fagernes (13 km): 29 September 1906

In 1937, the Norwegian government through the Norwegian State Railways took over operations of the line, and in 1953 the line and equipment was modernized to the point that the trip from Oslo to Fagernes took 4.5 hours. In 1955 and 1956 tunnels were built at Høgberget and Tonsåsen, respectively. When Norwegian authorities decided to electrify half of the line distance of Norway in the 1950s and 60s, the Valdres Line was not chosen to be electrified, even though the Gjøvik Line was.

In 1985, a bus service was established between Oslo and Fagernes, reducing the number of annual passengers on the train line by 19,000. In 1988, the Norwegian legislature decided to shut down regular traffic on the Valdres Line while keeping the tracks between Eina and Leira open for purposes of national security. In 1989, a grassroots movement was started to keep the line, but to no avail. In 1991, the tracks between Leira and Fagernes were lifted (removed). A private company is formed to arrange chartered trips on the remaining railway.

Station numberStation nameDistance fromAltitudeComments
EinaOsloFagernes
kmmileskmmileskmmilesmft
1621Eina100.8962.69108.0867.16401.801,318.2Connection with the Gjøvik Line
.Bridge over Einavann1.130.70102.0263.39106.9566.46Length 21.3 m (70 ft)
.Ra sidetrack4.392.73105.2865.42103.6964.43/
1700.01Røste5.123.18106.0165.87102.9663.98established 1969, closed April 14, 1970
1700.02Vestli6.23.9107.0966.54101.8863.31Closed 1952
1701Trevatn8.255.13109.1467.8299.8362.03385.501,264.8Sp 01/07/59 u 07/01/68, hp/L ca/1970, closed January 1 89
1701.01Halmrastsæter10.786.70111.6769.3997.3060.46(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1702Skrukli14.929.27115.8171.9693.1657.89393.001,289.37U 07/01/68, hp/L 05/08/83, closed January 1, 1989
1702.01Opperud18.211.3119.0974.0089.8855.85closed 1952
1703Fall19.8412.33120.7375.0288.2454.83299.20981.6Sp 07/01/68, u 10/06/68 hp/L 09/10/74, hp 15/11/84. Closed January 1, 1989
1703.01Klinkenberg21.6913.48122.5876.1786.3953.68(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1704Hov23.2714.46124.1677.1584.8152.70233.50766.1U/x January 1, 1989
1704.01Kluke25.415.8126.2978.4782.6851.37closed 1939
1704.02Gabrielstugua26.916.7127.7979.4181.1850.44(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1705Bjørnerud28.0617.44128.9580.1380.0249.72175.20574.8S 1949, Sp 05/05/1959, hp/L 01/09/1959 hp 14/05/1968, closed January 1, 1989
1705.01Steinsvoll30.5518.98131.4481.6777.5348.17(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
..Underpass riksvei 3331.4519.54132.3482.2376.6347.62Concrete bridge, length 43.6 m (143 ft)
1706Fluberg33.0420.53133.9383.2275.0446.63154.80507.9Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, hp/L November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
1706.01Kronborg36.8722.91137.7685.6071.2144.25(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/1970
1707Odnes39.3124.43140.287.168.7742.73138.60454.7Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, u/g January 1, 1989, l...//
1707.01Åvella42.5126.41143.489.165.5740.74(hp) 01/06/1969, closed 14/04/197
1708Dokka47.0229.22147.9191.9161.0637.94148.50487.2S/g January 1, 1989
.Bridge over Dølveita47.729.6148.5992.3360.3837.52length 30 m (98 ft)
.Bridge over Dokka48.0829.88148.9792.5760.0037.28length 60 m (200 ft)
1709Nordsinni53.9233.50154.8196.1954.1633.65267.00875.98U 07/01/1968, hp 24/11/1971, closed January 1, 1989
.Håkonstad Tunnel59.2836.83160.1799.5348.8030.32length 115 m (377 ft)
1710Etna64.9640.36165.85103.0543.1226.79479.701,573.8U 07/01/1968, hp November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
.Høgberget Tunnel71.9544.71172.84107.4036.1322.45length 784 m (2,572 ft)
1711Tonsåsen77.4848.14178.37110.8330.6019.01682.002,237.53U 01/08/1984, l January 1, 1989
1712Bjørgo90.0755.97190.96118.6618.0111.19510.001,673.23Sp 07/01/1968, closed January 1, 1989
1713Aurdal95.3159.22196.2121.912.777.93457.401,500.7Sp 07/01/1968, u January 1, 1983, hp November 1987, closed January 1, 1989
1714Leira104.0864.67204.97127.364.002.49372.001,220.47Sp 07/01/1968, u 10/06/1968, closed January 1, 1989
.Fagernes Tunnel105.9565.83206.84128.522.131.32Length 80 m (260 ft), demolished fall of 1991
1715Fagernes108.0867.16208.97129.85360.001,181.10closed/ January 1, 1989

External links

60°49′57″N 10°04′21″E/60.83250°N 10.07250°E/ 60.83250; 10.07250