Urskog–Høland Line Explained

Urskog–Høland Line
Other Name:Norwegian: Urskog–Hølandsbanen
Originalopen:1896
Closed:1960

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

History

The original line was 57km (35miles) 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 Lillestrøm 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 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

Steam

NumberNameAxle configTypeBuilt byRemarks
4Setskogen2-6-2T2 cyl. steamSächsische Maschinenfabrik (Hartmann) 3356 of 1909NSB type XXVIII
6Høland2-6-2T2 cyl. steamSächsische Maschinenfabrik (Hartmann) 4658 of 1925NSB type XXIX
7Prydz2-6-2T2 cyl. steamHenschel 28463 of 1950NSB type XXIX

Diesel

NumberNameAxle configTypeBuilt byRemarks
12Tinfos
14BingsfosUHB 1996Derived from NSB shunter
Skd 220BDiesel-hydraulicNSBNormal gauge

Rolling stock

Passenger

NumberTypeBuilt byAxle configDescription
1CoSkabo 18962-23rd class carriage
2BCoSkabo 18962-22nd and 3rd class carriage
3BCoSkabo 18982-22nd and 3rd class carriage
5CFoSkabo 18982-2Baggage and 3rd class carriage
10BCoSkabo 19132-22nd and 3rd class carriage
100A 21Skabo 19262-2

Freight

NumberTypeBuilt byAxle configDescription
1ToSkabo 18952-2Flatcar
9GStrømmen 18952Goods van
13GStrømmen 18952Goods van
19KStrømmen 18962Gondola car
26GoMoss Jernstøberi og Mek. vst. 18982-2Goods van
27ToMoss Jernstøberi og Mek. vst. 18982-2Flatcar

See also

External links