Rjukan Line

Rjukan Line
Norwegian: Rjukanbanen
SF Ammonia, at Mæl, where the railway cars were ferried across Lake Tinn
Terminus	Rjukan Station Mæl Station
Commercial operations
Built by	Norsk Transport
Original gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Original electrification	15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Preserved operations
Stations	6
Length	16 kilometres (10 mi)
Preserved gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Preserved electrification	15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Commercial history
Opened	9 August 1909
Closed	1991
Route map Legend km0 Rjukan Salpeterfabrikker 15.95 Rjukan 1909–91 Vemork Såem ca. 240 m Måna 13.81 Ingolfsland 1909–70 13.35 Tveito 1953–60 12.60 Bjørkhaug 1960–70 10.12 Øverland 1909–91 6.50 Skeie 1953–70 4.44 Miland 1909–70 4.25 Måna 41.4 m 1.10 Buslåtten 1953–70 0.39 Mæl 1909–91 to Tinnoset via railway ferry This diagram: view talk edit

The Rjukan Line (Norwegian: Rjukanbanen), at first called the Vestfjorddal Line, was a 16-kilometre (10 mi) Norwegian railway line running through Vestfjorddalen between Mæl and Rjukan in Telemark county. The railway's main purpose was to transport chemicals from Norsk Hydro's plant at Rjukan to the port at Skien, in addition to passenger transport. At Mæl the wagons were shipped 30 kilometres (19 mi) on the Tinnsjø railway ferry to Tinnoset where they connected to the Tinnoset Line. The Rjukan Line and the ferries were operated by Norsk Transport, a subsidiary of Norsk Hydro.

Construction of the line started in 1907, and it opened two years later. It became the second Norwegian railway to be electrified in 1911. It experienced heavy growth, and had fifteen electric locomotives in use. During World War II it was the scene of the Norwegian heavy water sabotage. After the 1960s production declined, and the railway was closed in 1991. It was kept as a heritage railway.