Rjukan Line

Rjukan Line
Norwegian: Rjukanbanen
SF Ammonia, at Mæl, where the railway cars were ferried across Lake Tinn
TerminusRjukan Station
Mæl Station
Commercial operations
Built byNorsk Transport
Original gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Original electrification15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Preserved operations
Stations6
Length16 kilometres (10 mi)
Preserved gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Preserved electrification15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Commercial history
Opened9 August 1909
Closed1991
Route map
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

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.