Noen bilder fra banen.

 

En Tb fra Banverket på tur til Katterat med pukk tog. Ved midnatt kom togsettet opp med full last. Det var bare så vidt det kom seg opp. Det gikk ikke fortere en 30-40km/t. med fult pådrag på motoren. Det brummet og skranglet veldig mye fra GM motoren. Den hørtes over helle fjellet, fra Nordalsbrua og til den kom opp til Bjørnfjell. ©Ronny Olsen   El15.2195/2192 ved Bjørnfjell stasjon på tur til Narvik. ©Ronny Olsen   El 15.2196 på verksted ©Ronny Olsen Karven med dobbel Rc på tur til Narvik. Et i TKAB og et i SJ merking. Toget kommer fra Pettersen fyllinga og er på tur inn i Mons Olsen tunnelen. ©Ronny Olsen

Malmvogner.
På bildet ser vi det som opprinnelig var en 3 akslet malmvogn bygget i 1902.

 

Ma. loket til Kalmar foreningen, på tur fra Narvik. Kommer ut Mons Olsen tunnelen og er på tur oppover Pettersen fyllinga. ©Ronny Olsen	Robel tralle ved innkjørings signalet til Bjørnfjell, Fra Narvik siden. ©Ronny Olsen
BF11.21517 utenfor verksted området ©Ronny Olsen	Robel tralle i skiftetjeneste ©Ronny Olsen

 

The Iron Ore line, Kiruna - Narvik. One of the most particular railway in Scandinavia, and in Europe is surely the Kiruna - Narvik section. This line, all situated north of the Polar Circle, is probably the northern standard gauge railway in the world (except a short mine railway near Kirkenes, always in Norway). The line called Ofotbanen in Norway, and Malmbanan in Sweden, is 168 Km lenght and is the final section of the "Iron ore line" built to serve Kiruna iron mine, one of the world's most important. In 1888 was opened the section from Lulea, on the Baltic Sea, to Boden and Kiruna; but the Lulea Harbour is isolated by ice many months per year, so in 1898 began the construction of the line to Narvik, on the Atlantic Sea, that was completed in 1902. In the first year of service the railway transported 960.000 Ton. of iron, with trains hauled by two steam locos, and formed by 3axles hopper cars, without breakdown during winter's months. To increase the capability of transport, already in 1910 begin works to electrificate the whole line with the a.c. 15.000V. 16,7Hz system. The line is completely at single track, and actually is equipped with modern control system for the safety (ATS) and start from Kiruna Central Station, where is also situated the LKAB (the public company that manage the mine) charge terminal, and the engines depot and workshops. In Abisko, whith two small stations (Abisko Ö and Abisko Turiststation) to serve the touristic centre. The line cross the National Park. After Abisko there are many tunnel built to defend the rail from snow and avalanche, then the Iron Ore Line reach's Vassijaure, the most northern Station of Sweden, that is also border between SJ and NSB, where loco engineers changes. Few km after, Riksgransen (520 meter above sea level) is the highest point of the line and the Politic border between Sweden and Norway, without any custom control. The line now going down in the last 38 Km to the sea with bridge tunnels and few isolated station, until Ofotfjord. At Narvik station ends the travel for the passengers trains, but the iron ore train still run for some Km across the locos depot to the discharge terminal where the iron mineral is directly loaded on the ships waiting in the harbour. Actually the timetable is based on two couple of express passengers trains daily one to Boden-Lulea, and one to Stockholm with sleeping, restaurant and cinema coaches. One third service Kiruna-Narvik runs only in mid-summer period. Mostly all the passengers trains are hauled by by the SJ engines class RC, powerful universal locomotives built in six series. There is also a stopping service, ( " Karven " ) former scheduled in timetable, from Narvik to Kiruna.   The most part of the traffic is composed by the iron ore trains, that runs daily (also sunday) with about 20 couple scheduled, loaded trains to Narvik and empty to Kiruna. Trains are formed by 52 bogies hopper car series Uad or Uadp equipped with russian SA-3 automatic coupling, and have a lenght of 472m. with a weight of 5200 Ton. These trains are hauled from one of the 19 electric engine class SJ Dm3 of locos depot Kiruna. Very heavy and imposant 1D+D+D1 articulated engines with 3 bodies, 12 axles, 36m. lenght and 7200 KW powerful. These engines was obtained between 1960 and 1970 adding one D element in the middle of a Dm (1D+D1) engine to increase the performance. Actually only 16 Dm3 locos are in service, (3 are withdrawn) and almost all have been modernised in Kiruna Workshop, and repainted with the new blue livery of the MTAB.     El15.2195/2192 ved Bjørnfjell stasjon på tur til Narvik. ©Ronny Olsen The iron ore train was until 2004 hauled also by the six engines class El15 of the NSB (Co-Co 5400 KW) working especially in multiple units, and by the six engines class Rm of the SJ (Bo-Bo 3600 KW) the goods trains version of the Rc, that works in triple units. In locos depot of Narvik is stored out of service the last couple of NSB class El12, the norwegian version of class Dm.

 

Kollisjonen mellom 2 malmtog ved Straumsnes skjedde den 18. juli 1969. Alle lokomotivene ble gjenoppbygget etter kollisjonen. Dm 3 1228 ble sendt til ASJ i Falun og går nå under navnet Kapten hos MTAS. El15 lokomotivene ble sendt til Thunes Mek Verksted i Oslo.
Kollisjon ved Straumsnes 18. juli 1969. Lokomotivene El 15.2196 + 15.2193 og Dm3 1228 + 1243 + 1227.	Kollisjon ved Straumsnes 18. juli 1969. Lokomotivene El 15.2196 + 15.2193 og Dm3 1228 + 1243 + 1227.	Kollisjon ved Straumsnes 18. juli 1969. Lokomotivene El 15.2196 + 15.2193 og Dm3 1228 + 1243 + 1227.

 

Se også: NSB El. 3	Se også: NSB El. 4	Se også: NSB El. 12	Se også: NSB El. 15	Se også: NSB type 62

 

©2001