Jokioinen Railway
Encyclopedia
The Jokioinen Railway located in Jokioinen
, Finland, was opened for temporary traffic on December 9, 1898. On October 25 1899, the railway began permanent passenger and freight services.
The Jokioinen Railway was the second privately-owned narrow gauge railway opened for common carrier services in Finland
. The railway ran from the Finnish State Railways Humppila
station via Jokioinen to Forssa
. The main-line length of the 750 millimetre gauge railway was 22.4 kilometres (13.9 mi). In Forssa an electric railway of Forssa Oy connected with the Jokioinen Railway.
The original motive power of the Jokioinen Railway was two American tank steam locomotives (Nos. 1 and 2) which were built in 1897 by H. K. Porter in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. These locomotives were in operation for over 50 years until 1948. In 1900, the Railway bought another American steam locomotive from the Baldwin Locomotive Works
, and it was given number 3. This locomotive was soon found to be too heavy for the light 17 kg/m rails of the railway, and it was sold to Estonia
. In 1922 the railway purchased a small tank locomotive
made by Lokomo
in Tampere
, Finland; in 1937 it bought a large tank locomotive made by Henschel in Kassel
, Germany
. This locomotive had to be given to the Soviet Union
as a penalty fee for late war reparation payments in 1945. To replace the Henschel lost to the Soviet Union, the railway ordered two new locomotives from S. A. Les Ateliers Métallurgiques Nivelles Division de Tubize in Belgium
. These locomotives were delivered in 1947 and 1948 and given numbers 4 and 5.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the last years of the railway, trains were powered by a roster of four diesel locomotives. These locomotives were Move 21 models, manufactured by Valmet
Airplane factory in Tampere, Finland. Originally, this type of locomotive was meant as a war payment to Soviet Union.
Beginning in the 1930s, all passenger traffic on the Jokioinen Railway was carried in railcar
s. Two railcars ran on the Jokioinen Railway. The first railcar ran from 1930 to 1932 and the second ran from 1932 to 1942.
The railway had three passenger coaches. These coaches were built by Hietalahti Shipyard in Helsinki
on top of frames and trucks manufactured by Leeds Forge Company
in England
.
The Jokioinen Railway had a total of about one hundred freight cars. Most of these were manufactured at the end of the 1800s in England and Finland and were in use throughout the time the railway operated, from 1898 to 1974. In 1960 more freight cars were bought from the Loviisa–Vesijärvi railway when it was re-gauged to broad gauge
Freight traffic was the principal traffic on the railway from the very beginning until its closure. Originally the railway was built to serve the needs of the expanding industries in Jokioinen and Forssa. The best year for freight traffic was 1940, during the short peace between the Winter War
and the Continuation War
, when a total of 90,000 tons of freight was carried on the Railway. The top year for passenger traffic was just after the Wars in 1945, when an annual total of 402,254 passengers was carried on the railway.
In the 1940s, the Jokioinen Railway faced growing competition from increasing road traffic. The war had slowed this competition down, but within 10 years passenger traffic had ended. The last passenger trains were withdrawn in 1954 and the railway started to use highway buses for its passenger services.
Freight service continued for another 20 years more. The Jokioinen Railway was able to stay competitive much longer than other narrow gauge railways in Finland because it used transporter wagon
s from the 1930s until end of services on the railway. With these pallet wagons, the broad (1524 millimetre) gauge VR
freight cars could be transported on the narrow gauge railway. This way the slow and expensive transfer of freight at Humppila station could be avoided.
By the end of the 1960s, however, the railway began to show signs of old age and wear. The track and the rolling stock were almost all more than 70 years old and large investments would have been needed to compete against the growing automobile and truck use, but the railway's owners were no longer willing to invest any more money in it.
The last revenue freight train of the Jokioinen Railway ran on March 31, 1974 from Humppila to Forssa. In the same year 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) of the railway between Forssa and Jokioinen was torn up and in 1975 the 8 kilometres (5 mi) line between Minkiö and Humppila was also lifted. Today the remaining 7-kilometre line Minkiö–Jokioinen and the rebuilt 8-kilometre line Minkiö–Humppila is operated by the Jokioinen Museum Railway
.
Jokioinen
Jokioinen is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Tavastia Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water...
, Finland, was opened for temporary traffic on December 9, 1898. On October 25 1899, the railway began permanent passenger and freight services.
The Jokioinen Railway was the second privately-owned narrow gauge railway opened for common carrier services in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The railway ran from the Finnish State Railways Humppila
Humppila
Humppila is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Tavastia Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
station via Jokioinen to Forssa
Forssa
Forssa is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located almost in the centre of a triangle defined by the three largest major cities in Finland , in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Tavastia Proper region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
. The main-line length of the 750 millimetre gauge railway was 22.4 kilometres (13.9 mi). In Forssa an electric railway of Forssa Oy connected with the Jokioinen Railway.
The original motive power of the Jokioinen Railway was two American tank steam locomotives (Nos. 1 and 2) which were built in 1897 by H. K. Porter in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. These locomotives were in operation for over 50 years until 1948. In 1900, the Railway bought another American steam locomotive from the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
, and it was given number 3. This locomotive was soon found to be too heavy for the light 17 kg/m rails of the railway, and it was sold to Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. In 1922 the railway purchased a small tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
made by Lokomo
Lokomo
Lokomo was a Finnish manufacturer of railroad equipment and steam locomotives, situated in Tampere, Finland. The Lokomo factories in Tampere produced the MIR submersibles for the Soviet Academy of Sciences.They later merged into the Metso Corporation....
in Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
, Finland; in 1937 it bought a large tank locomotive made by Henschel in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. This locomotive had to be given to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as a penalty fee for late war reparation payments in 1945. To replace the Henschel lost to the Soviet Union, the railway ordered two new locomotives from S. A. Les Ateliers Métallurgiques Nivelles Division de Tubize in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. These locomotives were delivered in 1947 and 1948 and given numbers 4 and 5.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the last years of the railway, trains were powered by a roster of four diesel locomotives. These locomotives were Move 21 models, manufactured by Valmet
Valmet
' was a Finnish state-owned conglomerate. Valmet was formed in 1951, when the state of Finland decided to group their various factories working on war reparations to the Soviet Union under one company...
Airplane factory in Tampere, Finland. Originally, this type of locomotive was meant as a war payment to Soviet Union.
Beginning in the 1930s, all passenger traffic on the Jokioinen Railway was carried in railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s. Two railcars ran on the Jokioinen Railway. The first railcar ran from 1930 to 1932 and the second ran from 1932 to 1942.
The railway had three passenger coaches. These coaches were built by Hietalahti Shipyard in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
on top of frames and trucks manufactured by Leeds Forge Company
Leeds Forge Company
The Leeds Forge Company manufactured corrugated furnaces for marine boilers and later, pressed steel railway vehicles, in Leeds, England.- Early history :The company was founded by Samson Fox, who was born in Bradford in 1838...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The Jokioinen Railway had a total of about one hundred freight cars. Most of these were manufactured at the end of the 1800s in England and Finland and were in use throughout the time the railway operated, from 1898 to 1974. In 1960 more freight cars were bought from the Loviisa–Vesijärvi railway when it was re-gauged to broad gauge
Freight traffic was the principal traffic on the railway from the very beginning until its closure. Originally the railway was built to serve the needs of the expanding industries in Jokioinen and Forssa. The best year for freight traffic was 1940, during the short peace between the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
and the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
, when a total of 90,000 tons of freight was carried on the Railway. The top year for passenger traffic was just after the Wars in 1945, when an annual total of 402,254 passengers was carried on the railway.
In the 1940s, the Jokioinen Railway faced growing competition from increasing road traffic. The war had slowed this competition down, but within 10 years passenger traffic had ended. The last passenger trains were withdrawn in 1954 and the railway started to use highway buses for its passenger services.
Freight service continued for another 20 years more. The Jokioinen Railway was able to stay competitive much longer than other narrow gauge railways in Finland because it used transporter wagon
Transporter wagon
A transporter wagon, in railway terminology, is a wagon or railroad car designed to carry other railway equipment. Normally, it is used to transport equipment of a different rail gauge...
s from the 1930s until end of services on the railway. With these pallet wagons, the broad (1524 millimetre) gauge VR
VR
VR may refer to:In communications:* Vatican Radio, the official broadcasting service of the VaticanIn music:* Vengeance Rising, a Christian thrash metal band* Velvet Revolver, a hard rock supergroupIn people:...
freight cars could be transported on the narrow gauge railway. This way the slow and expensive transfer of freight at Humppila station could be avoided.
By the end of the 1960s, however, the railway began to show signs of old age and wear. The track and the rolling stock were almost all more than 70 years old and large investments would have been needed to compete against the growing automobile and truck use, but the railway's owners were no longer willing to invest any more money in it.
The last revenue freight train of the Jokioinen Railway ran on March 31, 1974 from Humppila to Forssa. In the same year 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) of the railway between Forssa and Jokioinen was torn up and in 1975 the 8 kilometres (5 mi) line between Minkiö and Humppila was also lifted. Today the remaining 7-kilometre line Minkiö–Jokioinen and the rebuilt 8-kilometre line Minkiö–Humppila is operated by the Jokioinen Museum Railway
Jokioinen Museum Railway
The Jokioinen Museum Railway is located in Jokioinen, Finland. It is based on the last narrow gauge railway in Finland, the gauge Jokioinen Railway....
.