Pieksämäki railway station
Encyclopedia
The Pieksämäki railway station is located in the town of Pieksämäki
, Finland
. The station has been in use since the track to Savonia
was built in 1889. In the 1880s, the village of Pieksämäki was located west to the current place of the town at Tienristi, currently known as Yläristi, and so the people of the municipality would have wanted the track to go west of Pieksänjärvi
. However, because of cost reasons, in 1885 the government decided to build the track east of the lake, bringing the station a couple of kilometres east of the village, in the middle of an uninhabited swamp
. The first station building was very modest. The stations are divided into five classes in order of importance, with class 1 being the most important; originally, the Pieksämäki station was of class 4. The village of Haapakoski
located near Pieksämäki also received its own station, of class 5. Originally, cargo traffic was more important, and there was only passenger traffic to Mikkeli
and Kuopio
. Nevertheless, people started moving near the station, attracted by the railroad.
The representatives of the Pieksämäki area, most importantly Aapeli Häyrinen, were strong supporters of the Savonia railway, and were also present in the discussion of a perpendicular track in the early 20th century. The track would combine the parallel tracks of Ostrobothnia
, Savonia and Karelia
, but there was controversy about the actual layout. When Savonlinna
received a railway connection from the east in 1908, the situation was clarified, and the track between Savonlinna and Pieksämäki was built in 1914. At the same time, a side track from Huutokoski to Varkaus
was built, and the Pieksämäki station became more important, of class 3. Already at this time, there was an agreement on the best western layout for the perpendicular track (the Pieksämäki station had faced competition from a track between Suonenjoki
and Suolahti
), and so the track was extended from Pieksämäki towards Jyväskylä
, being completed by the time of Finland's independence and the Finnish Civil War
in 1918. Having thus became a crossing point in the Finnish railway network, the Pieksämäki station was promoted to class 2.
The completion of the perpendicular track meant a rise of importance for the Pieksämäki station, and it soon got its own restaurant
. The proximity of the railroad had also resulted in another habitation centre near the station, and in the 1920s, it outgrew the old Tienristi, thus becoming the centre of the area. The separate Pieksämäki village became a market town called Pieksämä in 1930, but the Finnish Railway Institute did not rename the station. Later, the city council changed its mind, and Pieksämä was renamed back to Pieksämäki in 1948. During World War II
, the important crossing point station was the target of many bombings, and the station restaurant also burned down. Nevertheless, traffic increased both during and after the war. This was partly because of a track between Varkaus and Joensuu
, built in 1940.
Pieksämäki became a central place for the VR Group
, receiving a repair shop and a depot. The trackyard is one of the largest in Finland, over 6 kilometres long, with almost 100 kilometres of track. The current central traffic station at Pieksämäki was completed in 1981. Pieksämäki is the terminus for many passenger trains, and all trains passing it also stop at the station. It is nowadays a control station, because traffic control in the nearby railway traffic points are handled remotely from Pieksämäki. There is also bus
traffic from the station.
Pieksämäki
Pieksämäki is a town and municipality of Finland. Its original name was Haukivuori .It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region.The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
, 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 station has been in use since the track to Savonia
Savonia (historical province)
Savonia is a historical province in the east of Finland. It borders to Uusimaa, Tavastia, Ostrobothnia, and Karelia. Largest cities in Savo by population are Kuopio, Mikkeli, Savonlinna and Varkaus.-Administration:...
was built in 1889. In the 1880s, the village of Pieksämäki was located west to the current place of the town at Tienristi, currently known as Yläristi, and so the people of the municipality would have wanted the track to go west of Pieksänjärvi
Pieksänjärvi
-References:* *...
. However, because of cost reasons, in 1885 the government decided to build the track east of the lake, bringing the station a couple of kilometres east of the village, in the middle of an uninhabited swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
. The first station building was very modest. The stations are divided into five classes in order of importance, with class 1 being the most important; originally, the Pieksämäki station was of class 4. The village of Haapakoski
Haapakoski
Haapakoski is a Finnish surname and may refer to:* Aarne Haapakoski , Finnish pulp writer* Antti Haapakoski , Finnish hurdler* Mikko Haapakoski , Finnish ice hockey defender...
located near Pieksämäki also received its own station, of class 5. Originally, cargo traffic was more important, and there was only passenger traffic to Mikkeli
Mikkeli
Mikkeli is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in what used to be the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
and Kuopio
Kuopio
Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia, Finland. A population of makes it the ninth biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of , of which is water and half forest...
. Nevertheless, people started moving near the station, attracted by the railroad.
The representatives of the Pieksämäki area, most importantly Aapeli Häyrinen, were strong supporters of the Savonia railway, and were also present in the discussion of a perpendicular track in the early 20th century. The track would combine the parallel tracks of Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia (region)
Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland. It is located in Western Finland. It borders the regions Central Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia, and Satakunta and is one of the four regions making up the historical province of Ostrobothnia....
, Savonia and Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
, but there was controversy about the actual layout. When Savonlinna
Savonlinna
Savonlinna is a town and a municipality of inhabitants in the southeast of Finland, in the heart of the Saimaa lake region. The Finnish name of the town means "Castle of Savonia" and the Swedish name means "Newcastle".- History :...
received a railway connection from the east in 1908, the situation was clarified, and the track between Savonlinna and Pieksämäki was built in 1914. At the same time, a side track from Huutokoski to Varkaus
Varkaus
Varkaus is a Middle-Savonian industrial town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Northern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is...
was built, and the Pieksämäki station became more important, of class 3. Already at this time, there was an agreement on the best western layout for the perpendicular track (the Pieksämäki station had faced competition from a track between Suonenjoki
Suonenjoki
Suonenjoki is a town and municipality of Finland.Suonenjoki is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Northern Savonia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
and Suolahti
Suolahti
Suolahti was a former town and municipality of Finland. It is located next to Lake Keitele in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region...
), and so the track was extended from Pieksämäki towards Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä is the capital of Central Finland and the largest city on the Finnish Lakeland, north-east of Tampere and north of Helsinki, on northern coast of lake Päijänne. The city has been continuously one of the most rapidly growing cities in Finland since World War II. The city is surrounded...
, being completed by the time of Finland's independence and the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
in 1918. Having thus became a crossing point in the Finnish railway network, the Pieksämäki station was promoted to class 2.
The completion of the perpendicular track meant a rise of importance for the Pieksämäki station, and it soon got its own restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
. The proximity of the railroad had also resulted in another habitation centre near the station, and in the 1920s, it outgrew the old Tienristi, thus becoming the centre of the area. The separate Pieksämäki village became a market town called Pieksämä in 1930, but the Finnish Railway Institute did not rename the station. Later, the city council changed its mind, and Pieksämä was renamed back to Pieksämäki in 1948. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the important crossing point station was the target of many bombings, and the station restaurant also burned down. Nevertheless, traffic increased both during and after the war. This was partly because of a track between Varkaus and Joensuu
Joensuu
Joensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848...
, built in 1940.
Pieksämäki became a central place for the VR Group
VR Group
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
, receiving a repair shop and a depot. The trackyard is one of the largest in Finland, over 6 kilometres long, with almost 100 kilometres of track. The current central traffic station at Pieksämäki was completed in 1981. Pieksämäki is the terminus for many passenger trains, and all trains passing it also stop at the station. It is nowadays a control station, because traffic control in the nearby railway traffic points are handled remotely from Pieksämäki. There is also bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
traffic from the station.