Røabanen
Encyclopedia
The Røa Line is a rapid transit
line of the Oslo Metro, Norway
, which runs from Majorstuen
in Oslo
to Østerås
in Bærum
. It serves neighborhoods such as Smestad
, Hovseter
, Huseby and Røa
in northwestern Oslo, and Grini
, Øvrevoll
and Østerås
in northeastern Bærum. The line is served by Line 2 of the metro, which connects to the city center via the Common Tunnel and onwards along the Furuset Line. The lowest part of the Røa Line, consisting of two stations, is shared with the Kolsås Line, and thus also served by Line 6 of the metro. The Røa Line is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon, and operated by Oslo T-banedrift
on contract with the public transport agency Ruter
.
The first part of the line, originally a light rail
, was from Majorstuen to Smestad
, and opened in 1912. It was built as a cooperation between the Municipality of Aker
and the company Holmenkolbanen
, and connected to the Holmenkoll Line's terminus. In 1928, the line received a connection to the city center when the first part of the Common Tunnel was completed. In 1935, the first extension of the Røa Line proper was made, when the line was extended to Røa
. In 1942, the Kolsås Line became a branch. Additional extensions to the Røa Line were made in 1948 to Grini
, in 1951 to Lijordet
and in 1972 to Østerås. By then, the line had become an integrated part of the municipal Oslo Sporveier
. The line was upgraded to rapid transit
in 1995, became part of the metro and started running through the city center.
area started after Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
(KES) established a tramway from the city center to Majorstuen
in 1894. Four years later, fund-raising started to build the Aker Avenue towards Smestad, but the recession made fund-raising difficult. The plans were launched again in 1904, and subsequently revised in 1908, by which time they including a tramway along the avenue. In 1910, A. S. Guldberg, Iver Lycke, W. Munthes-Kaas and H. A. Mørk applied for a concession
to build a tramway along the route. This was granted by the municipal council in Aker on 26 May. The four individuals then transferred their rights to the municipality, who started negotiating rights with KES, and Holmenkolbanen—the latter who had a suburban tramway running from Majorstuen, the Holmenkollen Line.
An arrangement was made with Holmenkolbanen, where the municipality would expropriate the necessary land and build the bed, while Holmenkolbanen would lay the tracks, the wires and operate the trams. The line would remain owned by the company A/S Smedstadbanen, which was again owned by Aker Municipality. The agreement had a duration of 50 years, but the municipality retained the right to purchase the line if work to extend the line from Majorstuen through the Common Tunnel to the city center had not started by 1917, or had not been completed by 1922. Government approval was granted on 7 July 1911, and the construction was completed on 7 November 1912. The 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) long line was single tracked
, with passing loop
s at Borgen
and Smestad
, which were the only stations in addition to Majorstuen. Holmenkolbanen used a single tram, with departures every 20 minutes. There were extra departures from Borgen to Majorstuen during the afternoon rush-hour.
. The municipality wanted it at Ruseløkkveien, but this would make it difficult for the company to built the tunnel through the city center to connect to the suburban tramways east of the city center. Construction was stopped in October 1914.
The following year, the municipality launched a contest to make the best suggestion for the tram networks. It took five years to select a winner, and this allowed the municipality and company to make a compromise by locating the terminus at Nationaltheatret. But not until 1926 was permission granted for the station. Construction commenced that year and the station and tunnel opened in 1928. When the tunnel had not been completed by 1922, Aker Municipality decided to purchase the line. At the time, the municipality was planning to start its own tram company, Akersbanerne
, and the Smestad Line was considered as part of the network, along with the planned Sognsvann Line. But delays caused the Sognsvann Line not to open until 1934. The take-over caused a disagreement between the two companies about payment for the common section, which would still be owned by Holmenkolbanen. Not until 1932 was the issue resolved.
The investments had drained Holmenkolbanen, particularly after it had received a massive lawsuit for damage to adjacent properties during the tunneling. After the issue had been resolved by the Supreme Court
in 1931, the company needed more capital to start operations. Aker Municipality offered to transfer its ownership of the Smestad Line and the Sognsvann Line to Holmenkolbanen, in exchange for the majority of shares in the company.
experienced a growth in housing. Akersbanerne proposed in 1931 to the municipal council that the Smestad Line be extended towards Makrellbekken
. Government permission was granted on 26 May 1933, and construction started the same year. The extension was built with single track. When the line was taken over by Holmenkolbanen, the new owner suggested extending the line to Røa
. Government permission was granted in on 29 June 1934, and construction started immediately. The 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) extension opened on 24 January 1935.
The new line was initially not profitable, because Schøyens Bilcentraler
had kept its concession to operate buses in the area. Not until World War II
was the bus route terminated. The Røa Line and the Sognsvann Line were both upgraded in 1939. On 6 July, the section from Makrellbekken to Røa was upgraded to double track, and later Volvat
was moved and placed inside a tunnel. A level crossing
was built at the intersection with Sørkedalsveien, and was completed on 15 December.
in 1930. The owner Bærumsbanen
instead wanted the line to go the faster route via the Common Tunnel to Nationaltheatret. Concession was granted in 1938 for a link from Jar
on the Lilleaker Line to Sørbyhaugen
on the Røa Line. The construction was delayed because a bridge needed to be built across Mærradalen, and the company ran out of money, and construction stopped for nine months in 1940. The line was opened on 15 June 1942, and the section from Sørbyhaugen to Kolsås was renamed the Kolsås Line. This resulted in two companies operating from Sørbyhaugen to Nationaltheatret, but an agreement was made where only Holmenkolbanen's tickets were sold on the section, so all revenue went to that company, regardless of the train's operator. The Kolsås Line operated every fifteen minutes along the Røa Line part.
started. The main problem was getting building materials for a bridge to cross Grinidammen, and a local disagreement about where the station at Røa was to be located. The 0.9 kilometre (0.559235462984826 mi) extension was opened on 22 December 1948, after Røa Station
had been moved, and the line put in a short tunnel under the center of Røa.
The 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) extension via Eiksmarka
to Lijordet
opened on 3 December 1951. Lijordet was intended to be named Sørbråten, but there was already a station with that name on the Norwegian State Railways' network, and two stations with the same name were not permitted. In 1959, a block signaling system was installed between Røa and Makrellbekken.
During the early 1970s, Bærum Municipality wanted to extend the line onwards to Hosle
, and were willing to pay the construction costs. Holmenkolbanen also wanted the municipality to pay for new trams, but the municipality was not willing to do this. The line was therefore only extended to Østerås
, which could be reached using the existing fleet. The 0.6 kilometre (0.372823641989884 mi) extension was opened in 1972. Since 1978, Holmenkolbanen has had sufficient trams to operate an extension, but since then the municipality has not been interested in extending the line further.
. In 1975, most of the shares were bought, along with those that Oslo Sporveier had received as part of the municipal merger with Aker in 1948. Gradually during the 1970s and 1980s, Holmenkolbanen became more integrated into Oslo Sporveier, including the two using the same rolling stock, tickets and uniforms. Oslo Sporveier upgraded the line in the last half of the 1970s, laying new ties
, upgrading the tracks to higher weight and purchasing new trams.
Plans to have trams run through the city center have existed since 1919. In the late 1940s, Holmenkolbanen revised the plan, and proposed extending the Common Tunnel eastwards. From 1951, the municipality started working on plans for the Oslo Metro in the eastern part of the city. The large difference in traffic between the eastern and western lines caused the plans to be changed during the 1960s, and the eastern network was equipped with third rail
power supply. The eastern lines at first terminated at Jernbanetorget
, and the plans were to continue the lines onwards towards Bislett
. But by the 1970s, these plans changed, largely because of the increase of traffic in the west and decrease in the east. On 7 March 1987, the services from the west, including the Røa Line, were extended from Nationaltheatret to Stortinget
, a station that allowed transfer to the metro.
The Sognsvann Line was upgraded to metro standard and reopened on 3 April 1993. The Røa Line was closed on 5 February 1995 to be upgraded to metro standard. The upgrades meant that all platforms needed to be extended to 110 metres (360.9 ft) to allow six-car metro trains. The only exception was Østerås, that was made only long enough for five cars, although this could easily be extended later. The upgrade involved a complete renovation of the tracks, with the old ones being replaced with new, and increasing the weight to 49 kilograms per meter (33 lb/ft). The overhead wire was replaced with a third rail; this required all four level crossings, at Makrellbekken, Hovseter, Eiksmarka and Ekraveien, to be replaced. In the former three, the track was sunk under the level of the road, requiring several hundred meters of the line to be rebuilt. Pedestrian underpasses were built at Ekreveien, Borgen, Holmen, Huseby skole and Lijordet.
Three stations were closed: Grini, Huseby skole and Heggeli. Volvat kept the two-car length, and was no longer served by the Røa Line, only the Kolsås Line. To compensate for the closing of Huseby skole, Røa was moved back to it original position, causing a heated local debate. The signaling system
was replaced with the automatic train protection
used on the metro. But the installation was delayed, and a temporary system was used. This caused an accident at Husebybakken
, where twelve people were injured. During the upgrade, the area along the line was served by buses. Bus stops could only be established at places where cars could pass, making it difficult to place stops at Røa and Sørbyhaugen. Passengers transferring to the Kolsås Line would normally have 15 minutes longer travel time, and congestion caused delays of up to 30 minutes. This caused more people to use cars, which increased the congestion further. Ridership on the buses was significantly lower than on the rail. The Kolsås Line opened on 20 August and the Røa Line on 19 November. After the opening, the line connected with the Furuset Line as Line 2, and started being served by T1000 trains. The Røa Line, including the common section in the city center, has been extended eight times, more than any other line of the Oslo Metro.
, MF Norwegian School of Theology
, the Norwegian Academy of Music
, the Norwegian Police University College
, several larger office complexes and the Oslo Tramway Museum
. From Majorstuen, the Røa Line and the Kolsås Line follow the same tracks. The line immediately enters a short tunnel, in which the now closed Volvat Station is located, 0.7 kilometre (0.434960915654865 mi) from Majorstuen. Borgen follows next, located 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) from Majorstuen, and serves a primarily housing area and a larger cemetery.
Next is the now closed Heggeli, and Smestad, located 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Majorstuen. The areas are mostly single dwellings built in the 1910s, following the arrival of the line. After Smestad, the Kolsås Line branches off and the Røa Line continues past the closed Sørbyhaugen to Makrellbekken, located 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) from Majorstuen. The next station is Holmen, located 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) from Majorstuen, and Hovseter, located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Majorstuen. Hovseter is a residential area with dominated by apartment blocks from the 1970s, and also serves Persbråten Upper Secondary School. The station has previously been used as a terminus for extra rush-hour trains. The line then runs past the closed Huseby skole, located 4.3 kilometres (2.7 mi) from Majorstuen, which served Huseby Leir
, the base of the Royal Guard
. The next station is Røa, located 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) from Majorstuen, which has also been a terminus for extra rush-hour trains. Røa has substantial commercial properties and is located close to Bogstadvannet
and a golf course. The line then passes Ekraveien, located 5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi) from Majorstuen, which is the last station located in Oslo.
The line then runs over Lysakerelva, which is also the border to Bærum, and past the closed Grini. The next station is Eiksmarka, located 6.2 kilometres (3.9 mi) from Majorstuen, which until the late 1970s had the line's only spur, to allow ballast stone to be loaded from Franzefoss. The area has single dwellings from the 1950s. Next is Lijordet, located 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) from Majorstuen, which serves Øvrevoll Galoppbane
, the country's only gallop
race course. The line's terminus is Østerås, located 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) from Majorstuen. There are some commercial and office buildings in the vicinity of the station, although the area is dominated by housing.
on the Furuset Line is 43 minutes. The metro and the line are owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon and operated by Oslo T-banedrift
on contract with Ruter
.
The line runs through two different fare zones, one within Oslo and another for the stations in Bærum. There is a higher ticket price for travel between Oslo and Bærum. Ticket machines are available at all stations, and the system is operated with a proof-of-payment
system. Smestad is a transfer station to the Kolsås Line (Line 6), while Majorstuen is a transfer station for other west-bound lines. Transfer to Ruter buses can be made at Majorstuen, Smestad, Hovseter, Røa and Eiksmarka. Transfer to the Oslo Tramway can be made at Majorstuen to lines 11, 12 and 19, serving the Briskeby Line
and the Frogner Line
. In the Common Tunnel, Jernbanetorget
is the transfer station for Oslo Central Station, which serves all mainline trains in Eastern Norway. Most west-bound mainline trains can also be reached at Nationaltheatret
.
, where it would again intersect with the Kolsås Line. One possibility is also that the service be continued along the Kolsås Line and a new branch be built to Sandvika
, the municipal center of Bærum. However, an extension has not been a priority for the municipal politicians, although the right-of-way has been secured, which will simplify construction.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line of the Oslo Metro, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, which runs from Majorstuen
Majorstuen (station)
Majorstuen is a subway station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station on the Briskeby Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located in the Majorstuen neighborhood in the Frogner borough....
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
to Østerås
Østerås (station)
Østerås is the terminal station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro. The station is located in Bærum municipality, 10.2 km from Stortinget.Østerås was opened on 16 November 1972, extending the line from Lijordet....
in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
. It serves neighborhoods such as Smestad
Smestad, Oslo
Smestad is an area in the borough Vestre Aker in Oslo, Norway. It is named after Smestad mansion, which was parcelled out for residences after the tram line was built in 1912. It is served by Smestad station....
, Hovseter
Hovseter
Hovseter is a neighborhood in the borough of Vestre Aker in Oslo, Norway.It was mainly built up in the 1970s. It is served by the station Hovseter on the Oslo Metro, and the Norwegian National Road 168 passes near.-References:...
, Huseby and Røa
Røa
Røa was a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway up to January 1, 2004, when it became part of the Vestre Aker district.Røa is also a suburb of Oslo, located approximately 7 kilometers away from downtown Oslo. It primarily consists of duplex houses and apartment blocks as well as single-family...
in northwestern Oslo, and Grini
Grini
Grini prison camp was a Nazi concentration camp in Bærum, Norway, which operated between 1941 and May 1945.-History:Grini was originally built as a women's prison, near an old croft named Ilen , on land bought from the Løvenskiold family by the Norwegian state...
, Øvrevoll
Øvrevoll
-Geography and history:The district Øvrevoll was built around the farm Øvre Vold, which stems from the separation of Vold farm into two farms; Øvre and Nedre Vold in 1721. Today, Øvrevoll and Voll are sometimes referred to as one district...
and Østerås
Østerås
Østerås is a village in Akershus, Norway....
in northeastern Bærum. The line is served by Line 2 of the metro, which connects to the city center via the Common Tunnel and onwards along the Furuset Line. The lowest part of the Røa Line, consisting of two stations, is shared with the Kolsås Line, and thus also served by Line 6 of the metro. The Røa Line is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon, and operated by Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift AS is a limited company that is responsible for operating Oslo Metro , the rapid transit in Oslo, Norway. The company is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon that again is owned by the city council...
on contract with the public transport agency Ruter
Ruter
Ruter As is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The company, organized as a limited company is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries...
.
The first part of the line, originally a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
, was from Majorstuen to Smestad
Smestad (station)
Smestad is a station shared by the Røa Line and the Kolsås Line on the Oslo T-bane system. Although the two lines continue to share track some time after Smestad, passing the former station of Sørbyhaugen which was also shared, they diverge before passing another station...
, and opened in 1912. It was built as a cooperation between the Municipality of Aker
Aker, Norway
Aker is a former municipality in Akershus, which lends its name to a municipality and a county in Norway. The name originally belonged to a farm which was located near the current Old Aker Church...
and the company Holmenkolbanen
Holmenkolbanen
A/S Holmenkolbanen was a company that owned and operated part of the Oslo Tramway and Oslo Metro in Norway from 1898 until 1975 when services were taken over by the majority owner Oslo Sporveier. Holmenkolbanen opened the Holmenkoll Line in 1898, and expanded it to become the first Nordic...
, and connected to the Holmenkoll Line's terminus. In 1928, the line received a connection to the city center when the first part of the Common Tunnel was completed. In 1935, the first extension of the Røa Line proper was made, when the line was extended to Røa
Røa (station)
Røa is a station on Røa Line of the Oslo Metro, located in the Vestre Aker borough, from Stortinget. The station is located between the stations of Hovseter and Ekraveien. The station is part of the old western suburban rail network and was opened on 24 January 1935...
. In 1942, the Kolsås Line became a branch. Additional extensions to the Røa Line were made in 1948 to Grini
Grini (station)
Grini is a former subway station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro.The station was located between Ekraveien and Eiksmarka, and was opened when the Røa Line was extended into Bærum on 22 December 1948. It was the first station on the Røa Line located in Bærum; the line would later be extended to...
, in 1951 to Lijordet
Lijordet (station)
Lijordet is a station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located between Østerås and Eiksmarka, 9.6 km from Stortinget. It is the second of three stations on the Røa Line within Bærum municipality, and passengers travelling here from Oslo need to pay a higher fare.The station was opened in...
and in 1972 to Østerås. By then, the line had become an integrated part of the municipal Oslo Sporveier
Oslo Sporveier
Kollektivtransportproduksjon AS is a municipal owned public transport operator of Oslo, Norway, the name meaning simply "public transportation producer". It operates the trackage and maintains the stock of the Oslo Metro and Oslo Tramway, as well as owning eight operating subsidiaries...
. The line was upgraded to rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
in 1995, became part of the metro and started running through the city center.
Establishment
Construction of housing in the SmestadSmestad, Oslo
Smestad is an area in the borough Vestre Aker in Oslo, Norway. It is named after Smestad mansion, which was parcelled out for residences after the tram line was built in 1912. It is served by Smestad station....
area started after Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
A/S Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei or KES, nicknamed the Blue Tram , is a defunct operator of parts of the Oslo Tramway, Norway. It opened the first electric tramway in Scandinavia in 1894, and remained in service until 1924 when it was merged into the municipal owned Oslo Sporveier.-History:Tram...
(KES) established a tramway from the city center to Majorstuen
Majorstuen (station)
Majorstuen is a subway station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station on the Briskeby Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located in the Majorstuen neighborhood in the Frogner borough....
in 1894. Four years later, fund-raising started to build the Aker Avenue towards Smestad, but the recession made fund-raising difficult. The plans were launched again in 1904, and subsequently revised in 1908, by which time they including a tramway along the avenue. In 1910, A. S. Guldberg, Iver Lycke, W. Munthes-Kaas and H. A. Mørk applied for a concession
Concession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
to build a tramway along the route. This was granted by the municipal council in Aker on 26 May. The four individuals then transferred their rights to the municipality, who started negotiating rights with KES, and Holmenkolbanen—the latter who had a suburban tramway running from Majorstuen, the Holmenkollen Line.
An arrangement was made with Holmenkolbanen, where the municipality would expropriate the necessary land and build the bed, while Holmenkolbanen would lay the tracks, the wires and operate the trams. The line would remain owned by the company A/S Smedstadbanen, which was again owned by Aker Municipality. The agreement had a duration of 50 years, but the municipality retained the right to purchase the line if work to extend the line from Majorstuen through the Common Tunnel to the city center had not started by 1917, or had not been completed by 1922. Government approval was granted on 7 July 1911, and the construction was completed on 7 November 1912. The 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) long line was single tracked
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
, with passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
s at Borgen
Borgen (station)
Borgen is a station shared by the Røa Line and the Kolsås Line on the Oslo T-bane system. The station is between Majorstuen and Smestad, and 3.8 km from the central station Stortinget....
and Smestad
Smestad (station)
Smestad is a station shared by the Røa Line and the Kolsås Line on the Oslo T-bane system. Although the two lines continue to share track some time after Smestad, passing the former station of Sørbyhaugen which was also shared, they diverge before passing another station...
, which were the only stations in addition to Majorstuen. Holmenkolbanen used a single tram, with departures every 20 minutes. There were extra departures from Borgen to Majorstuen during the afternoon rush-hour.
Nationaltheatret expansion
The process of extending the Holmenkollen Line from Majorstuen to the city center had started in 1901. The process had been delayed several times because of disagreements between the city and the company, in part because the two could not agree if it should be classified as a railway or a tramway. Construction started in 1912, but stopped again in 1914 because the municipality and the company could not agree on the location of the terminusTerminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
. The municipality wanted it at Ruseløkkveien, but this would make it difficult for the company to built the tunnel through the city center to connect to the suburban tramways east of the city center. Construction was stopped in October 1914.
The following year, the municipality launched a contest to make the best suggestion for the tram networks. It took five years to select a winner, and this allowed the municipality and company to make a compromise by locating the terminus at Nationaltheatret. But not until 1926 was permission granted for the station. Construction commenced that year and the station and tunnel opened in 1928. When the tunnel had not been completed by 1922, Aker Municipality decided to purchase the line. At the time, the municipality was planning to start its own tram company, Akersbanerne
Akersbanerne
A/S Akersbanerne was a municipal owned company that operated tramways in the former Municipality of Aker in current Oslo, Norway. The company was established in 1917, and opened the suburban Østensjø Line tramway in 1926; it took over the majority ownership of Holmenkolbanen in 1933, that owned the...
, and the Smestad Line was considered as part of the network, along with the planned Sognsvann Line. But delays caused the Sognsvann Line not to open until 1934. The take-over caused a disagreement between the two companies about payment for the common section, which would still be owned by Holmenkolbanen. Not until 1932 was the issue resolved.
The investments had drained Holmenkolbanen, particularly after it had received a massive lawsuit for damage to adjacent properties during the tunneling. After the issue had been resolved by the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
in 1931, the company needed more capital to start operations. Aker Municipality offered to transfer its ownership of the Smestad Line and the Sognsvann Line to Holmenkolbanen, in exchange for the majority of shares in the company.
Røa extension
In the 1920s, the area towards RøaRøa
Røa was a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway up to January 1, 2004, when it became part of the Vestre Aker district.Røa is also a suburb of Oslo, located approximately 7 kilometers away from downtown Oslo. It primarily consists of duplex houses and apartment blocks as well as single-family...
experienced a growth in housing. Akersbanerne proposed in 1931 to the municipal council that the Smestad Line be extended towards Makrellbekken
Makrellbekken (station)
Makrellbekken is a station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro in Norway. It is located between the stations of Smestad and Holmen, from Stortinget and is the first station on the line not shared with another...
. Government permission was granted on 26 May 1933, and construction started the same year. The extension was built with single track. When the line was taken over by Holmenkolbanen, the new owner suggested extending the line to Røa
Røa (station)
Røa is a station on Røa Line of the Oslo Metro, located in the Vestre Aker borough, from Stortinget. The station is located between the stations of Hovseter and Ekraveien. The station is part of the old western suburban rail network and was opened on 24 January 1935...
. Government permission was granted in on 29 June 1934, and construction started immediately. The 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) extension opened on 24 January 1935.
The new line was initially not profitable, because Schøyens Bilcentraler
Schøyens Bilcentraler
Nobina Norge is a Norwegian bus company, owned by Nobina, that operates in the counties of Akershus, Hedmark, Hordaland, Oppland, Østfold and Vestfold.-History:...
had kept its concession to operate buses in the area. Not until 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...
was the bus route terminated. The Røa Line and the Sognsvann Line were both upgraded in 1939. On 6 July, the section from Makrellbekken to Røa was upgraded to double track, and later Volvat
Volvat (station)
Volvat is a disused rapid transit station on the Oslo T-bane.The underground station was located between Majorstuen and Borgen, and opened in 1939. The platform length was only large enough to accommodate two cars. When the Røa Line was upgraded to metro standard on 5 February 1995, it started...
was moved and placed inside a tunnel. A level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
was built at the intersection with Sørkedalsveien, and was completed on 15 December.
Branch to Kolsås
The Lilleaker Line, which connected to the street tramway at Skøyen, had been extended to KolsåsKolsås (station)
Kolsås is the end station of the Kolsås Line on the Oslo Metro. The station, located in Bærum municipality, comes after Hauger, and is located from Stortinget....
in 1930. The owner Bærumsbanen
Bærumsbanen
A/S Bærumsbanen was a tram company that operated the Lillaker-, Kolsås and Østensjø Line of the Oslo Tramway, Norway, from 1924 to 1971 when the company became part of Oslo Sporveier.-History:...
instead wanted the line to go the faster route via the Common Tunnel to Nationaltheatret. Concession was granted in 1938 for a link from Jar
Jar (station)
-External links:*...
on the Lilleaker Line to Sørbyhaugen
Sørbyhaugen (station)
Sørbyhaugen is a former subway station on the Oslo T-bane.The station was located between Smestad and Makrellbekken, and was opened when the Røa Line was created, as an extension from Smestad to Røa on 24 January 1935. From 1942 it was the point from which the Kolsås Line branched off of the Røa...
on the Røa Line. The construction was delayed because a bridge needed to be built across Mærradalen, and the company ran out of money, and construction stopped for nine months in 1940. The line was opened on 15 June 1942, and the section from Sørbyhaugen to Kolsås was renamed the Kolsås Line. This resulted in two companies operating from Sørbyhaugen to Nationaltheatret, but an agreement was made where only Holmenkolbanen's tickets were sold on the section, so all revenue went to that company, regardless of the train's operator. The Kolsås Line operated every fifteen minutes along the Røa Line part.
Bærum extensions
Proposals to extend the line into the neighboring municipality of Bærum had first been launched in 1919. In 1941, construction of an extension to GriniGrini (station)
Grini is a former subway station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro.The station was located between Ekraveien and Eiksmarka, and was opened when the Røa Line was extended into Bærum on 22 December 1948. It was the first station on the Røa Line located in Bærum; the line would later be extended to...
started. The main problem was getting building materials for a bridge to cross Grinidammen, and a local disagreement about where the station at Røa was to be located. The 0.9 kilometre (0.559235462984826 mi) extension was opened on 22 December 1948, after Røa Station
Røa (station)
Røa is a station on Røa Line of the Oslo Metro, located in the Vestre Aker borough, from Stortinget. The station is located between the stations of Hovseter and Ekraveien. The station is part of the old western suburban rail network and was opened on 24 January 1935...
had been moved, and the line put in a short tunnel under the center of Røa.
The 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) extension via Eiksmarka
Eiksmarka (station)
Eiksmarka is a station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located between Ekraveien and Lijordet, 8.9 km from Stortinget.The station was opened in 1951 as part of the extension to Lijordet. After the closing of Grini in 1995, it is the first of three stations on the Røa Line within Bærum...
to Lijordet
Lijordet (station)
Lijordet is a station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located between Østerås and Eiksmarka, 9.6 km from Stortinget. It is the second of three stations on the Røa Line within Bærum municipality, and passengers travelling here from Oslo need to pay a higher fare.The station was opened in...
opened on 3 December 1951. Lijordet was intended to be named Sørbråten, but there was already a station with that name on the Norwegian State Railways' network, and two stations with the same name were not permitted. In 1959, a block signaling system was installed between Røa and Makrellbekken.
During the early 1970s, Bærum Municipality wanted to extend the line onwards to Hosle
Hosle
Hosle is a district in the municipality of Bærum, Norway. Its population is 5,713.-References:...
, and were willing to pay the construction costs. Holmenkolbanen also wanted the municipality to pay for new trams, but the municipality was not willing to do this. The line was therefore only extended to Østerås
Østerås (station)
Østerås is the terminal station on the Røa Line of the Oslo Metro. The station is located in Bærum municipality, 10.2 km from Stortinget.Østerås was opened on 16 November 1972, extending the line from Lijordet....
, which could be reached using the existing fleet. The 0.6 kilometre (0.372823641989884 mi) extension was opened in 1972. Since 1978, Holmenkolbanen has had sufficient trams to operate an extension, but since then the municipality has not been interested in extending the line further.
Metro standard
The ownership of the line was gradually taken over by the municipality through Oslo SporveierOslo Sporveier
Kollektivtransportproduksjon AS is a municipal owned public transport operator of Oslo, Norway, the name meaning simply "public transportation producer". It operates the trackage and maintains the stock of the Oslo Metro and Oslo Tramway, as well as owning eight operating subsidiaries...
. In 1975, most of the shares were bought, along with those that Oslo Sporveier had received as part of the municipal merger with Aker in 1948. Gradually during the 1970s and 1980s, Holmenkolbanen became more integrated into Oslo Sporveier, including the two using the same rolling stock, tickets and uniforms. Oslo Sporveier upgraded the line in the last half of the 1970s, laying new ties
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
, upgrading the tracks to higher weight and purchasing new trams.
Plans to have trams run through the city center have existed since 1919. In the late 1940s, Holmenkolbanen revised the plan, and proposed extending the Common Tunnel eastwards. From 1951, the municipality started working on plans for the Oslo Metro in the eastern part of the city. The large difference in traffic between the eastern and western lines caused the plans to be changed during the 1960s, and the eastern network was equipped with third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
power supply. The eastern lines at first terminated at Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget (station)
Jernbanetorget is both a rapid transit station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station of the Oslo Tramway. The metro station is in the Common Tunnel used by all lines under the city centre. It is located between Stortinget to the west and Grønland to the east. Until the construction of the...
, and the plans were to continue the lines onwards towards Bislett
Bislett
Bislett is a neighbourhood in the St. Hanshaugen borough in north-central Oslo, Norway. It is internationally famous for the Bislett Games, held at Bislett stadion....
. But by the 1970s, these plans changed, largely because of the increase of traffic in the west and decrease in the east. On 7 March 1987, the services from the west, including the Røa Line, were extended from Nationaltheatret to Stortinget
Stortinget (station)
Stortinget is an underground rapid transit station on the Common Line of the Oslo Metro, Norway. It is located in the heart of the city center, next to Stortinget, the Parliament of Norway. The station is served by all six lines of the metro. At the street level, the station serves tram routes 17,...
, a station that allowed transfer to the metro.
The Sognsvann Line was upgraded to metro standard and reopened on 3 April 1993. The Røa Line was closed on 5 February 1995 to be upgraded to metro standard. The upgrades meant that all platforms needed to be extended to 110 metres (360.9 ft) to allow six-car metro trains. The only exception was Østerås, that was made only long enough for five cars, although this could easily be extended later. The upgrade involved a complete renovation of the tracks, with the old ones being replaced with new, and increasing the weight to 49 kilograms per meter (33 lb/ft). The overhead wire was replaced with a third rail; this required all four level crossings, at Makrellbekken, Hovseter, Eiksmarka and Ekraveien, to be replaced. In the former three, the track was sunk under the level of the road, requiring several hundred meters of the line to be rebuilt. Pedestrian underpasses were built at Ekreveien, Borgen, Holmen, Huseby skole and Lijordet.
Three stations were closed: Grini, Huseby skole and Heggeli. Volvat kept the two-car length, and was no longer served by the Røa Line, only the Kolsås Line. To compensate for the closing of Huseby skole, Røa was moved back to it original position, causing a heated local debate. The signaling system
Railway signalling
Railway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
was replaced with the automatic train protection
Automatic Train Protection
Automatic Train Protection in Great Britain refers to either of two implementations of a train protection system installed in some trains in order to help prevent collisions through a driver's failure to observe a signal or speed restriction...
used on the metro. But the installation was delayed, and a temporary system was used. This caused an accident at Husebybakken
Husebybakken (station)
Husebybakken was a metro station on the Kolsås Line of the Oslo Metro. Serving the neighborhood of Montebello in Oslo, Norway, it opened in 1942, when the connection line between Sørbyhaugen and Jar was opened. It was closed on 19 June 1961, but reopened from 31 July 2006 to 31 May 2008, when the...
, where twelve people were injured. During the upgrade, the area along the line was served by buses. Bus stops could only be established at places where cars could pass, making it difficult to place stops at Røa and Sørbyhaugen. Passengers transferring to the Kolsås Line would normally have 15 minutes longer travel time, and congestion caused delays of up to 30 minutes. This caused more people to use cars, which increased the congestion further. Ridership on the buses was significantly lower than on the rail. The Kolsås Line opened on 20 August and the Røa Line on 19 November. After the opening, the line connected with the Furuset Line as Line 2, and started being served by T1000 trains. The Røa Line, including the common section in the city center, has been extended eight times, more than any other line of the Oslo Metro.
Route
The Røa Line starts at Majorstuen, a major public transport hub located 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) from Stortinget. Majorstuen was the site of the company's head offices, depots, workshops and employee residences. Majorstuen serves several educational institutions, such as Chateau NeufChateau Neuf
For other uses, see Châteauneuf.Chateau Neuf is a building in Oslo that houses Det Norske Studentersamfund, , including cafes, bars, performance centers, and other facilities for student assembly...
, MF Norwegian School of Theology
MF Norwegian School of Theology
The Norwegian School of Theology , is a private, independent, accredited Norwegian specialised university...
, the Norwegian Academy of Music
Norwegian Academy of Music
The Norwegian Academy of Music is a music conservatory located in Oslo, Norway, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen, Frogner. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the country's highest level of music education. As a university college, it offers both undergraduate and postgraduate...
, the Norwegian Police University College
Norwegian Police University College
The Norwegian Police University College is a public university college located in Oslo, Kongsvinger, Stavern and Bodø, Norway. It offers education for the police force of Norway, including a three-year basic education and a possible expansion with a Master's degree. 720 students are accepted at...
, several larger office complexes and the Oslo Tramway Museum
Oslo Tramway Museum
Oslo Tramway Museum with 450 members. The museum also operates a heritage tramway in Vinterbro outside Oslo.LTF was founded in 1966, six years after the city council had decided to close down the tramway and trolleybus. This followed the closing of the Bergen Tramway, where only a single tram had...
. From Majorstuen, the Røa Line and the Kolsås Line follow the same tracks. The line immediately enters a short tunnel, in which the now closed Volvat Station is located, 0.7 kilometre (0.434960915654865 mi) from Majorstuen. Borgen follows next, located 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) from Majorstuen, and serves a primarily housing area and a larger cemetery.
Next is the now closed Heggeli, and Smestad, located 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Majorstuen. The areas are mostly single dwellings built in the 1910s, following the arrival of the line. After Smestad, the Kolsås Line branches off and the Røa Line continues past the closed Sørbyhaugen to Makrellbekken, located 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) from Majorstuen. The next station is Holmen, located 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) from Majorstuen, and Hovseter, located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Majorstuen. Hovseter is a residential area with dominated by apartment blocks from the 1970s, and also serves Persbråten Upper Secondary School. The station has previously been used as a terminus for extra rush-hour trains. The line then runs past the closed Huseby skole, located 4.3 kilometres (2.7 mi) from Majorstuen, which served Huseby Leir
Huseby Leir
Huseby Leir is the base of the Norwegian Hans Majestet Kongens Garde .Huseby Leir is located on the old Oslo farm, Nordre Huseby gård, which was acquired by the Norwegian government in the late 19th century.It is a modern base, but has decayed because of construction errors which lead to mold and...
, the base of the Royal Guard
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde is a battalion of the Norwegian Army. The battalion has two main roles; it serves as the Norwegian King's bodyguards, guarding the royal residences and Akershus Fortress in Oslo, and is also the main infantry unit responsible for the defence of...
. The next station is Røa, located 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) from Majorstuen, which has also been a terminus for extra rush-hour trains. Røa has substantial commercial properties and is located close to Bogstadvannet
Bogstadvannet
Bogstadvannet is a lake between the city of Oslo and the municipality of Bærum, Akershus, Norway. It is part of Sørkedalsvassdraget, which in turn is part of Oslomarkvassdraget....
and a golf course. The line then passes Ekraveien, located 5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi) from Majorstuen, which is the last station located in Oslo.
The line then runs over Lysakerelva, which is also the border to Bærum, and past the closed Grini. The next station is Eiksmarka, located 6.2 kilometres (3.9 mi) from Majorstuen, which until the late 1970s had the line's only spur, to allow ballast stone to be loaded from Franzefoss. The area has single dwellings from the 1950s. Next is Lijordet, located 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) from Majorstuen, which serves Øvrevoll Galoppbane
Øvrevoll Galoppbane
Øvrevoll Galoppbane is the only gallop racecourse in NorwayIt is located at Øvrevoll between Østerås , Jar and Eiksmarka in Bærum. It has both a turf track and an all-weather track. It was officially opened in 1932 by King Haakon VII and Queen Maud.The biggest event of the year is the Derby Day,...
, the country's only gallop
Gallop
Gallop is an asymmetrical gait used at high speeds by quadrupedal organisms such as the gait seen in the horse.Gallop may also refer to:*Conductor gallop, wind-induced low frequency oscillation of overhead transmission lines...
race course. The line's terminus is Østerås, located 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) from Majorstuen. There are some commercial and office buildings in the vicinity of the station, although the area is dominated by housing.
Service
The Røa Line is served by Line 2 of the Oslo Metro, which continues from Majorstuen via the Common Tunnel and connects to the Furuset Line. The line runs every 15 minutes, except for late evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings, when it runs every 30 minutes. The lower part of the line, from Majorstuen to Borgen, is also served by Line 6, which continues along the Kolsås Line. Along this section, there is twice the frequency. Travel time from Østerås to Majorstuen is 16 minutes, to Stortinget is 20 minutes, and to EllingsrudåsenEllingsrudåsen (station)
Ellingsrudåsen is a subway station on the Oslo Metro, located at Ellingsrud in the Alna borough. Since its opening November 8, 1981, it has been the end station for the Furuset Line . Ellingsrudåsen is mostly a residential area, above the station are a few shops.Ellingsrudåsen is located deep...
on the Furuset Line is 43 minutes. The metro and the line are owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon and operated by Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift AS is a limited company that is responsible for operating Oslo Metro , the rapid transit in Oslo, Norway. The company is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon that again is owned by the city council...
on contract with Ruter
Ruter
Ruter As is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The company, organized as a limited company is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries...
.
The line runs through two different fare zones, one within Oslo and another for the stations in Bærum. There is a higher ticket price for travel between Oslo and Bærum. Ticket machines are available at all stations, and the system is operated with a proof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment or POP is an honor-based fare collection approach used on many public transportation systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a fare control zone, proof-of-payment requires that each passenger carry a ticket or pass proving that they have paid the fare. Ticket...
system. Smestad is a transfer station to the Kolsås Line (Line 6), while Majorstuen is a transfer station for other west-bound lines. Transfer to Ruter buses can be made at Majorstuen, Smestad, Hovseter, Røa and Eiksmarka. Transfer to the Oslo Tramway can be made at Majorstuen to lines 11, 12 and 19, serving the Briskeby Line
Briskeby Line
The Briskeby Line is a section of the Oslo Tramway which runs between Jernbanetorget, through the neighborhoods of Briskeby and Uranienborg, before arriving at Majorstuen...
and the Frogner Line
Frogner Line
The Frogner Line is a section of the Oslo Tramway which runs between Solli and Majorstuen, serving the neighborhood of Frogner. The line is served by tram number 12, and the Frogner section makes up the westernmost part of this line...
. In the Common Tunnel, Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget (station)
Jernbanetorget is both a rapid transit station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station of the Oslo Tramway. The metro station is in the Common Tunnel used by all lines under the city centre. It is located between Stortinget to the west and Grønland to the east. Until the construction of the...
is the transfer station for Oslo Central Station, which serves all mainline trains in Eastern Norway. Most west-bound mainline trains can also be reached at Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret station
Nationaltheatret Station is an underground railway station on the Drammen Line serving Vika and the central business district of Oslo, Norway. It is the second-busiest railway station in Norway, behind Oslo Central Station , from which Nationaltheatret is away...
.
Future
Proposals for the line have been made since the extension to Østerås. The current municipal master plan calls for the line to be extended to Bekkestua StationBekkestua (station)
Bekkestua is a station on Kolsås Line of the Oslo Metro situated at Bekkestua in Bærum, Norway.Located between Egne Hjem and Gjønnes it is being served by the Oslo Tramway line 13 while the Kolsås Line is closed for upgrade...
, where it would again intersect with the Kolsås Line. One possibility is also that the service be continued along the Kolsås Line and a new branch be built to Sandvika
Sandvika
is the administrative centre of the municipality of Bærum in Norway. It was declared a city by the municipal council in Bærum on 4 June 2003.Sandvika is situated approximately west of Oslo. It is the main transportation hub for Western Bærum, and has a combined bus and railway station. Sandvika is...
, the municipal center of Bærum. However, an extension has not been a priority for the municipal politicians, although the right-of-way has been secured, which will simplify construction.