Tinnsjø railway ferry
Encyclopedia
Tinnsjø railway ferry was a Norwegian
railway ferry
service on the lake Tinnsjå
that connected the railways of Rjukanbanen and Tinnosbanen. The 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) long ferry trip made it possible for Norsk Hydro
to transport its fertilizer
from the plant at Rjukan
to the port
in Skien
. The ferry services operated were operated by the companies subsidiary Norsk Transport
from 1909 to 1991, when the plant closed.
One of the ferries was in 1944 the target of the Norwegian heavy water sabotage
when it was sunk to 430 meters depth to prevent Nazi Germany
from developing nuclear weapon
s.
as a Norwegian fertilizer manufacturer, and the first factory was opened in Notodden. Fertilizer factories need a lot of energy, making it was necessary to locate the plants near hydroelectric power plants
, and at Rjukan there was a large waterfall. In 1911 Rjukan Salpeterfabrikk
was opened.
The Tinnsjø railway ferry service was opened in 1909 along with Tinnosbanen and Rjukanbanen. The two lines were the second railway line in Norway, after Thamshavnbanen, to be electrified in 1911. The railway service used Telemark Canal until 1919 when Bratsbergbanen opened from Notodden to Skien. The railway was used both to transport raw materials to the factory and to transport the finished fertilizer to the harbour at Skien. There was also passenger trains that ran.
In 1929 Norsk Hydro also establish itself at Herøya
in Porsgrunn
, and in 1991 the factory in Rjukan, and therefore also the railway line, was closed. The passenger trains, operated by Norges Statsbaner, had been discontinued already in 1970. In 1997 the ownership of the track was transferred to Stiftelsen Rjukanbanen, a foundation that started heritage
operation of the line in 1999.
The railway ferry service was provided by four different ships, SF Rjukanfoss
, SF Hydro
, SF Ammonia
and MF Storegut
. The three first were steam ship
s, and the latter two are still docked at Mæl. The service was the only ever railway ferry service on a lake
in Norway, and D/F Ammonia is the only remaining railway ferry steam ship in the world.
, built in 1909, was the first railway ferry on Tinnsjø. The steam ship
was 42.2 m (138.3 ft) long and 9.8 m (32.3 ft) wide and 338 gross tonnes
. It operated up to two daily departures each way, with a capacity of 120 passengers. The ship was rebuilt in 1946 to 648 gross tonnes but taken out of services and destroyed in 1969.
was the next ship to operate as railway ferry, entering service in 1914. It was slightly larger than Rjukanfoss, with 439 gross tonnes, 53 m (174 ft) long and with two 186 kW (250 hp) engines. On February 20, 1944 the ship was blown up by the Norwegian resistance movement
at Tinnsjø's deepest point, 430 meters with a load of heavy water
onboard heading for Germany
. It is believed that 18 people were killed while 29 survived the sabotage
.
was built the same year and was the largest of the three steam ships with 929 gross tonnes, two 336 kW (450 hp) engines and a length of 70.4 m (230.6 ft). It had a capacity of 250 passengers. From 1957 it was made a reserve ferry when Storegut was for service. It was taken out of service in 1991 when the railway closed, but can still be seen docked at Mæl. It is the only remaining steam powered railway ferry in the world.
MF Storegut
is the last ferry and the only motor ship
to operate on the lake. Built in 1956, it weighs 1119 gross tonnes, is 82.7 m (271.4 ft) long with three 1678 kW (2250 hp) diesel engines. The passenger traffic with the ship terminated in 1985, and it was taken out of service in 1991 and is docked at Mæl.
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...
railway ferry
Train ferry
A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...
service on the lake Tinnsjå
Tinnsjå
Tinnsjå is one of the largest lakes in Norway. It is located between the municipalities of Tinn and Notodden in Telemark county. At its source in the west, the Måna river flows out of Møsvatn and past Rjukan into Tinnsjå...
that connected the railways of Rjukanbanen and Tinnosbanen. The 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) long ferry trip made it possible for Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. Hydro is the fourth largest integrated aluminium company worldwide. It has operations in some 40 countries around the world and is active on all continents. The Norwegian state holds a 43.8 percent...
to transport its fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
from the plant at Rjukan
Rjukan
Rjukan is a town and the administrative center of Tinn municipality in Telemark . It is situated in Vestfjorddalen, between Møsvatn and Tinnsjå, and got its name after Rjukanfossen west of the town. The Tinn municipality council granted township status for Rjukan in 1996. The town has 3 386...
to the port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
in Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
. The ferry services operated were operated by the companies subsidiary Norsk Transport
Norsk Transport
Norsk Transport AS was a railway- and shipping company responsible for the transport of chemicals from Norsk Hydro Rjukan. A subsidiary of Norsk Hydro, the company was founded in 1907 and operated until 1991....
from 1909 to 1991, when the plant closed.
One of the ferries was in 1944 the target of the Norwegian heavy water sabotage
Norwegian heavy water sabotage
The Norwegian heavy water sabotage was a series of actions undertaken by Norwegian saboteurs during World War II to prevent the German nuclear energy project from acquiring heavy water , which could be used to produce nuclear weapons...
when it was sunk to 430 meters depth to prevent Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
from developing nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s.
History
Norsk Hydro was founded in 1905 by Sam EydeSam Eyde
Samuel Eyde was a Norwegian engineer and industrialist, the founder of Norsk Hydro and Elkem.-Biography:Sam Eyde was the son of a shipowner, and studied engineering in Berlin where he graduated in 1891. He started his career in Hamburg, working with the railways where he planned new lines, bridges...
as a Norwegian fertilizer manufacturer, and the first factory was opened in Notodden. Fertilizer factories need a lot of energy, making it was necessary to locate the plants near hydroelectric power plants
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
, and at Rjukan there was a large waterfall. In 1911 Rjukan Salpeterfabrikk
Norsk Hydro Rjukan
Norsk Hydro Rjukan is an industrial facility operated by Norsk Hydro at Rjukan in Tinn, Norway, from 1911 to 1991. The plant manufactured chemicals related to the production of fertilizer, including ammonia, potassium nitrate, heavy water and hydrogen...
was opened.
The Tinnsjø railway ferry service was opened in 1909 along with Tinnosbanen and Rjukanbanen. The two lines were the second railway line in Norway, after Thamshavnbanen, to be electrified in 1911. The railway service used Telemark Canal until 1919 when Bratsbergbanen opened from Notodden to Skien. The railway was used both to transport raw materials to the factory and to transport the finished fertilizer to the harbour at Skien. There was also passenger trains that ran.
In 1929 Norsk Hydro also establish itself at Herøya
Herøya
Herøya is a peninsula in the municipality of Porsgrunn, Norway. It is located between the fjords of Frierfjord to the west and Gunneklevfjord to the east, at the mouth of Telemarksvassdraget...
in Porsgrunn
Porsgrunn
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn....
, and in 1991 the factory in Rjukan, and therefore also the railway line, was closed. The passenger trains, operated by Norges Statsbaner, had been discontinued already in 1970. In 1997 the ownership of the track was transferred to Stiftelsen Rjukanbanen, a foundation that started heritage
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
operation of the line in 1999.
Ferries
SF Rjukanfoss
SF Rjukanfoss, prior to 1946 named Rjukanfos, was steam-powered railway ferry that operated between Mæl and Tinnoset on the lake Tinnsjø, Norway. Owned by Norsk Transport, she was launched in 1909, expanded in 1946 and decommissioned in 1969....
, SF Hydro
SF Hydro
SF Hydro was a Norwegian steam powered railway ferry that operated on Tinnsjø in Telemark. The ferry operated between Mæl and Tinnoset between 1914 and 1944, connecting the two railways Rjukanbanen and Tinnosbanen. The railway was used to transport raw materials and fertilizer from Norsk Hydro's...
, SF Ammonia
SF Ammonia
SF Ammonia is a steam powered railway ferry on Tinnsjø that connected Rjukanbanen with Tinnosbanen, Norway. The ferry was one of the four railway ferries on Tinnsjø that was used by Norsk Hydro to transport chemicals from Rjukan to the port in Skien...
and MF Storegut
MF Storegut
MF Storegut is a railway ferry that operated between Tinnoset and Mæl on the lake Tinnsjø, Norway. She was launched on 25 May 1956 and taken out of service after 4 July 1991 when the Tinnsjø railway ferry ceased operations. As of 2008 Storegut is docked at Tinnoset and is used for chartered...
. The three first were steam ship
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
s, and the latter two are still docked at Mæl. The service was the only ever railway ferry service on a lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Norway, and D/F Ammonia is the only remaining railway ferry steam ship in the world.
SF Rjukanfoss
SF RjukanfossSF Rjukanfoss
SF Rjukanfoss, prior to 1946 named Rjukanfos, was steam-powered railway ferry that operated between Mæl and Tinnoset on the lake Tinnsjø, Norway. Owned by Norsk Transport, she was launched in 1909, expanded in 1946 and decommissioned in 1969....
, built in 1909, was the first railway ferry on Tinnsjø. The steam ship
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
was 42.2 m (138.3 ft) long and 9.8 m (32.3 ft) wide and 338 gross tonnes
Tonnage
Tonnage is a measure of the size or cargo carrying capacity of a ship. The term derives from the taxation paid on tuns or casks of wine, and was later used in reference to the weight of a ship's cargo; however, in modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically refers to a calculation of the volume...
. It operated up to two daily departures each way, with a capacity of 120 passengers. The ship was rebuilt in 1946 to 648 gross tonnes but taken out of services and destroyed in 1969.
SF Hydro
SF HydroSF Hydro
SF Hydro was a Norwegian steam powered railway ferry that operated on Tinnsjø in Telemark. The ferry operated between Mæl and Tinnoset between 1914 and 1944, connecting the two railways Rjukanbanen and Tinnosbanen. The railway was used to transport raw materials and fertilizer from Norsk Hydro's...
was the next ship to operate as railway ferry, entering service in 1914. It was slightly larger than Rjukanfoss, with 439 gross tonnes, 53 m (174 ft) long and with two 186 kW (250 hp) engines. On February 20, 1944 the ship was blown up by the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
at Tinnsjø's deepest point, 430 meters with a load of heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
onboard heading for 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...
. It is believed that 18 people were killed while 29 survived the sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
.
SF Ammonia
In 1929 Norsk Hydro expanded their plant, and there was need for a third ferry. SF AmmoniaSF Ammonia
SF Ammonia is a steam powered railway ferry on Tinnsjø that connected Rjukanbanen with Tinnosbanen, Norway. The ferry was one of the four railway ferries on Tinnsjø that was used by Norsk Hydro to transport chemicals from Rjukan to the port in Skien...
was built the same year and was the largest of the three steam ships with 929 gross tonnes, two 336 kW (450 hp) engines and a length of 70.4 m (230.6 ft). It had a capacity of 250 passengers. From 1957 it was made a reserve ferry when Storegut was for service. It was taken out of service in 1991 when the railway closed, but can still be seen docked at Mæl. It is the only remaining steam powered railway ferry in the world.
MF Storegut
MF Storegut
MF Storegut is a railway ferry that operated between Tinnoset and Mæl on the lake Tinnsjø, Norway. She was launched on 25 May 1956 and taken out of service after 4 July 1991 when the Tinnsjø railway ferry ceased operations. As of 2008 Storegut is docked at Tinnoset and is used for chartered...
is the last ferry and the only motor ship
Motor ship
A motor ship or motor vessel is a ship propelled by an internal combustion engine, usually a diesel engine. The name of motor ships are often prefixed with MS, M/S, MV or M/V.- See also :...
to operate on the lake. Built in 1956, it weighs 1119 gross tonnes, is 82.7 m (271.4 ft) long with three 1678 kW (2250 hp) diesel engines. The passenger traffic with the ship terminated in 1985, and it was taken out of service in 1991 and is docked at Mæl.