Trønderbanen
Encyclopedia
The Trøndelag Commuter Rail is a commuter train service operating in Nord-Trøndelag
and Sør-Trøndelag
, Norway
. It is operated by Norwegian State Railways (NSB) with Class 92 diesel multiple unit
s. The service provides a commuter service connecting Trondheim
to its suburbs, between towns in Innherred and as an airport rail link
for Trondheim Airport, Værnes
. Although passenger services have operated along the lines since 1864, the commuter train was created with an increase of service with existing rolling stock in 1993. In 2006, the system had at least 1,180,000 passengers.
The main service operates from Lerkendal
in Trondheim via Trondheim Central Station
and Trondheim Airport Station
to Steinkjer
on the Nordland Line. The service runs every hour, with additional rush-hour services, and reduced service in the evenings and on the weekend. A secondary services runs from Trondheim along the Dovre Line to Støren
and along the Røros Line to Røros
. The Mittnabotåget
service operates twice a day from Trondheim along the Meråker Line and the Central Line in Sweden to Östersund Central Station
.
(which serves a mixed residential and commercial area), Lilleby
(which serves a residential area), Leangen
and Rotvoll
; the latter two serve each their campus of Sør-Trøndelag University College
. In Malvik
, the line serves two stations: Vikhammer
and Hommelvik
. After entering Stjørdal
, the first station in Hell
, where the Meråker Line branches off from the Nordland Line. Northwards is first Trondheim Airport
, Stjørdal
(the main station to serve the town) and Skatval
.
After entering Levanger
, the line serves the villages of Åsen
, Ronglan
(limited services only) and Skogn
. It then enters the town center, where there are three stations: Innherred Sykehus
serves Levanger Hospital
, Levanger
serves the town center and bus station, and HiNT Røstad serves the campus of Nord-Trøndelag University College
. The line then enters Verdal
, where is serves the suburb at Bergsgrav
before the town center at Verdal
. Inderøy
is served by the village station Røra
, before the line enters Steinkjer
, where it serves the village of Sparbu
before terminating in the town center at Steinkjer
.
South of Trondheim S, both the main service and the Røros service runs along the Dovre Line, stopping at Skansen
, where there is transfer to the Trondheim Tramway
, and Marienborg
, located beside St. Olavs University Hospital
. After Marienborg, the main service branches off along the Stavne–Leangen Line to the terminus at Lerkendal
, which serves the Gløshaugen
campus of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
and Lerkendal Stadion
, the home ground of Rosenborg BK.
The Røros service continues south, making two more stops within Trondheim: Selsbakk
and Heimdal
. It continues through Melhus
, where it makes five stops, one in the town center at Melhus
and then in the villages of Kvål
, Ler
, Lundamo
and Hovin
. In Midtre Gauldal
, the service stops at Støren
, where the Røros Line branches from the Dovre Line. The single daily service to Oppdal
runs southwards, with an intermediate stop at Berkåk
. The Røros service continues along the Røros Line, stopping at Singsås
before entering Holtålen
, where there are stops at Haltdalen
and Ålen
. The terminus is at Røros
, where there is a transfer to regional rail services southwards.
Mittnabotåget start at Heimdal and operate northwards via Trondheim S to Hell, where they branch off and follow the Meråker Line. In Stjørdal, it serves Hegra
before entering Meråker
, where it serves the villages at Meråker
and Kopperå
before reaching the Swedish border at Storlien
. Here the services continues along the Central Line, where stops are made at Enafors
, Ånn
, Duved
, Åre
, Undersåker
, Järpen
, Krokom
, Östersund
West and Östersund Central Station.
. The trackage and other infrastructure is owned by the government agency Norwegian National Rail Administration, while the rolling stock
is owned and operated by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB). Rolling stock maintenance is performed by NSB-owned Mantena
.
The Trondheim–Steinkjer services operates with a fixed, hourly, headway during the day with additional rush-hour services giving a half-hour headway. In the evenings and weekends, there is a two-hour headway. Travel time from Lerkendal to Trondheim S is 10 minutes; from Trondheim S travel time to Trondheim Airport is 35 minutes, to Stjørdal 41 minutes, to Levanger 1 hour and 25 minutes, to Verdal 1 hour and 41 minutes and to Steinkjer 2 hours and 5 minutes. The Trondheim–Røros service is provided five times per day in each direction. From Trondheim S, travel time to Melhus is 24 minutes, to Støren 1 hour and to Røros 2 hours and 25 minutes. An single morning one-direction service is offered from Oppdal to Trondheim S; this service takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. The Mittnabotåget service to Östersund provides two round trips per day, with travel time from Trondheim S to Östersund C 3 hours and 46 minutes. This service is operated jointly between NSB and Veolia Transport
.
NSB operates fourteen Class 92 diesel-electric multiple units, of which most are used for the commuter rail. They were built by Duewag
in 1984 and 1985 and consist of two cars, giving a seating capacity of 168 people. A double-unit is 49.45 metres (162.2 ft) long and weights 92 tonnes (90.5 LT), of which the motor car weighs 58 tonnes (57.1 LT). Only the one car is powered, and is equipped with a Daimler-Benz
OM424A prime mover
which powers two electric motor
s, giving a power output of 714 kW. The trains are capable of 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph) and are equipped with vending machine
s.
. These include the stations at Singsås, Hell, Skatval, Langstein, Skogn and Levanger. The system's depot is located at Marienborg, although trains also overnight at terminal stations.
which had been established the previous year, operating between Stavanger
and Egersund
. The Trøndelag Commuter Rail would operate several services, north of Trondheim to Steinkjer and south to Oppdal and Tynset. The initial plans called to the continued use of the Class 92 rolling stock, but saw change in schedules and new upgraded platforms for . This involved building a small platform house with a roof and glass walls, but a framework of wood, at each station. They were optimized to give good protection from various types weather.
The service started on 1 September 1993. The changes to the schedule involved almost a doubling of the number of departures, particularly between Trondheim and Stjørdal, where a one-hour headway
was introduced. The service from Trondheim to Steinkjer had ten daily round trips. While local trains had existed previously north of Trondheim, the services south to Oppdal were all new in an area which was previously only served by intercity and night trains. The initial services consisted of four services from Trondheim—northwards along the Nordland Line to Steinkjer, east along the Meråker Line to Storlien, south along the Dovre Line to Oppdal and south-east along the Røros Line to Tynset.
After six months operation, the service had experienced a 40% traffic increase. On 15 November 1994, the Trøndelag Commuter Rail became the first airport rail link
in the Nordic Countries, when a new terminal and Trondheim Airport Station
opened at Trondheim Airport, Værnes
. NSB stated that their primary goal was not to compete with the four hourly airport coaches which operated to the hotels in Trondheim, but instead to provide services to communities in Nord-Trøndelag and south of Trondheim. The investment at the airport cost .
From January 1995, the frequency between Steinkjer and Melhus was increased slightly. On 26 September 1995, the train station in Trondheim reopened as a renovated station that serves both buses, coaches and trains. The investment cost NOK 50 million. In 1997, NSB stated that the Trøndelag Commuter Rail was unprofitable and threatened to terminate it, along with an array of other services, if funding was not increased. The same year, 750,000 people traveled with the commuter rail. The 20% increase that year was in part due to the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1997 being held in Trondheim, and was the service in the country with the largest growth.
Following the Åsta accident
on 4 January 2000, when a Class 92 was wrecked and taken out of service, NSB announced that they would terminate two of the commuter rail services south of Støren towards Oppdal. At the same time, the company announced a reduction in the number of services from Trondheim to Steinkjer. From 11 June 2000, all services on the Dovre Line south of Støren were terminated, leaving only intercity services. At the same year, plans by local politicians and commerce were launched to halve the travel time between Trondheim and Steinkjer, under the motto "Trondheim to Steinkjer in one hour". NSB hoped to introduce an faster airport link, similar to the Airport Express Train
in Oslo, which would allow the trains to operate from Trondheim to the airport in 20 minutes. The plans would have called for the termination of service at 17 of 21 stations and investments at about NOK 3.7 billion.
In March 2000, NSB announced that they were considering reducing the number of stations on the commuter rail from the then 31 stations to between 15 and 20. NSB stated that 50% of the stations were responsible for only 2% of the traffic, and that a bus service to these areas—which would transport people to the closest railway station—would be more economic and reduce travel time for the remaining passengers. NSB also stated that they indented to re-brand the service as part of the Puls brand used for the other commuter rail services. Part of the reason for the change of service was that Nord-Trøndelag County Municipality
had permitted TrønderBilene
to double the number of services on their competing coach service along the route and the commuter rail needed to increase its speed to not loose customers to the coach.
From 7 January 2001, NSB made several major changes to the commuter rail. A fixed, hourly headway was introduced on the trains from Steinkjer to Trondheim; including extra rush-hour trains from Lerkendal to Stjørdal, giving 23 departures per day in each direction. South of Trondheim, the service was rerouted to terminate at Lerkendal. Six stations were closed: Muruvik, Solbakken, Mære, Østborg, Rinnan and Elberg. At the same time, the station at Marienborg
and Røstad opened. NSB also introduced a fare zone
system, which gave up to NOK&nsbp;20 discount for single-fare travelers and about the same fares for month-pass holders. Part of the reason for the expansion was that the delivery of the new Class 93 trains for regional services freed up more Class 92 units. This also allowed NSB to operate some of services with double unit (four-car) trains in rush-hour.
The restructuring also called for the reduction of four services on the Meråker Line and two services to Oppdal, terminating all commuter train services on the lines. For the service to Oppdal, NSB had a operating deficit of NOK 1.7 million and 21,000 passengers in 1998. The Meråker Line had about twice the number of passengers. The National Rail Administration stated that if any private companies wanted to operate the routes without subsidies, they were free to do so. As compensation, travelers between Trondheim and Rennebu
and Oppdal with month passes were allowed to not pay for seat reservations on the intercity services. Sør-Trøndelag County Municipality
applied to the ministry to take over responsibility and purchase the commuter train services, so they could continue the service to Oppdal, but this was rejected by the ministry.
From June 2001, NSB introduced additional rush-hour trains between Trondheim and Steinkjer, giving a half-hour headway. From 22 September 2002, NSB and the Public Transportation Authority in Jämtlands County started a cooperation that involved two daily round trips with an Class 92 trains between Trondheim and Östersund
in Sweden. The trains were manned by NSB on the Norwegian side of the border, and by BK Tåg
staff on the Swedish side, after the latter had won a public service obligation
contract with the Swedish authority. From 16 June 2003, NSB reintroduced commuter trains between Trondheim and Oppdal. From 1 January 2004, the commuter rail service was reorganized. The brand Trønderbanen was abandoned and the administration was assimilated into the functional departments and partially moved to Oslo. In 2005 and 2006, the Class 92 trains were renovated and received a new exterior and interior color. On 8 January 2007, Lademoen/Nedre Elvehavn Station
in Trondheim opened. Previously, the former station known as Lademoen was renamed Lilleby
so the new station serving Nedre Elvehavn could be named Lademoen. The name-change caused protests from historians and the municipal committee responsible for naming.
has since 2009 been under construction and will reduce travel time between Hell and Hommelvik with five minutes after it is scheduled to open in 2012. This will also increase the capacity of the Nordland Line between Trondheim and Stjørdal to 8 trains per hour (both directions combined), which will free up sufficient capacity to allow additional commuter trains to run to Stjørdal. After the tunnel is completed, politicians have signalized that they want to electrify the tracks from Trondheim to Steinkjer plus the Meråker Line. NSB will need to replace the rolling stock in the 2010s, and want to coordinate the new stock with electrification.
The National Rail Administration has stated that they may have to close Innherred Sykehus Station. The station is located in a curve and within the signaling area of Levanger Station, and the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate
has required the station to be corrected by 2012. Because of the adjacent Levanger Hospital, the station is one of the busiest on the system, with 90,000 annual riders. One possible solution is to move the platforms of Levanger Station closer towards the hospital and thus serve both the town and the hospital from the same station.
The two county municipalities proposed during the early 2000s that the Nordland Line between Trondheim and Steinkjer be upgraded allow travel time to be reduced to one hour. This would require the average speed to be increased to 115 kilometres per hour (71.5 mph), mainly through a modernization of the existing line. Specific projects include electrification, double track
between Trondheim and Trondheim Airport, Gevingåsen Tunnel, a 11.3 kilometres (7 mi) tunnel through Forbordfjellet (between Stjørdal and Åsen), additional passing loops, a new bridge over the Sjørdal River
and a rearrangement of the tracks at Hell. This would have to be combined with a reduction in the number of stops. The National Rail Administration estimates that the mentioned investments, which would cost between NOK 4 and 6 billion, will allow a travel time of 1 hour and 10 minutes. If a number of curves are straightened, increased capacity is introduced between Stjørdal and Steinkjer and a further number of stops are removed, travel time could be reduced to 1 hour.
Norsk Bane
, a lobbyist organisation which is suggesting to build a high-speed
line from Oslo
to Trondheim and onwards to Steinkjer, estimates that regional trains will, with their infrastructure, be able to operate trains from Steinkjer to Trondheim in 40 minutes. The proposals involves only keeping the stations at Hommelvik, Trondheim Airport, Stjørdal, Åsen, Levanger, Verdal, Røra and Steinkjer north of Trondheim. South of Trondheim, the proposal involves a 35-minute service to Oppdal, with intermediate stops at Heimdal, Melhus, Støren and Berkåk. The proposal involves building an all-new double track and having a stopping pattern where not all stations are served by all services. It would involve three services per hour and direct trains to Oslo, with speeds up to 300 kilometres per hour (186.4 mph).
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
and Sør-Trøndelag
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
, 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...
. It is operated by Norwegian State Railways (NSB) with Class 92 diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s. The service provides a commuter service connecting Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
to its suburbs, between towns in Innherred and as an airport rail link
Airport rail link
An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city; by mainline- or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover or light rail...
for Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes is an international airport located in Stjørdal, east of Trondheim, Norway. Operated by the state-owned Avinor, it shares facilities with Værnes Air Station of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. In 2010, the airport had 3,521,734 passengers and 55,747 air movements,...
. Although passenger services have operated along the lines since 1864, the commuter train was created with an increase of service with existing rolling stock in 1993. In 2006, the system had at least 1,180,000 passengers.
The main service operates from Lerkendal
Lerkendal Station
Lerkendal is a railway station located at Lerkendal in Trondheim, Norway. The station is the southern terminus of Trønderbanen, the commuter rail between Steinkjer and Trondheim...
in Trondheim via Trondheim Central Station
Trondheim Central Station
Trondheim Central Station or Trondheim S is the main railway station serving the city of Trondheim, Norway. Located at Brattøra in the north part of the city center, it is the terminus of the Dovre Line, running southwards, and the Nordland Line, which runs north...
and Trondheim Airport Station
Trondheim Airport Station
Trondheim Airport Station , also known as Værnes Station , is a railway station located in the terminal of Trondheim Airport, Værnes in Stjørdal, Norway. Situated on the Nordland Line, it serves both express trains and the Trøndelag Commuter Rail both operated by Norges Statsbaner...
to Steinkjer
Steinkjer Station
Steinkjer Station is a railway station located in the town of Steinkjer in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line, serving both local and express trains northbound through Innherred and on to Nordland, and...
on the Nordland Line. The service runs every hour, with additional rush-hour services, and reduced service in the evenings and on the weekend. A secondary services runs from Trondheim along the Dovre Line to Støren
Støren Station
Støren Station is a railway station located in Støren in the municipality of Midtre Gauldal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located at the split between the Dovre Line and the Røros Line, with the former heading south via Gudbrandsdalen to Eastern Norway while the latter heads down...
and along the Røros Line to Røros
Røros Station
Røros Station is a railway station located at Røros in Sør-Trøndelag, Norway on the Røros Line. It is located about from Oslo Central Station and it sits about above mean sea level. Service to the station is provided though regional trains operated by the Norwegian State Railways to Trondheim...
. The Mittnabotåget
Mittnabotåget
Mittnabotåget is a regional train service connecting Trondheim in Norway with Sundsvall in Sweden. It includes trains operated by Veolia Transport on the Mittlinjen between Sundsvall and Östersund in Sweden, and Norges Statsbaner’s cross-border Nabotåget services from Östersund on to Trondheim in...
service operates twice a day from Trondheim along the Meråker Line and the Central Line in Sweden to Östersund Central Station
Östersund Central Station
Östersund Central Station or Östersund C is the main railway station serving Östersund, Sweden. It is located on the Middle Line and the Inland Line, and is served by SJ, Mittnabotåget and Inlandsbanan....
.
Route
The main hub for the commuter system is Trondheim Central Station (Trondheim S). It also serves as coach and bus station and the terminus of the intercity trains along the Dovre and Nordland Line. The service runs north-eastwards through Trondheim, stopping at the stations Lademoen/Nedre ElvehavnLademoen Station
Lademoen or Lademoen/Nedre Elvehavn is a railway station on Nordlandsbanen at Nedre Elvehavn in Trondheim, Norway. The station was opened on January 7, 2007 and is served by the local trains Trønderbanen by Norges Statsbaner . It is located 0.94 km from Trondheim Central Station and at 6 meters...
(which serves a mixed residential and commercial area), Lilleby
Lilleby Station
Lilleby is a railway station on Nordlandsbanen located in Trondheim, Norway serving the area of Lademoen. The station is serviced by the local trains Trønderbanen operated by Norges Statsbaner . In 2006 the station changed its name from Lademoen so the Lademoen name could be used for the new...
(which serves a residential area), Leangen
Leangen Station
Leangen is a railway station on Nordlandsbanen located in Trondheim, Norway serving the area of Leangen. The station is serviced by the local trains Trønderbanen operated by Norges Statsbaner . The station dates back to the construction of Meråkerbanen , and opened in 1882. The present station...
and Rotvoll
Rotvoll Station
Rotvoll is a railway station on Nordlandsbanen at Rotvoll in Trondheim, Norway. It is served by thecommuter trains Trønderbanen operated by Norges Statsbaner with hourly service to Trondheim and Steinkjer....
; the latter two serve each their campus of Sør-Trøndelag University College
Sør-Trøndelag University College
Sør-Trøndelag University College or HiST is a Norwegian university college located in Trondheim. The school offers higher education within nursing, teaching, economics, food science, engineering and information technology...
. In Malvik
Malvik
Malvik is a village and a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Trondheim Region. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Hommelvik. Other villages in Malvik include Muruvika, Smiskaret, Sneisen, Vikhammer, and Hundhammeren.While "Malvik" refers...
, the line serves two stations: Vikhammer
Vikhammer Station
Vikhammer Station is a railway station located in the village of Vikhammer in the municipality of Malvik in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located about east of Trondheim....
and Hommelvik
Hommelvik Station
Hommelvik Station is a railway station located in the village of Hommelvik in the municipality of Malvik in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is east of Trondheim....
. After entering Stjørdal
Stjørdal
is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Stjørdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Stjørdal, also called Stjørdalshalsen...
, the first station in Hell
Hell Station
Hell Station is a railway station located in the village of Hell in the municipality of Stjørdal in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at the intersection of the Nordland Line and Meråker Line....
, where the Meråker Line branches off from the Nordland Line. Northwards is first Trondheim Airport
Trondheim Airport Station
Trondheim Airport Station , also known as Værnes Station , is a railway station located in the terminal of Trondheim Airport, Værnes in Stjørdal, Norway. Situated on the Nordland Line, it serves both express trains and the Trøndelag Commuter Rail both operated by Norges Statsbaner...
, Stjørdal
Stjørdal Station
Stjørdal is a railway station located in the village of Stjørdalshalsen in the municipality of Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway on the Nordlandsbanen railway line. It is located just north of the intersection of the European route E14 and European route E6 highways. The station serves both local and...
(the main station to serve the town) and Skatval
Skatval Station
Skatval Station is a railway station located in the village of Skatval in the municipality of Stjørdal in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway on the Nordlandsbanen railway line. The station is served hourly by the Trønderbanen commuter rail service to Steinkjer and Trondheim. The service is operated by...
.
After entering Levanger
Levanger
Levanger is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Levanger...
, the line serves the villages of Åsen
Åsen Station
Åsen Station is a railway station located in the village of Åsen in the municipality of Levanger in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line. The station is served hourly by Norges Statsbaner's Trønderbanen commuter rail service to Steinkjer and Trondheim...
, Ronglan
Ronglan Station
Ronglan Station is a railway station located in the village of Ronglan in the municipality of Levanger in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line. The station is served irregularly by the Trønderbanen commuter rail service to Steinkjer and Trondheim, with...
(limited services only) and Skogn
Skogn Station
Skogn Station is a railway station located in the village of Skogn in the municipality of Levanger in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line. The station is served hourly by the Trønderbanen commuter rail service to Steinkjer and Trondheim...
. It then enters the town center, where there are three stations: Innherred Sykehus
Innherred Sykehus Station
Sykehuset Levanger Station , previously Innherred Sykehus Station , was a railway station located in the town of Levanger in the municipality of Levanger in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line. The station was located adjacent to Levanger Hospital...
serves Levanger Hospital
Levanger Hospital
Levanger Hospital is a hospital located in the municipality of Levanger in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The hospital is located along the road Kirkegata on the west side of the town of Levanger....
, Levanger
Levanger Station
Levanger Station is a railway station located in the town center of Levanger, Norway on the Nordland Line. The station serves both local and express trains northbound through Innherred and to Nordland, and southbound to Trondheim...
serves the town center and bus station, and HiNT Røstad serves the campus of Nord-Trøndelag University College
Nord-Trøndelag University College
Nord-Trøndelag University College or HiNT is a Norwegian university college located throughout the county of Nord-Trøndelag...
. The line then enters Verdal
Verdal
Verdal is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Verdalsøra...
, where is serves the suburb at Bergsgrav
Bergsgrav Station
Bergsgrav Station is a railway station located in the village of Vinne in the municipality of Verdal in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line, and serves the southern Vinne suburb of Verdal...
before the town center at Verdal
Verdal Station
Verdal Station is a railway station located in the town of Verdalsøra in the municipality of Verdal in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located along the Nordlandsbanen railway line and it serves the entire municipality of Verdal except the Vinne area which is served by Bergsgrav...
. Inderøy
Inderøy
Inderøy is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straumen. Other villages include Gangstadhaugen, Hylla, Kjerknesvågen, Røra, Sakshaug, Sandvollan, Småland, Utøy, and Vangshylla.The...
is served by the village station Røra
Røra Station
Røra Station is a railway station located in the village of Røra in the municipality of Inderøy in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located along the Nordlandsbanen railway line. The station serves the entire municipality of Inderøy, though there is no corresponding bus service...
, before the line enters Steinkjer
Steinkjer
is a town and a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Steinkjer, which is also the seat of the county government...
, where it serves the village of Sparbu
Sparbu
Sparbu is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trondelag county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village has a population of 584. The population density of Sparbu is ....
before terminating in the town center at Steinkjer
Steinkjer Station
Steinkjer Station is a railway station located in the town of Steinkjer in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line, serving both local and express trains northbound through Innherred and on to Nordland, and...
.
South of Trondheim S, both the main service and the Røros service runs along the Dovre Line, stopping at Skansen
Skansen Station
Skansen is a railway station located at Ila in Trondheim, Norway on Dovrebanen, 1.20 kilometers from Trondheim Central Station. Service to the station is provided though the commuter train service Trønderbanen operated by Norges Statsbaner and regional trains to Røros. It was opened in 1893.The...
, where there is transfer to the Trondheim Tramway
Trondheim Tramway
Trondheim Tramway located in Trondheim, Norway consists presently of one 8.8 km tramway line, Gråkallbanen, from St. Olav's Gate in the city centre through Byåsen to Lian Station in Bymarka...
, and Marienborg
Marienborg Station
Marienborg is a railway station located at Marienborg in Trondheim, Norway. The station is located on the Dovre Line at the point where the Stavne–Leangen Line branches off from the Dovre Line. The station has two platforms, one on each of the railway lines, the one track electrified and the other...
, located beside St. Olavs University Hospital
St. Olavs University Hospital
St. Olav’s University Hospital is the hospital in Trondheim, Norway located at Øya. It is part of St. Olavs Hospital Trust that operates all the hospitals in Sør-Trøndelag and thus indirectly state owned. It cooperates closely with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in research and...
. After Marienborg, the main service branches off along the Stavne–Leangen Line to the terminus at Lerkendal
Lerkendal Station
Lerkendal is a railway station located at Lerkendal in Trondheim, Norway. The station is the southern terminus of Trønderbanen, the commuter rail between Steinkjer and Trondheim...
, which serves the Gløshaugen
Gløshaugen
Gløshaugen is a location in Trondheim, Norway east of Elgeseter, west of Singsaker and north of Lerkendal where the main campus and buildings of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is located. It was the location of the Norwegian Institute of Technology before it became a part of...
campus of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology , commonly known as NTNU, is located in Trondheim. NTNU is the second largest of the eight universities in Norway, and, as its name suggests, has the main national responsibility for higher education in engineering and technology...
and Lerkendal Stadion
Lerkendal stadion
Lerkendal Stadion is an all-seater football stadium located at Lerkendal in Trondheim, Norway. The home ground of the Tippeligaen side Rosenborg BK, it has a capacity for 21,116 spectators, making it the second-largest football stadium in the country....
, the home ground of Rosenborg BK.
The Røros service continues south, making two more stops within Trondheim: Selsbakk
Selsbakk Station
Selsbakk Station is a railway station at Selsbakk in Trondheim, Norway on Dovrebanen. The station is located 6.4 kilometers south of Trondheim S and is served by local trains to Røros...
and Heimdal
Heimdal Station
Heimdal Station is a railway station located in Heimdal in Trondheim, Norway. Located 12 km south of Trondheim Central Station on Dovrebanen, it is served by express trains between Trondheim and Oslo as well as the regional train services Trønderbanen and Nabotåget, all operated by Norges...
. It continues through Melhus
Melhus
Melhus is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Melhus...
, where it makes five stops, one in the town center at Melhus
Melhus Station
Melhus Station is a railway station in the village of Melhus in the municipality of Melhus in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Dovrebanen railway line, about south of Trondheim Central Station and about north of Oslo Central Station . The station sits at an...
and then in the villages of Kvål
Kvål Station
Kvål Station is a railway station in the village of Kvål in the municipality of Melhus in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Dovrebanen railway line, about south of Trondheim Central Station and about north of Oslo Central Station . The station sits at an elevation of...
, Ler
Ler Station
Ler Station is a railway station in the village of Ler in the municipality of Melhus in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Dovrebanen railway line, about south of Trondheim Central Station and about north of Oslo Central Station . The station sits at an elevation of ...
, Lundamo
Lundamo Station
Lundamo Station is a railway station in the village of Lundamo in the municipality of Melhus in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Dovrebanen railway line, about south of Trondheim Central Station and about north of Oslo Central Station . The station sits at an...
and Hovin
Hovin Station
Hovin Station is a railway station in the village of Hovin in the municipality of Melhus in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is on the Dovrebanen railway line, about south of Trondheim Central Station and about from Oslo Central Station at an elevation of above sea level. Hovin...
. In Midtre Gauldal
Midtre Gauldal
Midtre Gauldal is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Støren...
, the service stops at Støren
Støren Station
Støren Station is a railway station located in Støren in the municipality of Midtre Gauldal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located at the split between the Dovre Line and the Røros Line, with the former heading south via Gudbrandsdalen to Eastern Norway while the latter heads down...
, where the Røros Line branches from the Dovre Line. The single daily service to Oppdal
Oppdal Station
Oppdal Station is a railway station located in downtown Oppdal in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It sits close to the European route E6 highway, just northwest of the mountain Allmannberget...
runs southwards, with an intermediate stop at Berkåk
Berkåk Station
Berkåk Station is a railway station located in Berkåk in the municipality of Rennebu in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located close to European route E6 in the village of Berkåk....
. The Røros service continues along the Røros Line, stopping at Singsås
Singsås Station
Singsås Station is a railway station located in the village of Singsås in the municipality of Midtre Gauldal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Rørosbanen railway line. The station is served three times daily in each direction by the commuter rail service Trønderbanen between...
before entering Holtålen
Holtålen
Holtålen is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ålen. Other villages include Hessdalen, Aunegrenda, Haltdalen, and Renbygda.-General information:...
, where there are stops at Haltdalen
Haltdalen Station
Haltdalen Station is a railway station located in the village of Haltdalen in the municipality of Holtålen in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Rørosbanen railway line. The station is served three times daily in each direction by Trøndelag Commuter Rail between Røros and...
and Ålen
Ålen Station
Ålen Station is a railway station located in the village of Ålen in the municipality of Holtålen in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Rørosbanen railway line. The station is served three times daily in each direction by Trøndelag Commuter Rail between Røros and Trondheim. The...
. The terminus is at Røros
Røros Station
Røros Station is a railway station located at Røros in Sør-Trøndelag, Norway on the Røros Line. It is located about from Oslo Central Station and it sits about above mean sea level. Service to the station is provided though regional trains operated by the Norwegian State Railways to Trondheim...
, where there is a transfer to regional rail services southwards.
Mittnabotåget start at Heimdal and operate northwards via Trondheim S to Hell, where they branch off and follow the Meråker Line. In Stjørdal, it serves Hegra
Hegra Station
Hegra Station is a railway station on the Meråker Line in the village of Hegra in the municipality of Stjørdal in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station was opened on 17 October 1881 as Hegre. It received the current name on 1 June 1919, and has been unmanned since 1 March 1971. It is served...
before entering Meråker
Meråker
Meråker is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Stjørdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda which is about west of Storlien in Sweden and east of Stjørdalshalsen in Stjørdal. Other villages in Meråker include Gudåa,...
, where it serves the villages at Meråker
Meråker Station
Meråker Station is a railway station on the Meråker Line in the village of Midtbygda in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station was opened on 17 October 1881 as Meraker, and received the current name in 1 June 1919....
and Kopperå
Kopperå Station
Kopperå Station is a railway station on the Meråker Line in the village of Kopperå in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station was opened on 1 April 1899 as Kopperaasen. It was renamed Kopperåen in April 1924...
before reaching the Swedish border at Storlien
Storlien Station
Storlien Station is a railway station located at Storlien in Åre Municipality municipality, Sweden. Located east of the Norway–Sweden border, it serves as the name-change between the Norwegian Meråker Line and the Swedish Central Line. The altitude is , the highest station in Sweden...
. Here the services continues along the Central Line, where stops are made at Enafors
Enafors
Enafors is a village in Åre Municipality in Jämtland County, Sweden. The Middle Line runs through Enafors....
, Ånn
Ånn
Ånn is a village in Åre, Jämtland, Sweden. Located about from the Norwegian border, both the Middle Line and European Route E14 pass through the village. In 2005, Ånn had 70 residents.-References:...
, Duved
Duved, Sweden
Duved is a locality situated in Åre Municipality, Jämtland County, Sweden with 637 inhabitants in 2005....
, Åre
Åre
Åre is a locality and one of the leading Scandinavian ski resorts situated in Åre Municipality, Jämtland County, Sweden with 1,260 inhabitants in 2005. It is however, not the seat of the municipality, which is Järpen. 25% of the municipal industry is based on tourism, most notably the downhill...
, Undersåker
Undersåker
Undersåker is a locality situated in Åre Municipality, Jämtland County, Sweden with 384 inhabitants in 2005. Edsåsdalen lies within the Undersåker locality approximately from the railway station....
, Järpen
Järpen
Järpen is a locality and the seat of Åre Municipality in Jämtland County, Sweden with 1,439 inhabitants in 2005. Järpen is located at an altitude of 324m/1,063ft above sea level, on the river Indalsälv....
, Krokom
Krokom
Krokom is a locality and the seat of Krokom Municipality in Jämtland County, Sweden with 2,087 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
, Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
West and Östersund Central Station.
Service
The operating deficits are covered through subsidies by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and CommunicationsNorwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...
. The trackage and other infrastructure is owned by the government agency Norwegian National Rail Administration, while the rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
is owned and operated by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB). Rolling stock maintenance is performed by NSB-owned Mantena
Mantena
Mantena is a Norwegian rolling stock maintenance company owned by Norges Statsbaner . It has workshops at Grorud and Lodalen in Oslo, Marienborg in Trondheim as well as in Skien and Drammen. In addition to NSB, customers include CargoNet, Kollektivtransportproduksjon, Ofotbanen, Green Cargo, Hector...
.
The Trondheim–Steinkjer services operates with a fixed, hourly, headway during the day with additional rush-hour services giving a half-hour headway. In the evenings and weekends, there is a two-hour headway. Travel time from Lerkendal to Trondheim S is 10 minutes; from Trondheim S travel time to Trondheim Airport is 35 minutes, to Stjørdal 41 minutes, to Levanger 1 hour and 25 minutes, to Verdal 1 hour and 41 minutes and to Steinkjer 2 hours and 5 minutes. The Trondheim–Røros service is provided five times per day in each direction. From Trondheim S, travel time to Melhus is 24 minutes, to Støren 1 hour and to Røros 2 hours and 25 minutes. An single morning one-direction service is offered from Oppdal to Trondheim S; this service takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. The Mittnabotåget service to Östersund provides two round trips per day, with travel time from Trondheim S to Östersund C 3 hours and 46 minutes. This service is operated jointly between NSB and Veolia Transport
Veolia Transport
Veolia Transport is the international transport services division of the French-based multinational company Veolia Environnement...
.
Rolling stock
DUEWAG
The DUEWAG AG was one of Germany's major manufacturers for rail vehicles. The business was sold in 1999 to Siemens transportation.- History :The company was founded in 1898 as Waggonfabrik Uerdingen AG in Uerdingen...
in 1984 and 1985 and consist of two cars, giving a seating capacity of 168 people. A double-unit is 49.45 metres (162.2 ft) long and weights 92 tonnes (90.5 LT), of which the motor car weighs 58 tonnes (57.1 LT). Only the one car is powered, and is equipped with a Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and internal combustion engines; founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest - which was valid until year 2000 - was signed on 1 May 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie., and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, which had...
OM424A prime mover
Prime mover (locomotive)
In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the prime mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. The term is generally used when discussing any locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine...
which powers two electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
s, giving a power output of 714 kW. The trains are capable of 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph) and are equipped with vending machine
Vending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
s.
Stations
The commuter rail serves 39 stations, most of which predate the commuter rail service. When the Røros, Meråker and Nordland Lines were built, stations buildings were built at all places with a passing loop, and most of these stations the buildings remain, although they are not necessarily open to travelers. However, only Trondheim, Stjørdal, Steinkjer and Røros are manned. Several of the station and operation buildings along the line have been preserved by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural HeritageNorwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage
The Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage is a government agency responsible for the management of cultural heritage in Norway. Subordinate the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, it manages the Cultural Heritage Act of June 9, 1978....
. These include the stations at Singsås, Hell, Skatval, Langstein, Skogn and Levanger. The system's depot is located at Marienborg, although trains also overnight at terminal stations.
History
The rearrangement of the train services in Trøndelag was made in 1993, when NSB announced the brand Trønderbanen. The concept was based on the Jæren Commuter RailJæren Commuter Rail
The Jæren Commuter Rail is a commuter train service operated along the western-most part of the Sørland Line in Jæren, Norway. It is operated by the Norwegian State Railways with nine Class 72 electric multiple units. The service acts as a commuter rail connecting Stavanger to its suburbs,...
which had been established the previous year, operating between Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
and Egersund
Egersund
The town of Egersund was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . It was merged with the surrounding municipality of Eigersund January 1, 1965....
. The Trøndelag Commuter Rail would operate several services, north of Trondheim to Steinkjer and south to Oppdal and Tynset. The initial plans called to the continued use of the Class 92 rolling stock, but saw change in schedules and new upgraded platforms for . This involved building a small platform house with a roof and glass walls, but a framework of wood, at each station. They were optimized to give good protection from various types weather.
The service started on 1 September 1993. The changes to the schedule involved almost a doubling of the number of departures, particularly between Trondheim and Stjørdal, where a one-hour headway
Headway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
was introduced. The service from Trondheim to Steinkjer had ten daily round trips. While local trains had existed previously north of Trondheim, the services south to Oppdal were all new in an area which was previously only served by intercity and night trains. The initial services consisted of four services from Trondheim—northwards along the Nordland Line to Steinkjer, east along the Meråker Line to Storlien, south along the Dovre Line to Oppdal and south-east along the Røros Line to Tynset.
Airport rail link
An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city; by mainline- or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover or light rail...
in the Nordic Countries, when a new terminal and Trondheim Airport Station
Trondheim Airport Station
Trondheim Airport Station , also known as Værnes Station , is a railway station located in the terminal of Trondheim Airport, Værnes in Stjørdal, Norway. Situated on the Nordland Line, it serves both express trains and the Trøndelag Commuter Rail both operated by Norges Statsbaner...
opened at Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes is an international airport located in Stjørdal, east of Trondheim, Norway. Operated by the state-owned Avinor, it shares facilities with Værnes Air Station of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. In 2010, the airport had 3,521,734 passengers and 55,747 air movements,...
. NSB stated that their primary goal was not to compete with the four hourly airport coaches which operated to the hotels in Trondheim, but instead to provide services to communities in Nord-Trøndelag and south of Trondheim. The investment at the airport cost .
From January 1995, the frequency between Steinkjer and Melhus was increased slightly. On 26 September 1995, the train station in Trondheim reopened as a renovated station that serves both buses, coaches and trains. The investment cost NOK 50 million. In 1997, NSB stated that the Trøndelag Commuter Rail was unprofitable and threatened to terminate it, along with an array of other services, if funding was not increased. The same year, 750,000 people traveled with the commuter rail. The 20% increase that year was in part due to the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1997 being held in Trondheim, and was the service in the country with the largest growth.
Following the Åsta accident
Åsta accident
The Åsta accident was a railway accident that occurred at 13:12:25 on 4 January 2000 at Åsta in Åmot, south of Rena in Østerdalen, Norway. A train from Trondheim collided with a local train from Hamar on Rørosbanen resulting in an explosive fire...
on 4 January 2000, when a Class 92 was wrecked and taken out of service, NSB announced that they would terminate two of the commuter rail services south of Støren towards Oppdal. At the same time, the company announced a reduction in the number of services from Trondheim to Steinkjer. From 11 June 2000, all services on the Dovre Line south of Støren were terminated, leaving only intercity services. At the same year, plans by local politicians and commerce were launched to halve the travel time between Trondheim and Steinkjer, under the motto "Trondheim to Steinkjer in one hour". NSB hoped to introduce an faster airport link, similar to the Airport Express Train
Flytoget
is a Norwegian high-speed airport rail link connecting Oslo Airport, Gardermoen to Oslo Central Station in nineteen minutes. Run by Flytoget AS , it operates on the high-speed Gardermoen Line using sixteen GMB Class 71 electric trains. Normal service frequency is once every ten minutes, with half...
in Oslo, which would allow the trains to operate from Trondheim to the airport in 20 minutes. The plans would have called for the termination of service at 17 of 21 stations and investments at about NOK 3.7 billion.
In March 2000, NSB announced that they were considering reducing the number of stations on the commuter rail from the then 31 stations to between 15 and 20. NSB stated that 50% of the stations were responsible for only 2% of the traffic, and that a bus service to these areas—which would transport people to the closest railway station—would be more economic and reduce travel time for the remaining passengers. NSB also stated that they indented to re-brand the service as part of the Puls brand used for the other commuter rail services. Part of the reason for the change of service was that Nord-Trøndelag County Municipality
Nord-Trøndelag county municipality
Nord-Trøndelag County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 12 upper secondary schools, with 7,000 pupils...
had permitted TrønderBilene
TrønderBilene
TrønderBilene AS is a bus company operating in Trøndelag, Norway. As of 2009, it has 324 employees and 238 buses, and is owned by Torghatten ASA. The company operates both coach, bus, charter and school routes, as well as some truck and garage services. The areas of operation are Innherred,...
to double the number of services on their competing coach service along the route and the commuter rail needed to increase its speed to not loose customers to the coach.
Marienborg Station
Marienborg is a railway station located at Marienborg in Trondheim, Norway. The station is located on the Dovre Line at the point where the Stavne–Leangen Line branches off from the Dovre Line. The station has two platforms, one on each of the railway lines, the one track electrified and the other...
and Røstad opened. NSB also introduced a fare zone
Fare
A fare is the fee paid by a passenger allowing him or her to make use of a public transport system: rail, bus, taxi, etc. In the case of air transport, the term airfare is often used.-Uses:...
system, which gave up to NOK&nsbp;20 discount for single-fare travelers and about the same fares for month-pass holders. Part of the reason for the expansion was that the delivery of the new Class 93 trains for regional services freed up more Class 92 units. This also allowed NSB to operate some of services with double unit (four-car) trains in rush-hour.
The restructuring also called for the reduction of four services on the Meråker Line and two services to Oppdal, terminating all commuter train services on the lines. For the service to Oppdal, NSB had a operating deficit of NOK 1.7 million and 21,000 passengers in 1998. The Meråker Line had about twice the number of passengers. The National Rail Administration stated that if any private companies wanted to operate the routes without subsidies, they were free to do so. As compensation, travelers between Trondheim and Rennebu
Rennebu
Rennebu is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Orkdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Berkåk, located along European route E6...
and Oppdal with month passes were allowed to not pay for seat reservations on the intercity services. Sør-Trøndelag County Municipality
Sør-Trøndelag county municipality
Sør-Trøndelag County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 25 upper secondary schools. It administrates the county roadways, public transport, dental care, culture and cultural...
applied to the ministry to take over responsibility and purchase the commuter train services, so they could continue the service to Oppdal, but this was rejected by the ministry.
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
in Sweden. The trains were manned by NSB on the Norwegian side of the border, and by BK Tåg
BK Tåg
BK Tåg AB, trading as BK Tåg, is a former Swedish railway company. It operated passenger trains on public service obligation with various counties and the ministry. Owned by Karlsongruppen, it filed for bankruptcy in March 2005....
staff on the Swedish side, after the latter had won a public service obligation
Public Service Obligation
In transport, public service obligation or PSO is an arrangement in which a governing body or other authority offers an auction for subsidies, permit the winning company a monopoly to operate a specified service of public transport for a specified period of time for the given subsidy...
contract with the Swedish authority. From 16 June 2003, NSB reintroduced commuter trains between Trondheim and Oppdal. From 1 January 2004, the commuter rail service was reorganized. The brand Trønderbanen was abandoned and the administration was assimilated into the functional departments and partially moved to Oslo. In 2005 and 2006, the Class 92 trains were renovated and received a new exterior and interior color. On 8 January 2007, Lademoen/Nedre Elvehavn Station
Lademoen Station
Lademoen or Lademoen/Nedre Elvehavn is a railway station on Nordlandsbanen at Nedre Elvehavn in Trondheim, Norway. The station was opened on January 7, 2007 and is served by the local trains Trønderbanen by Norges Statsbaner . It is located 0.94 km from Trondheim Central Station and at 6 meters...
in Trondheim opened. Previously, the former station known as Lademoen was renamed Lilleby
Lilleby Station
Lilleby is a railway station on Nordlandsbanen located in Trondheim, Norway serving the area of Lademoen. The station is serviced by the local trains Trønderbanen operated by Norges Statsbaner . In 2006 the station changed its name from Lademoen so the Lademoen name could be used for the new...
so the new station serving Nedre Elvehavn could be named Lademoen. The name-change caused protests from historians and the municipal committee responsible for naming.
Future
The 4.4 kilometres (2.7 mi) Gevingåsen TunnelGevingåsen Tunnel
Gevingåsen Tunnel is a railway tunnel under construction between Hommelvik and Hell, Norway, on the Nordland Line. Blasting was started in 2009, and the tunnel is scheduled for completion in 2011 at a cost of...
has since 2009 been under construction and will reduce travel time between Hell and Hommelvik with five minutes after it is scheduled to open in 2012. This will also increase the capacity of the Nordland Line between Trondheim and Stjørdal to 8 trains per hour (both directions combined), which will free up sufficient capacity to allow additional commuter trains to run to Stjørdal. After the tunnel is completed, politicians have signalized that they want to electrify the tracks from Trondheim to Steinkjer plus the Meråker Line. NSB will need to replace the rolling stock in the 2010s, and want to coordinate the new stock with electrification.
The National Rail Administration has stated that they may have to close Innherred Sykehus Station. The station is located in a curve and within the signaling area of Levanger Station, and the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate
Norwegian Railway Inspectorate
The Norwegian Railway Inspectorate is a Norwegian government agency responsible for control and supervision of rail transport in Norway, including railways, tramways, rapid transits, heritage railways and side tracks....
has required the station to be corrected by 2012. Because of the adjacent Levanger Hospital, the station is one of the busiest on the system, with 90,000 annual riders. One possible solution is to move the platforms of Levanger Station closer towards the hospital and thus serve both the town and the hospital from the same station.
The two county municipalities proposed during the early 2000s that the Nordland Line between Trondheim and Steinkjer be upgraded allow travel time to be reduced to one hour. This would require the average speed to be increased to 115 kilometres per hour (71.5 mph), mainly through a modernization of the existing line. Specific projects include electrification, double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
between Trondheim and Trondheim Airport, Gevingåsen Tunnel, a 11.3 kilometres (7 mi) tunnel through Forbordfjellet (between Stjørdal and Åsen), additional passing loops, a new bridge over the Sjørdal River
Stjørdalselva
Stjørdalselva is a long river that reaches from near the Norwegian–Swedish border down the Stjørdalen valley through the municipalities of Meråker and Stjørdal before entering the Trondheimsfjord. The mouth is located between the villages of Stjørdalshalsen and Hell just south of Trondheim...
and a rearrangement of the tracks at Hell. This would have to be combined with a reduction in the number of stops. The National Rail Administration estimates that the mentioned investments, which would cost between NOK 4 and 6 billion, will allow a travel time of 1 hour and 10 minutes. If a number of curves are straightened, increased capacity is introduced between Stjørdal and Steinkjer and a further number of stops are removed, travel time could be reduced to 1 hour.
Norsk Bane
Norsk Bane
Norsk Bane is a Norwegian limited company that is working on plans to build a high-speed railway throughout large portions of Norway. The company has developed detailed plans for numerous lines and claims they would be able to build and operate a high-speed network in Norway, if granted permission...
, a lobbyist organisation which is suggesting to build a high-speed
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
line from 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 Trondheim and onwards to Steinkjer, estimates that regional trains will, with their infrastructure, be able to operate trains from Steinkjer to Trondheim in 40 minutes. The proposals involves only keeping the stations at Hommelvik, Trondheim Airport, Stjørdal, Åsen, Levanger, Verdal, Røra and Steinkjer north of Trondheim. South of Trondheim, the proposal involves a 35-minute service to Oppdal, with intermediate stops at Heimdal, Melhus, Støren and Berkåk. The proposal involves building an all-new double track and having a stopping pattern where not all stations are served by all services. It would involve three services per hour and direct trains to Oslo, with speeds up to 300 kilometres per hour (186.4 mph).