Trains and other things: Kongsvinger, Lillestrøm, Asker, Hønefoss

Today I'm starting my one week long train trip to Norway, following up my trip one year ago. Back then, I was doing a circle through Mora, Östersund, Trondheim, Hamar, Moss, Göteborg. This year, I will also travel in a circle, this time through Bergen and Stavanger.

Just one day before my trip, a terrible attack took place in the centre of Stockholm. The next morning, I arrived earlier to the station and had time to visit the place of the attack.

Early in the morning, there were many journalists here.

Here is the place of the attack, near Åhlens department store.

The other reason to come earlier is that I was worried that the trains would be delayed or cancelled this morning, as they were the day before. Central station was closed the day before.

But today it was open, and passengers were preparing for departure of their trains.

Here is one train to Norrköping.

My train was on time, and I could get a breakfast in 1st class

Since many trains were cancelled the day before, passengers were trying to get on the trains on this day. SJ announced that they would not check any tickets on this day. Here are the passenger in Katrineholm.

Passing by Hallsberg, and Gröna tåget.

T66401, Siemens Vectron (193 970-1), Siemens Taurus (242.502 Zurg)

Bombardier Traxx (119 001-5), Siemens Taurus (242.503 Balboa)

Siemens Eurosprinter (441.001-3 Cyborg)

Degerfors Metodistkyrkan

Degerfors

Tågab T43 111 and Z70 732 in Kristinehamn

Väse

Tågab passenger train in Karlstad

NRFAB (Nordic Re-Finance AB) T43 257 in Kil

TGOJ Ma 963

GC Rc4R 1280

Rush Rail 185.416-6, was unfortunately damaged in a train collision with another locomotive in September 2016. Later that year the company went bankrupt.

Railway to Torsby

Fagerås

Edane

Arvika

Åmotfors

Charlottenberg

My X2 train has passed the Norwegian border, and I'm planning to get off at my first destination.

Kongsvinger is a small town near the border of Sweden.

River Glomma, and the fortress built in the 1680

Infranord TMZ 1458

Hector Rail 161.104 "Doyle", previously El 15 from NSB

Hector Rail 941.102 "Leone", Vossloh G2000

Stena TMZ 1422

First and the only stop in Norway before Oslo.

Kongsvinger station opened at the same time as Kongsvingerbanen railway was completed in 1862

The station is built in Swiss chalet style by Heinrich Ernst Schirmer and Wilhelm von Hanno

Kongsvinger has one of the largest timber terminals in Norway

Local animals are represented here as sculptures

After a short stop, I continue now with a Norwegian train, line L14 Kongsvinger-Asker, unfortunately I was not able to travel all the way to Asker with same train, I had to change in Lillestrøm

Since 2013, the line is operated by Swiss manufactured Stadler Flirt, NSB BM75 trains. BM75 is a local train version of BM74.

Local train version BM75 has 3+2 seating, while the regional version BM74 has 2+2 seating.

L14 line stops at all active stations along the Kongsvingerbanen. Here is one station where no trains are stopping, Galterud.

Strøm kirke

First stop since Kongsvinger is Skarnes

Seterstøa is not an active station, nevertheless my train has stop to wait here to let another train pass.

The rail is manufactured by Domnarvet steelwork in Borlänge.

The oncoming trains was also an Bm75

At Rånåsfoss the next oncoming train is the Arctic Rail Express, operated by Cargonet. The locomotive is a Bombardier Traxx F140 AC2. This locomotive was earlier serving for Skandinaviska Jernbanor, i.e. Blå tåget.

The cargo contains containers for all Norwegian retail supermarkets

Sørumsand

Fetsund

The last stop for L14 trains today in Lillestrøm

The station was built as part of the Trunk Line, Norway's first railway, and opened in 1854.

X53 9050 from Värmlandstrafik (to the left) is used for service Oslo-Karlstad.

Since Norway has same train control system ATC as Sweden, it is possible to use all Swedish trains in Norway.

NSB Class 72 is a EMU from AnsaldoBreda delivered 2002-2005. The train is used here on line L1 Spikkestad-Lillestrøm

Lillestrøm is the only stop between Oslo and Gardemoen airport for this train. Flytoget is an airport service and it is operated with BM71

Lillestrøm is also serving long distance train, here is one for Trondheim

NSB El 18 locomotive built by Adtranz and Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (SLM) between 1996-1997.

My next train is an BM74 to Asker

I've decided to take a train that do not terminate at Oslo centralstation

It's a short stop at Oslo S

BM74 with 2+2 seating has a more luxury design than BM75. Swedish X74 train is basically same version as BM74.

BM74 at Asker

Asker station is located on the line from Oslo to Drammen and it is situated between two longer tunnels. Here on the photo is Lieråsen Tunnel, 10.7km long and constructed in 1973. On the other side is the Skaugum tunnel which together with other tunnels forms Asker line built in 2005.

Airport trains are continuing all the way to Drammen

My next and last train for the day is this Regionstog to Hønefoss

Despite being located just 63km from Oslo, Hønefoss is only served by long distance trains. NSB El 18 is a modification of the SBB Re 460 and it is today the only mainline electric locomotive used by NSB. Coaches on this train is of type 7.

After about 1h trip I'm in Hønefoss.

As I will notice during my Norway trip some trains are nearly empty while others are sold out days before. This train was sold out, so I was happy I had a seat reservation which is otherwise optional for Interrail travellers.