On November 27, 1909 the first train rolled west on the Oslo- Bergen Railway
across the mountains to Voss, 26 years after the Bergen-Voss segment was
completed in 1883. Two flag- draped locomotives powered the caravan of two dining cars, replete with all kinds of sumptuous delicacies, and passenger cars carrying the
(Norwegian) King, parliament members, railroad authorities, foreign
ambassadors and a large press corps.
Author Just Borch wrote of the historic run through Myrdal in his History of the Oslo-Bergen Railway: At Myrdal we were greeted by the sounds of the whining rotary snowplow and the hissing of the steam locomotives. Around the festive station there were illuminated snow cottages. Over the opening of the large tunnel (Gravahalsen), a gigantic bonfire was burning. There was mounting applause as the train moved westward, and at Voss, King Haakon expressed the famous words about the “greatest accomplishment of our generation”.
Construction period
In Aurland a long construction period had preceded the completion of the Oslo-Bergen Railway. Only 13 km (8 miles) of that line falls within the Aurland municipality, but that stretch comprises the most challenging terrain, especially the Gravahalsen Tunnel of 5311 meters (3.3 miles), which alone required 370 000 hours of labor. In addition comes the 20 km (12.4 miles) long transportation road through the Flåm Valley. For the local population, the railroad construction period introduced a new era of big changes and great financial possibilities. There was a veritable invasion of workers and engineers. Tunnel builders came all the way from Italy!
Commercial development
The Oslo-Bergen Railway was the prime mover in the commercial development along the entire line between Bergen and Oslo. This was also the case in Aurland. A new village grew up at Myrdal, and the Flåm valley changed from an isolated rural area to the center of western Norway´s tourism. Foresighted entrepreneurs had built hotels at Fretheim, Vatnahalsen and Upsete. With the opening of the Oslo-Bergen Railway, they expanded the room capacity and laid the foundation for a large tourist industry in Aurland. This burgeoning activity comprised horse-and-buggy transport of tourists (see picture), and commerce and steamboat traffic on the fjord. In more recent years, Flåm and the Flåm Railway have attracted an impressive number of large cruise ships.
The Flåm railway
For more than 30 years, the road through the Flåm Valley was the main connection between the Sognefjord and the Oslo-Bergen Railway. This, however, was not a satisfactory solution, and a side line had to be built. After an arduous construction period of 20 years, the Flåm Line was finished in 1940. This became a transportation artery, a demonstration of superb engineering skills, and a tourist attraction of world class. The Oslo-Bergen Railway provided the necessary economic foundation for the Flåm Railway, but now it is often the other way around. It was nonetheless a struggle to get the right connections between the two railroads and the rest of the Sognefjord region. The most forward-looking planners have recommended the connections through Flåm and Myrdal.
Into the future
In this centennial year, we must plan ahead. We need the Oslo-BergenRailway as a link between Oslo and Bergen, and also for supplying passengers for the Flåm Railway. The proposed shortcut from Hønefoss to Oslo is also desirable for reducing the travel time. Myrdal must remain an important station in spite of competing travel routes. Tourists and others are not only concerned with speed, but also with grand and spectacular experiences. In this respect, the Flåm Railway will always occupy a central place. We must also plan ahead for good connections between trains, boats and cruise ships. The Oslo-Bergen Railway brings traffic not only to Flåm and Aurland, but to the entire Fjord Region, which recently has again been ranked as the best travel destination in the world by The National Geographic Society.
From Article in Aurlendingen, November 2009 by Noralv Distad, Aurland/Lærdal Tourist Office.
Translated by Arne@brekketours.com