The Urskog–Høland Line (), also known as Tertitten, is a narrow-gauge railway between Sørumsand and Skulerud in Norway.
History The original line was long and was built in three stages: Urskogbanen opened in 1896, running from Bingsfossen to Bjørkelangen; Hølandsbanen from Bjørkelangen to Skulerud opened in 1898 and finally the line between Bingsfos and Sørumsand in 1903. Today part of the line is preserved as a museum at Sørumsand in Lillestrøm kommune. The railway company was headquartered at Bjørkelangen. The line was built in the least expensive way as a so-called tertiary railway with a gauge track. This gave the line its diminutive, affectionate nickname, "Tertitten". The railway was run as a privately owned joint stock company until 1945 when it was bought by the government and run by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) under the name Aurskog-Hølandbanen.
The basis for the railway lay mostly in forest and agriculture products. Lumber was transported to Skulerud and from there it was rafted to Halden. At one time a tour billed as "The Great Roundtrip" was a popular tourist attraction, combining the train ride with a boat ride on the steam ship "DS Turisten" which trafficked the Halden Canal.
The restoration A cooperative consisting of volunteers was established in 1961 with the aim of securing the line for posterity. A 3-kilometer track at Sørumsand was given to the group along with two steam locomotives and some other stock. The first run as a heritage railway was undertaken in 1966. This stretch had no buildings or side tracks, and all facilities which meet the present-day visitor was built after becoming a heritage railway. Three of the steam locomotives and two passenger carriages were restored.
When the heritage railway was established the terminus was just outside the town center of Sørumsand, with the track leading to the station building already having been removed. In 1987 the line had been extended and the first train could depart from the town center again. After another two years the entire operation, including station building, was finished, and the extended track was officially inaugurated. The entire complex is protected by law. The Urskog–Høland Line is now a museum under the umbrella of Museene i Akershus (MiA) run i cooperation with "Venneforeningen Tertitten".
Locomotives
Steam NumberNameAxle configTypeBuilt byRemarks4Setskogen2-6-2T2 cyl. steamSächsische Maschinenfabrik (Hartmann) 3356 of 1909NSB type XXVIII6Høland2-6-2T2 cyl. steamSächsische Maschinenfabrik (Hartmann) 4658 of 1925NSB type XXIX7Prydz2-6-2T2 cyl. steamHenschel 28463 of 1950NSB type XXIX
Diesel NumberNameAxle configTypeBuilt byRemarks12Tinfos14BingsfosUHB 1996Derived from NSB shunterSkd 220BDiesel-hydraulicNSBNormal gauge
Rolling stock
Passenger NumberTypeBuilt byAxle configDescription1CoSkabo 18962-23rd class carriage2BCoSkabo 18962-22nd and 3rd class carriage3BCoSkabo 18982-22nd and 3rd class carriage5CFoSkabo 18982-2Baggage and 3rd class carriage10BCoSkabo 19132-22nd and 3rd class carriage100A 21Skabo 19262-2
Freight NumberTypeBuilt byAxle configDescription1ToSkabo 18952-2Flatcar9GStrømmen 18952Goods van13GStrømmen 18952Goods van19KStrømmen 18962Gondola car26GoMoss Jernstøberi og Mek. vst. 18982-2Goods van27ToMoss Jernstøberi og Mek. vst. 18982-2Flatcar
See also Narrow-gauge railways in Norway
External links Photos from Urskog-Hølandsbanen Urskog-Høland Line Homepage