The Meråker Line ( [ˈmeːroːkərˌbɑːnən]) is a railway line which runs through the district and valley of Stjørdalen in Trøndelag county, Norway. The line branches off from the Nordland Line at Hell Station and runs eastwards to the Norway–Sweden border, with Storlien Station acting as the border station. From there, the line continues as the Central Line. Traditionally, the Meråker Line was regarded as the whole line from Trondheim Central Station to the border, a distance of . There are two daily passenger train services operated by SJ Norge and a limited number of freight trains hauling lumber and wood chippings.
The line underwent electrification in the early 2020's, which was completed in 2025.
Route The Meråker Line is defined as the section between Hell and the Norway–Sweden border at Storlien. Until 2008, it was regarded as the entire section from Trondheim Central Station to Storlien. The line was initially to the border, or to Storlien Station. With the new definition, the line is . The national border is from Oslo Central Station and from Stockholm Central Station.Bjerke (2004): 114 At Leangen Station the Stavne–Leangen Line branches off and provides a bypass through Trondheim. At Hell the Nordland Line continues northwards.Bjerke (2004): 112 From Storlien the line continues as the Centre Line via Östersund to Sundsvall.
The line largely follows the coast of the Trondheimsfjord from Trondheim until reaching Hell. From there the line heads inland through the valley of Stjørdalen, initially following the river of Stjørdalselva. The line runs predominantly due east from Trondheim, passing through the current municipalities of Trondheim, Malvik, Stjørdal and Meråker.Bjerke (2004): 110 With the new definition, it only passes through the latter two and is entirely located within Trøndelag county. From Trondheim to Hell, the line runs just above sea level, except past Leangen Station, where the line hits above mean sea level. From Hegra Station there is again a slight rise.Røe (2015): 128 The from Trondheim to Gudå Station remain fairly flat. From there, the line enters a steep climb, passing Meråker Station at an elevation of above mean sea level and Kopperå Station at . Storlien is located at above sea level. The Meråker Line lacks centralized traffic control, but is equipped with GSM-R. The standard gauge railway is owned and operated by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.
Stations Hell Station Hegra Station Gudå Station Meråker Station Kopperå Station (Storlien Station located along the Swedish Central Line)
History Proposals for a railway were first made in 1870. Routes via Verdal Municipality and Røros Municipality were soon discarded, and the Meråker Line was approved on 5 June 1873. The first revenue services ran in 1879, and the line was officially opened on 22 July 1882. The line boosted the local economy, allowing for same-day transport of produce to Trondheim. The line has been upgraded several times to increase the axle load. During World War II, the line was the scene of both the Hommelvik train collision and the Meråker train derailment. Steam trains were in use until 1971, following the introduction of diesel locomotives in 1961. From 1900 to 2005, Meraker Smelteverk was a significant customer, using the line to haul carbide, and later microsilica, from their mill at Kopperå to the port at Muruvik.
Background
Since the Middle Ages, both the Stjørdalen and Verdal valleys were important trade routes connecting Trøndelag and Jämtland. In particular, Levanger grew into an important trading town for Jämtland farmers, who would travel across the Verdal Mountains. The first public discussion of a railway was launched in Levanger in 1858; the initiative was pushed by Jämtland's governor Thome, who proposed a line via Verdal to Levanger. At the time, the Trondhjem–Støren Line was about to be built, and the commercial interests in Trondheim were more concerned with a southward connection along what would become the Røros Line to Oslo. An 1869 meeting in Sundsvall, Sweden, had proposed three routes for the line: via Verdal, via Meråker or as a branch from Røros.Røe (1982): 10–11
A road up Stjørdalen was built during the 1850s, connecting at Stjørdalshalsen to a steam ship service to Trondheim. A concern in Sweden was that Bottenviken could freeze up and that the Trondheimsfjord offered an ice-free alternative for export of timber. Trade from Norway to Sweden was limited, mostly due to the limited infrastructure. Norwegian trades argued that a railway would allow for the export of Norwegian fish to Sweden.
A committee was appointed in 1870 to consider the railway, and was followed by on-site investigations to determine the railway's route. Similar investigations were carried out in Sweden. For the Norwegian side, costs were estimated to be at 4.7 million Norwegian kroner. Until 1875, Norway used the specidaler. Surveys along the Verdal route deemed it unsuitable. These studies presumed a narrow gauge () railway, common in Norway at the time. Operating profits were estimated to give a 4.5 percent return on capital. Shares in the railway company were offered for sale in 1871; the largest purchaser was Trondheim Municipality, who bought shares for 1.2 million kroner.Røe (1982): 12–13 In Trondheim alone, private investors bought an additional 3.6 million kroner in shares.
In the spring of 1871, the Standing Committee for Railways considered the line in the Parliament of Norway. The proposition failed 64-42. After establishing a local railway committee, Parliament passed legislation to build the line on 2 May 1872. The state would receive shares in the company equal to their monetary contribution. A suggestion from Johan Sverdrup that required the company to borrow 1.4 million kroner failed 58-52. In Sweden, the work was meeting resistance, and many Trondheim businessmen chose to purchase shares in the Swedish part of the line to secure the financing of the Swedish part. In 1873, the Parliament of Sweden voted to build a narrow gauge railway from Torpshammar to the Norwegian border; there was already a railway line from Torpshammar to Sundsvall, the Sundsvall–Torpshammars Railway.Røe (1982): 14
The Norwegian Parliament gave in support in 1873 and doubled it the following year. By then, the Swedish authorities had decided that all railways should be built in standard gauge, and the Norwegian Parliament chose to change their configuration to the same gauge in 1874, increasing estimated costs from to . This was a similar arrangement to what would happen with the two international lines in Eastern Norway, where the Kongsvinger and Østfold Lines were also built with standard gauge.Røe (1982): 14–15 Despite intense lobbying from representatives from Innherred, the Verdal alternative was finally discarded when parliament gave to the Meråker Line.Røe (1982): 16–17
Construction The choice of route through Stjørdal remained a controversy. The Stjørdalselva river created a barrier just north of Hell, making it cheaper to build the line on the south shore of the river until Hegra. This would make the line bypass Stjørdalshalsen on the north shore, the largest town between Trondheim and Östersund. Despite massive local protests, Parliament ultimately chose the southern alternative. The added distance reduced Stjørdalshalsen's trade role while reducing railway revenue as the steamships continued to run on the route, thus reducing the line's profitability. Stjørdalselva Bridge was opened in 1902 when the Hell–Sunnan Line opened to Stjørdal.Hoås and Stene (2005): 4
Blasting commenced during a ceremony in 1875, although regular construction work on the line did not commence until the following year. The immediate line into Trondheim was the last to start, in 1878, following disagreements about the plans. By then of track was laid from Leangen Station to the border between the municipalities of Nedre Stjørdal Municipality and Øvre Stjørdal Municipality. The first train ran from Rotvoll Station, just outside Trondheim, to the international border on 27 August 1879. Starting on 11 February 1880, a weekly train service was operated, and regular revenue services began on 17 October 1881, although the line was not yet completed to Östersund.
In Trondheim, the existing railway station for the Trondhjem–Støren Line was built as a cul-de-sac station at Kalvskinnet. This could not serve the Meråker Line and the station was thus moved to Brattøra, an artificial peninsula immediately north of the city center. Thus the station became located next to the new port facility. With the construction of the Røros Line, it was decided to connect both lines to the same station. The new station cost was 1.4 million kroner. Trondheim Station did not open until 1882.
The work paid well and attracted many navvies to the area. Initial wages were 3.20 kroner per day, though this later was reduced. Two and a half thousand men were employed, with fewer jobs being offered than there were applicants. The landowners were compensated 50–200 kroner per hectare (NOK 20–80 per acre) for cultivated land and 10 kroner per hectare (NOK 4 per acre) for forest. Many local farmers made good money offering cargo transport for the construction and renting out annexes for navvies; others made money as traders. As with all such construction areas, many legal and illegal pubs and brothels were established. After construction, some moved on, while others settled in the area; many received jobs with the railway company.Røe (1982): 19–28
The official opening occurred on 22 July 1882 by King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway. This was during the height of the debate on parliamentarianism. The king's right to veto the Parliament of Norway, and the king used the opening ceremonies and speeches at each station to encourage people to support the union between Sweden and Norway and pointed out how the railway would better connect the "brother nations." In contrast, in Hegra no one from the municipal council chose to attend the opening ceremony, and no one from Nedre Stjørdal attended the opening at Hell either.
The first years By 1880 the railway had six locomotives at its disposal. No. 1–2 were Class 14 that were intended as helping power to get trains up the steep climb from Gudå to Storlien. No. 3–6 were Class 9 locomotives that would do the main haulage from Gudå into Trondheim. In 1883, NSB's other two Class 14 locomotives were transferred from the Smaalenene Line. The initial fleet consisted of 24 passenger and nine breaking cars, all from Skabo. The line featured the country's first bogie cars, with a single entrance at the end of each car, instead of individual doors for each compartment. There were also 37 closed freight cars, 40 lumber cars, 20 boxcars, 100 flatcars and three milk cars. At first all trains were mixed freight and passenger.
In addition to the trains heading for Sweden, there was also a commuter train that ran first from Hommelvik Station, then from Hegra Station, into Trondheim in the morning, and returning after work in the evening. Since there was no depot at Hegra, the locomotive had to return without cars to Hommelvik for the nightly overhaul. The route from Trondheim to Stockholm initially took 57 hours. By 1904, this was reduced to 26 hours, mostly due to reducing the layover between trains.
The Røros Line was connected to the station at Brattøra on 24 June 1884, allowing Marienborg to be us as a common maintenance depot for both lines. The Meråker Line's locomotives were then renumbered at 51 to keep them distinguished from the Røros Line's. The Meråker Line was assigned two Class 8 locomotives in the same year. From 1896, Class 15 locomotives were used, and two years later, supplemented by the Class 17.