History Of The Flam Railway
The need for the Flam Railway arose out of the necessity for a communication line between Sognefjorden and the main railway system. The decision and idea to build the Flam line emerged in the year 1908. A resolution for the same idea was passed in the year and then, by the year 1916, a formal route for the line had been fixed. The route that was decided upon was a challenging one, and hence, building and construction of the line took a very long time. It is noteworthy that eighteen out of the twenty tunnels found along the route were actually dug manually.
The construction for the railway began in the year 1923; however, the project took a long time and was finally finished in the year 1947. The line was occasionally used before it was completely finished.
The line was inaugurated in the year 1940, but was not used by passengers until the year 1941. Since this period happened to be the time of the Second World War, the line was not formally inaugurated until the end of the war, and was finally opened in the year 1980. In 1998 the administration and operation of the line was privatized to a municipality that is run under the official company. Ownership of the line belongs to the Norwegian National Rail Administration.
More About Traveling On The Flam Railway
The Flam Railway train is a first class train that makes for a comfortable, exciting holiday journey. The ride stretches along 12.4 miles and one can see steep ravines, cascading waterfalls, gushing rivers and awe-inspiring snow capped mountains along the route. The railway was recently renovated, and now the train is a bright forest green in colour, to complement the surroundings, with five engines and twelve carriages. The interiors are also new, coupled with a state of the art speaker system. The train is a day time only train, that functions throughout the year. Since it only runs during the day, there are no dining services available on the train.
Touring On The Flam Railway
The railway line is a popular tourist excursion for all those who visit Norway. The railway line boasts of one of the steepest gradients in the world. With contorting tunnels, a route that traverses from within the mountain and outside to a stunning view at all times, it is no wonder that the Flam Railway has become a recommended tourist activity. Numerous tours are organized on the Flam Railway, giving one a chance to explore the Arctic Circle region in a new way.