European Railroad Discussion > Finse:Two Westbounds within 13 Minutes

The train from Oslo due at 4:23 pm today(12/26) arrived at 4:40 pm Norway time. Departure was at 4:42:50 pm
Only one engine. Train was delayed at Haugastol for about 19 mins.  2 passengers detrained.

After the train departed I wondered why the green lights remained green. At 4:53 pm another passenger train with one
engine appeared. One passenger detrained and the train headed for Bergen at 4:56 pm. There were 07 cars in the consist.

I assume the bad weather conditions delayed the trains. Today's pictures of Finse in the late afternoon show snow being blown fiercely
by a  very strong wind. Definitely not a day to be outside a dwelling. The train engineers must find reduced visibility a challenge as they proceed. But at least NSB is trying to get people home.

I have never observed 2 passenger trains heading in the same direction so close previously at Finse so this was an interesting surprise. Here in Eastern Massachusetts
the sun is out, the sky is clear, and it is easy to drive a car.

 Could be an extra for heavy demand and to reposition equipment after the reduced holidays schedule.

darkcloud Wrote:
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>  Could be an extra for heavy demand and to
> reposition equipment after the reduced holidays
> schedule.

In most of the US, we could easily assume they were yesterday's train and today's train.

TAW

Was an extra scheduled for today, I noticed it in the lisitng of trains scheduled today when I checked yesterday afternoon.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

As this is CTC territory it is possible to run on the block off each train. There is a station within the finse tunnel so that  it is no problem to  follow each other

That storm has been going on for two days now. Today I saw a snow blower heading towards Bergen about 10 minutes ahead of the last passenger train today ! He was doing about 15mph and the snow blower was actually blowing the snow off the tracks which I have never seen there before. Love that web cam !!!


mp16 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The train from Oslo due at 4:23 pm today(12/26)
> arrived at 4:40 pm Norway time. Departure was at
> 4:42:50 pm
> Only one engine. Train was delayed at Haugastol
> for about 19 mins.  2 passengers detrained.
>
> After the train departed I wondered why the green
> lights remained green. At 4:53 pm another
> passenger train with one
> engine appeared. One passenger detrained and the
> train headed for Bergen at 4:56 pm. There were 07
> cars in the consist.
>
> I assume the bad weather conditions delayed the
> trains. Today's pictures of Finse in the late
> afternoon show snow being blown fiercely
> by a  very strong wind. Definitely not a day to
> be outside a dwelling. The train engineers must
> find reduced visibility a challenge as they
> proceed. But at least NSB is trying to get people
> home.
>
> I have never observed 2 passenger trains heading
> in the same direction so close previously at Finse
> so this was an interesting surprise. Here in
> Eastern Massachusetts
> the sun is out, the sky is clear, and it is easy
> to drive a car.

 Just happened to have a quick look at the webcam and just saw the snowblower heading towards Oslo...Those guys must be on OVER TIME ...:):):)

gaspeamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That storm has been going on for two days now.
> Today I saw a snow blower heading towards Bergen
> about 10 minutes ahead of the last passenger train
> today ! He was doing about 15mph and the snow
> blower was actually blowing the snow off the
> tracks which I have never seen there before. Love
> that web cam !!!
>
>
> mp16 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The train from Oslo due at 4:23 pm today(12/26)
> > arrived at 4:40 pm Norway time. Departure was
> at
> > 4:42:50 pm
> > Only one engine. Train was delayed at Haugastol
> > for about 19 mins.  2 passengers detrained.
> >
> > After the train departed I wondered why the
> green
> > lights remained green. At 4:53 pm another
> > passenger train with one
> > engine appeared. One passenger detrained and
> the
> > train headed for Bergen at 4:56 pm. There were
> 07
> > cars in the consist.
> >
> > I assume the bad weather conditions delayed the
> > trains. Today's pictures of Finse in the late
> > afternoon show snow being blown fiercely
> > by a  very strong wind. Definitely not a day
> to
> > be outside a dwelling. The train engineers must
> > find reduced visibility a challenge as they
> > proceed. But at least NSB is trying to get
> people
> > home.
> >
> > I have never observed 2 passenger trains
> heading
> > in the same direction so close previously at
> Finse
> > so this was an interesting surprise. Here in
> > Eastern Massachusetts
> > the sun is out, the sky is clear, and it is
> easy
> > to drive a car.

A Bergan bound freight went through about 2245 local and to see the snow billow off the motor's plow was amazing.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

Its appears the second train was operating on train 607's schedule, but a day late.  Train 607 operates from Ål to Bergen on Sundays only between the end of September and late April, and has a scheduled stop at Finse at 1648, or 25 minutes after train 601, the Oslo-Bergen train you referred to scheduled at 1623.  

The counterpart to train 607 is train 604 scheduled to operate on Fridays only between Bergen and Ål with a Finse stop at 1941.  

I wonder because yesterday (Sunday) was Christmas day if train 607 operated on Monday instead of its normal Sunday schedule?  

As info, Ål is a little over one hour east of Finse, and this area is full of cabins and winter retreats, so clearly trains 604 and 607 are scheduled to serve people who live in Bergen looking for a weekend getaway in the mountains.

The Christmas holidays extras appear to have been running the full Oslo-Bergen route.