European Railroad Discussion > Someone Asked About the Malmbanen..Big Time Railroading in Europe

The Ofotbanen and Malmbanen is big time railroading by any standard... Ore trains, big electrics, mountains, tunnels snowshed and a wild history make up this line that stretches from Kiruna, Sweden to Narvik, Norway.

This, my fifth trip, was no disappointment...Good weather, a multitude of trains with variety....

LKAB #134 meets #111 at the eastern snowshed at Bjornfjell, Norway September 5, 2018
LKAB #108 meets #129 at Vassijaure, Sweden September 1, 2018
LKAB #116 exits the tunnel at Djupvik, Norway September 1, 2018

What is great about shooting this railway is that crews are friendly, willing to share information, take an interest in why you are there, and are impressed that you show an interest in their railway...This includes engine crews, MOW, people and station agents.  There is no flipping the finger and doing everything possible to ruin your shot like we now experience in North America...

Next installment will include some of the new as well as short lived variety on the line..

In a cave, looking under rocks for trolls.
Yukon Yeti

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It certainly is a tremendous railway, one day I shall go back.

Definitely heavy railroading.  Not typical for Europe.
Thanks for posting these interesting photos.
ALLEN

Great shots, really interesting operation...keep 'em coming. Railroading as it should be, in terms of the human aspect!

Is this the same operation?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Ore_Line

Very far north. Narvik would have a lot of interesting history from WWII still in place.

You exactly correct... Wikipedia is a bit dated as the operations have changed with the addition of a new operation by Kaunis Iron. More than 2/3 of the ore coming out of Kiruna travels to Narvik....  You mention WWII.  The capture of Narvik was the primary reason Germany invaded Norway as it was the only ice free port available to the neutral Swedes.  (The Swedes were selling the iron ore to Germany.)  As one travels along Highway E10, several battle sites are noted along the route.  Bjornfjell, where the first shot of my series was taken, had quite a bit of military action..For a detailed narrative of this area  read "Hitler's Preemptive War" by Henrik Lunde.

In a cave, turning over rocks looking for trolls..

YY

Yukon you are so mean!!! :)
These post are "amazing" 
Just wondering if you got any shots of the "passenger trains" on the line?
I would like to know if you saw or know the consist of the night train from Oslo to Narvik?
This train is on my bucket list
Sorry for being a pest!
Thank you and for sharing and be safe...:):):)

Great to see your latest adventure in Europe.  Impressive railroading-glad the natives are friendly.  Yes, helpful folks-looking forward to more images while you're out of your cave.

I was joking about being "mean". You are so lucky to be over there !!! :):):)

Thanks for the pictures, YY.

"I would like to know if you saw or know the consist of the night train from Oslo to Narvik?"

There is no direct railway between Bodo and Narvik, Norway.  There was a passenger train on the Malmbanan between Narvik and Stockholm, Sweden.  In June there is no "night" up there.

Gerry

Great photos from the land of snow sheds and tunnels.
Thanks for sharing them with us.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

YY , you are da man, thanks for some great pics !!!

Dave