In 1868 the railway from Drammen via Hokksund, Vikersund and Hønefoss to Randsfjord was completed. The railway connected the city of Drammen with two lakes, Randsfjorden and Sperillen, where there were connections with steamboats on the lakes. The railway was built as a narrow gauge. The gauge was 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm). The locomotives for the railway were small, and all of them were built by Beyer, Peacock & Co in Manchester. The railway to Krøderen was built as a branch line, and opened in 1872, and was built with the same gauge as the line to Randsfjord. An intermediate station was built at Snarum. Thera were also established intermediate halts at Hære, Sysle, Morud and Kløftefoss. Krøderen station is located in the south end of the lake Krøderen, and there was connection with steamboats on the lake. The steamboats sailed on the lake to Noresund and Gulsvik.
At the same time there were built a railway line from Hokksund to Kongsberg and a line from Drammen to Christiania (Oslo). Both lines were built with 3 ft 6 in gauge. From the autumn 1872 two trains ran between Christiania (Oslo) and Randsfjord every day. Passengers to and from Krøderen had to change train at Vikersund. Passengers to the valley Hallingdalen travelled by the steamboat to Gulsvik in the northern end of Krøderen.
Connection to Bergen
During the 19th Century plans were made to build a railway line between Christiania (Oslo) and Bergen. Plans were made to extend the railway line from Krøderen through Hallingdal valley. Instead the Oslo-Bergen route was built from Gulsvik via Hønefoss and Roa to Oslo East station. The railway line from Bergen cross the mountains and to Gulsvik was ready to open in the summer of 1908. The line between Gulsvik via Hønefoss and Roa was not ready yet. The building of the Haversting Tunnel was difficult.
The passengers had to travel by steamboat on Krøderen. An other steamboat was transfered to Krøderen, and direct trains ran between Krøderen station and Oslo the summers of 1908 and 1909. Direct trains ran between Bergen and Gulsvik. In the winters the lake was frozen, and there was no steamboat service on the lake. The railway line to Bergen was built as a standard gauge railway, 4 ft 8 ½ in (1435 mm), and was completed in November 1909. At the same year the Drammen-Randsfjord railway and the branches to Krøderen and Kongsberg were converted to standard gauge.
Engine No. 236 outside the engine shed at Krøderen station
Standard gauge
When the railway line between Oslo and Bergen was completed, the line to Krøderen and the steamboats lost most of the passenger traffic. Passengers to and from the valley Hallingdalen could travel by train all the way to Oslo and Drammen. The steamboat service ceased in 1926. Still the Krøderen Railway had freight traffic. Timber trains ran from Krøderen. Two mixed trains carrying passengers and goods ran between Vikersund and Krøderen every day.
In 1948 small diesel railbuses class 87 were put into service on the railway, and several new halts were established. In 1950 six trains ran on the line in each direction daily. Unfortunately the railway line was built in the cheapest way, and the railbuses had to run at a low maximum speed. The road buses could run faster and were cheaper. Even the Norwegian State Railways operated a bus line on the road parallell to the railway line. In spite of protest from residents in the area the passenger service on the railway line ceased in January 1958. The railway to Krøderen was built with light rails and had a low axle load limit. This meant that freight wagons on the railway could not be fully loaded. In 1967 there was built a new road, and it was cheaper to transport timber with lorries than trains. The freght traffic declined, and was ceased in 1985.
Museum
In the meantime the Norwegian Railway Club had preserved steam locomotives, passenger coaches and freight wagons. The line to Krøderen was preserved as a museum railway, and the railway is now operated by volunteers. Every Sunday you can travel on the train. The railway has an unique collection og teak-bodied passenger coaches, the oldest of them was built in 1890. The maximum speed on the Krøderen Railway is 30 km/h, and the journey takes one hour each way. The Krøderen Railway has also preserved some diesel railbuses class 87 and class 91. A diesel railcar set runs every Sunday in July and August. The Krøderen Railway can be reached by train from Oslo to Vikersund (trains to and from Bergen).
Steam Engines
The museum railway has two operational steam engines. No. 236, class 24b and No. 225 class 21b.
This engine, class 24b, was built by Thune in Oslo in 1912. She is designed to haul freght trains. She has a maximum speed of 45 km/h.
This engine was built by Thune in 1911. Class 21 was very successful, and was designed to haul light trains. The maximum speed was 70 km/h. Both engines were in service on the Norwegian State Railways to 1970-71.
A teak bodied passenger coach at Krøderen station. Note the doors on the middle. This coach has a wheelchair lift on each side and a toilet with wheelchair access. The coach also has a 2nd and a 3rd class compartment.
The museum railway also has a small steam engine. This engine, class 7 No. 11, was built by Manning Wardle & Co in Leeds in 1891. The engine was a shunting engine on Oslo East station. At the moment she is undergoing major maintenance work.
The down steam train to Vikersund leaves Snarum.
Once a year a special evening train is run between Krøderen and Snarum. The train has no electric lights at all, only petrol lamps. Here is engine No. 225 with the special evening train at Snarum.
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