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The Flåm Railroad (Flåmsbana)

The Flåmsbana (Flåm Railroad) is a classic, old-style train with wooden cars that climbs up a steep grade (1:18) on normal tracks. It's the steepest train in the world using normal adhesion traction rail. The Flåm valley is incredibly scenic, with mountains, waterfalls, and more. The train takes about an hour to get to Myrdal.

Friday April 19, 2019

2019 Norway pictures
Part 1: To Bergen
Part 2: In Bergen
Part 3: Nordness area in Bergen
Part 4: Mt. Fløyen: Night
Part 5: Mt. Fløyen: Day
Part 6: Bergenhus Festning (Bergen Castle Fortress)
Part 7: Fjords: The Train to Voss
Part 8: Fjords: The Bus to Gudvangen
Part 9: Fjords: Gudvangen
Part 10: Sognefjord by Boat



Part 11: Flåm
Part 12: Brekkefossen Waterfall
Part 13: Flåmsbana: The Flåm Railroad
Part 14: Myrdal to Oslo by Train
Part 15: Exploring Oslo

Part 16: Oslo Palace and Park
Part 17: Oslo City Hall
Part 18: Oslo: A Night on the Opera (House)
Part 19: Oslo: Helsfyr District
Part 20: Oslo, Solo
Part 21: The Trip Home

Displaying all 91 pictures


The Flåm Valley

The Flåmsbana train is an old and wooden and looks like what I think a train should look like. Kind of like Murder on the Orient Express without the murder. It goes through some very scenic areas.

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The Flåmsbana train.

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More train.

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Still more trian (these didn't stitch together well).

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Inside the train. Stephanie is heads-down doing some calcuating or reading.

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A traditional wooden train with a traditional display monitor.

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The Flåm valley and a waterfall. There are a tons of waterfalls.

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The Flåm River (Flåmselvi) and a waterfall in the distance.

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The Flåm church (kykje) is near the right side of the bridge.

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Another view of the Flåm valley with the Flåm church, built in 1670.

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Looking north towards Flåm and the Aurlandsfjord.

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More waterfalls from the Flåmsbana!

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Same waterfall, just without the trees in front.

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The Flåmsdalsvegen road with mountains in the distance.

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What's going on in the other car. Or is just a reflection?

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More waterfalls!


Berekvam—The Halfway Point

Berekvam is about halfway between Flåm and Myrdal. It's the only place where there are two tracks, so the only place the two trains can pass each other, one going up the mountain, the other coming down. We stopped on the loop away from the station and then stopped and waited for the other train (going downhill) to pass us. I had some time to take some panoramic pictures and we could stick our heads out the window.

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Approximately: "Berekvam is a twin track station. There's a short wait for...(more)

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The Berekvam stop. Or for us the passing loop to just beyond the station.

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Houses near Berekvam.

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Information is Power!

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Stephanie looking back from the left side of the train.

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Looking back (north) from the right side of of the train with the twin tracks.

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Looking forward (south) from the right side of the train.

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Stephanie checking out the conductor as he walks to the front of the train.

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The back of the train at the Berekvam stop.

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The conductor heading to the front of the train.

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Stephanie enjoys the Scandenavian sun.

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The conductor's at the front of the train, another one is about to step out.

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Our conductor is there to let the northbound train know it's safe to proceed.

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The northbound train gets closer to us.

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The northbound train about to shift tracks to our right and not hit us.

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Just like two trains that pass in the night...but it's day.

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The northbound train to Flåm passing us on the other track.

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Looking at the Flåm valley.

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The conductor watches the other train pass us so we can continue uphill.


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Panoramic picture looking out from one side of the train to the other. I was...(more)



Onward and Upward

After Berekvam, the train gets into more mountainous terrain.

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Going through somewhat narrow paths in the mountains. Also, another waterfall.

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Looking down at the Flåmselvi I think.

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Power lines follow the river (probably down from the station by Kjosfossen).

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A creek than feeds the Flåmselvi maybe?

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History of the Flåmsbana.

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Snow-capped mountains and a valley below, the view from midway up.

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Going through the Nåli Tunnel, the longest one at 1.340 m.

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Myrdalsberget, part of the Rallar road, climbing up Myrdal mountain with 21...(more)

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The Rallar road with its crazy 21 switchbacks.

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Pinnali is a hill near Myrdal. Rallar road is in the distance.


Kjosfossen Waterfall

Water from the Reinunga Lake (Reinungavatnet) flows down in a river that connects to the Flåm river (Flåmselvi). The water goes through a water tunnel at a hydroelectric power station. The train stops at the Kjos Waterfall for 5 minutes or so to let people get out and take pictures of the Kjosfossen.

While there was still some snow remaining in the area, there wasn't that much water flowing. It might be too early or too late in the season for that. There also wasn't any music or dancing troll-women by the falls (because the weren't really falls to dance in front of). Note that these are the sexy-dangerous, human Hudrefolk kind, as opposed to the huge, smash-you-dangerous jötunn kind.

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We're here at Kjosfossen.

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Kjosfossen Waterfall, Free fall of 305 feet (93 meter).

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Kjosfossen Waterfall.

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These did not stitch together well into a panoramic shot.

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The falls aren't roaring today.

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Houses above the rim of the Kjosfossen Waterfall.


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Panoramic shot at the Kjosfossen top. The waterfall was behind me. This is a...(more)



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I tried to take a vertical panoramic shot, and it kind of did and didn't work...(more)



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This was the mountain on the opposite side of the Kjos waterfall (looking to...(more)


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Back on the train, the conductor has just signaled everyone is on board and is...(more)


Up the Mountain to Myrdal

The last few stops wind through tunnels in the mountains, sometimes poppoing out for a bit for a scenic view and sometimes passing through "windows" in the tunnel. The last few stations had quite a bit of snow around.

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The Vatnahalsen Tunnel with some "windows" to see the valley.

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Vatnahalsen Tunnel and the Flåm valley.

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Vatnahalsen Tunnel and the Flåm valley.

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Slower shot with Vatnahalsen Tunnel action blur!

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More tunnel action blur.

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Open train tracks before the next tunnel (Bakli Tunnel maybe).

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Reinunga Station is next. Just east of it is Reinunga Lake which feeds the...(more)

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The modest Reinunga Station. Note: shorts and skis.

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As we climb up, we get to snowier areas in the mountains. Note the cabins.

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Up in the mountains now.

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Looking back on the Reinunga Station.

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There's a person in the center of this picture.

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Winding our way up to Myrdal in the mountains.

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Looking back at the Reinunga Station.

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That might be Reinungavatnet, the Reinunga Lake that feeds the Kjosfossen.

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Information on the area.

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The Vatnahalsen Station. The last stop before Myrdal.

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Bye-bye Vatnahalsen. The conductor is climbing abord the train.

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A vacation house with a hell of a patio.

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Next stop, Myrdal!




2019 Norway pictures
Part 1: To Bergen
Part 2: In Bergen
Part 3: Nordness area in Bergen
Part 4: Mt. Fløyen: Night
Part 5: Mt. Fløyen: Day
Part 6: Bergenhus Festning (Bergen Castle Fortress)
Part 7: Fjords: The Train to Voss
Part 8: Fjords: The Bus to Gudvangen
Part 9: Fjords: Gudvangen
Part 10: Sognefjord by Boat



Part 11: Flåm
Part 12: Brekkefossen Waterfall
Part 13: Flåmsbana: The Flåm Railroad
Part 14: Myrdal to Oslo by Train
Part 15: Exploring Oslo

Part 16: Oslo Palace and Park
Part 17: Oslo City Hall
Part 18: Oslo: A Night on the Opera (House)
Part 19: Oslo: Helsfyr District
Part 20: Oslo, Solo
Part 21: The Trip Home


This page last modified Jun 06, 2019.
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