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 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
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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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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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?
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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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 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 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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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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Power lines follow the river (probably down from the station by Kjosfossen).
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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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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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Kjosfossen Waterfall, Free fall of 305 feet (93 meter).
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These did not stitch together well into a panoramic shot.
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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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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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As we climb up, we get to snowier areas in the mountains.
Note the cabins.
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That might be Reinungavatnet, the Reinunga Lake
that feeds the Kjosfossen.
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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.
2019 Norway pictures
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
This page last modified Jun 06, 2019.
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