Roslagsbanan in the eighties.
A look back, part one.
Introduction
Here I have dug some of the very early railroad photos I have taking. These images goes back to the mid eighties and though it is not that long ago many of these scenes are gone forever or greatly rebuilt. Most of the rolling stock is also gone, in the 1990.s many of the preserving rail roads in the country who was running on same gauge of three swedish feet (891 mm) managed to salvage many of the passanger cars. During this time the rolling stock was indeed motley associatin from 1910 to 1960.s and you could never be quite sure on the consists either this and the rural surroundings outside the suburbania gave the line quite a lot of charm. I used to take a ride to Åkersberga and from there a bus to our family weekend cottage near Bergshamra.
Few shots of Stocksund in 1980.s This area is looking a way different today.The station is gone and the bridge is replaced by a new double tracked bridge in modern construction and the line dives in to a tunnel.
A bit of history of the line
The Roslagsbanan of today is made of the remains of a sizeable net work of narrow gauge lines of 891 mm gauge which was built from Djursholmsbanan, DjB (the first public electrical line in the world) and Stockholm-Rimbo RR. Later on the both lines merged with Uppsala-Lenna RR, ULJ, Lenna-Norrtälje RR (LNJ) and Dannemora-Harg RR, (DHJ) and these lines were reformed as formed Stockholm-Roslagen RR (SRJ). In 1951 the company was nationalized but unlike many other lines, they were operated as a subsidiary until the lines was fully merged in to SJ in 1959.
At one time the railroad offered express trains to Norrtälje where they connected to passenger ferries to Turku, Finland. But this service was discontinued as the line Rimbo Norrtälje was abandoned in 1969. The freight service on the system was also abandoned in sixties and the remaining line became a feeder line of suburban trains to Stockholm. Only exceptions was the Dannemora Harg line in north of the system where the freight services continued until the new standard gauge line between Hargshamn and Halllstavik was constructed. But today the trains from the paper plant in Hallstavik use the old right of way of the former narrow gauge line which has been in regauged in to standard gauge.
The mass transport authorities of county of Stockholm SL, purchased the lines south of Rimbo in 1972 and formed a new company for the operation of the line, Roslagsbanan, RB. While SJ dismantled the lines north of Rimbo with the exception the line from Uppsala to Faringe which is now a preserved rail line.
During the 1970s and 1980.s the future was bleak for the line. The motley roster was old and worn out and the lines were several times close to be abandoned. The line needed also a rebuilt to modern standards not only in terms of new rolling stock also in signalling and right of way which was to be expensive. There were plans of constructing the subway to Täby and abandon the line south of Täby. But after a public election it was decided to keep the lines and modernize it. New trains replaced the older ones, and to day the trains of X10p sets now run over the lines. The track age has been rebuilt and new double track bridge and new station has been built in Stocksund and another stretch of double track was constructed between Roslags Näsby-Galoppfältet.
After the take over RB has closed down the line from Kårsta to Rimbo and the former yard is now rebuilt with houses. Originally the plans were to close down the section between Lindholmen and Kårsta, but the public roads could not support busses. So the line was kept until the roads were upgraded. But the abandonment was never carried out as the county council reversed the plans and the line was upgraded and kept in use. The council also decided to rebuild the line to Rimbo which is not yet carried out. In early days RB also closed down the short branch to Eddavägen due lack of passengers.
SL operated the line untill 1998, when theoperation was handed over to private company named AB Linjebuss, which later become part of Connex. Since 7 Januay 2003 the line is opeared by Roslagståg AB.
The line today consists of 65 km and 39 stations and stops. The trais are operating in sets of three, power car, trailer car and a cab car. With 300 departures daily, it is perhaps the busiest narrow gauge line in Europe. The line carries in average 35 000 passengers daily.