Arendal Line

58°34′21.18″N 8°44′32.53″E / 58.5725500°N 8.7423694°E / 58.5725500; 8.7423694

The Arendal Line (Norwegian: Arendalsbanen) is a 45-kilometer (28 mi) long railway line between Arendal and Simonstad in Norway. At Nelaug, 37 kilometers (23 mi) north of Arendal, the line intersects with the Sørland Line. The southern section is electrified and provides a feeder passenger service. The line originally ran 90 kilometers (56 mi) north from Arendal to Treungen and the lake Nisser, but the upper-most part has been removed. The line is owned by the Bane NOR and operated by Go-Ahead Norge using Class 69 trains.

Originally named the Arendal–Åmli Line, the first part of the line, from Arendal to Froland, opened on 23 November 1908. The line was extended to Åmli on 17 December 1910 and to Treungen on 14 December 1913, and was named the Arendal–Treungen Line. The line also had a branch, the Grimstad Line built 1907, from Rise to Grimstad. At this time this was the only railway at any of its stations, as the Sørland Line was not built in this region yet. Originally the line was 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge; in 1935, the Sørland Line was extended to Nelaug, and the section to Arendal rebuilt to standard gauge to allow the Sørland Line to have a temporary terminus in Arendal. The line became a branch again in 1938 and in 1946 the upper section, received standard gauge. The southern section was gradually named the Arendal Line, while the northern section became the Treungen Line. The latter was closed in 1967, following the closing of a mine which had used it for iron ore and a reduction in lumber transport. The section south of Nelaug was electrified in 1995.