Hjuksebø train collision

Hjuksebø train disaster
Details
Date15 November 1950 (1950-11-15)
10:50
Location3 km south of Hjuksebø station
93 km (58 mi) SW from Oslo
Coordinates59°28′07″N 9°19′51″E / 59.46861°N 9.33083°E / 59.46861; 9.33083
CountryNorway
LineSørlandet Line
Incident typeCollision
CauseRunaway freight wagons
Statistics
Trains2
Passengers19
Deaths14

The Hjuksebø train disaster occurred on the Sørlandet Line between Hjuksebø and Holtsås, Telemark, Norway on 15 November 1950. The Kristiansand-to-Oslo express had been due to pass through Hjuksebø, but was delayed, and the shunter believed he had time to turn a waiting freight-train around before it arrived, by shunting a number of freight cars out of the way. As he had failed to attach them to the engine, however, the cars ran downhill towards Holtsås station, straight into the express, killing fourteen. At the time, it was Norway's worst peacetime railway accident.