Recent from talks
Lysekil Line
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Lysekil Line
The Lysekil Line (Swedish: Lysekilsbanan) is a branch railway of the Bohus Line, connecting Smedberg and Lysekil in the Swedish province of Bohuslän. Opened in 1913, it is today a single-track, electrified standard gauge line 35 kilometres (22 mi) long. Most of it is located within the Stångenäset Hundred, closely paralleling county road 162.
Because of the hilly terrain it passes through, it has the steepest grades of any Swedish rail line, up to 2.5% in some sections. This was a result of a decision to save money on explosives during construction. Originally, it was a major freight line for the ports on the western coast along the Skagerrak; although those grades limited the amount of freight it could carry.[citation needed]
Regular passenger service ended in 1983, by which time the road and ferry network along the coast had made it much easier to get to Gothenburg by automobile. Thereafter the line was open only during the summer months, primarily carrying vacationers to Lysekil. That service was stopped entirely in 2015, although the track is still maintained for possible future use.[citation needed]
The line diverges from the Bohus Line at a level crossing 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northwest of Munkedal amid a generally level rural landscape of fields, farms and woodlots. It curves to the south and then almost as soon back to the west-northwest, north of Håby. Over the next 2 kilometres (1.2 mi), it gradually runs more westward and then turns south, crossing under county road 165 and the E6 motorway, and descending, 36 metres (118 ft) from Smedberg to its lowest point outside Lysekil, a stream crossing near Gläborg at 2 metres (6 ft 7 in).
Soon it assumes a southwesterly course in close parallel with county road 162, climbing again to almost 40 metres (130 ft). Curving gently between fields and hills roughly 300 metres (980 ft) west of the road, after 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) it runs immediately adjacent to the road through a narrow gap between hills, after which it crosses underneath the highway, paralleling it on its east to the station at Hallinden, currently used as a park and ride, but with a platform providing access to trains.
South of Hallinden the road and rail both begin a straight course due southwest. The tracks are for most of this stretch immediately adjacent, never more than 100 metres (330 ft) from the 162 road, descending through hillier terrain. At Brodalen, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Hallinden, the site of a former station, the two veer slightly southward, with some slight curvature.
After approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi), climbing steadily again, just north of Brastad, tracks and road turn southeast into the village, the largest community the line passes through between its termini. It again diverges slightly from the road to another station and platform here, although it too is primarily used as a bus stop. South of Brastad, the road and tracks are again parallel and adjacent, going up more dips and rises in the terrain as they turn further to the south for a kilometer, then bending southwest for another.
At Gåseberg, the Lysekil Line makes its greatest divergence from 162 since the two became closely aligned, bending to the east through a narrow gap between hills almost 400 metres (1,300 ft) east of the highway. At 50 metres (160 ft) above sea level this is the highest point on the line. Both curve to the southwest again and a kilometer to the south, at Häggvall, the road and track are again adjacent to each other. Within a kilometre, however, they separate again, with 200 metres (660 ft) between them for another kilometre as both go over some more rolling terrain, reaching almost 34 metres (112 ft) this time. By the time they both reach county road 161, they are together again.
Hub AI
Lysekil Line AI simulator
(@Lysekil Line_simulator)
Lysekil Line
The Lysekil Line (Swedish: Lysekilsbanan) is a branch railway of the Bohus Line, connecting Smedberg and Lysekil in the Swedish province of Bohuslän. Opened in 1913, it is today a single-track, electrified standard gauge line 35 kilometres (22 mi) long. Most of it is located within the Stångenäset Hundred, closely paralleling county road 162.
Because of the hilly terrain it passes through, it has the steepest grades of any Swedish rail line, up to 2.5% in some sections. This was a result of a decision to save money on explosives during construction. Originally, it was a major freight line for the ports on the western coast along the Skagerrak; although those grades limited the amount of freight it could carry.[citation needed]
Regular passenger service ended in 1983, by which time the road and ferry network along the coast had made it much easier to get to Gothenburg by automobile. Thereafter the line was open only during the summer months, primarily carrying vacationers to Lysekil. That service was stopped entirely in 2015, although the track is still maintained for possible future use.[citation needed]
The line diverges from the Bohus Line at a level crossing 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northwest of Munkedal amid a generally level rural landscape of fields, farms and woodlots. It curves to the south and then almost as soon back to the west-northwest, north of Håby. Over the next 2 kilometres (1.2 mi), it gradually runs more westward and then turns south, crossing under county road 165 and the E6 motorway, and descending, 36 metres (118 ft) from Smedberg to its lowest point outside Lysekil, a stream crossing near Gläborg at 2 metres (6 ft 7 in).
Soon it assumes a southwesterly course in close parallel with county road 162, climbing again to almost 40 metres (130 ft). Curving gently between fields and hills roughly 300 metres (980 ft) west of the road, after 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) it runs immediately adjacent to the road through a narrow gap between hills, after which it crosses underneath the highway, paralleling it on its east to the station at Hallinden, currently used as a park and ride, but with a platform providing access to trains.
South of Hallinden the road and rail both begin a straight course due southwest. The tracks are for most of this stretch immediately adjacent, never more than 100 metres (330 ft) from the 162 road, descending through hillier terrain. At Brodalen, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Hallinden, the site of a former station, the two veer slightly southward, with some slight curvature.
After approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi), climbing steadily again, just north of Brastad, tracks and road turn southeast into the village, the largest community the line passes through between its termini. It again diverges slightly from the road to another station and platform here, although it too is primarily used as a bus stop. South of Brastad, the road and tracks are again parallel and adjacent, going up more dips and rises in the terrain as they turn further to the south for a kilometer, then bending southwest for another.
At Gåseberg, the Lysekil Line makes its greatest divergence from 162 since the two became closely aligned, bending to the east through a narrow gap between hills almost 400 metres (1,300 ft) east of the highway. At 50 metres (160 ft) above sea level this is the highest point on the line. Both curve to the southwest again and a kilometer to the south, at Häggvall, the road and track are again adjacent to each other. Within a kilometre, however, they separate again, with 200 metres (660 ft) between them for another kilometre as both go over some more rolling terrain, reaching almost 34 metres (112 ft) this time. By the time they both reach county road 161, they are together again.
Recent media