Meråker Line

The Meråker Line (Norwegian: Meråkerbanen [ˈmeːroːkərˌbɑːnən]) is a 72-kilometer (45 mi) railway line which runs through the district and valley of Stjørdalen in Trøndelag county, Norway. The line branches off from the Nordland Line at Hell Station and runs eastwards to the Norway–Sweden border, with Storlien Station acting as the border station. From there, the line continues as the Central Line. Traditionally, the Meråker Line was regarded as the whole line from Trondheim Central Station to the border, a distance of 102 kilometers (63 mi). There are two daily passenger train services operated by SJ Norge and a limited number of freight trains hauling lumber and wood chippings.

As of 2024, the line is currently being upgraded, including electrification and centralized traffic control, which is due to be complete in December 2025.

The Meråker Line is defined as the section between Hell and the Norway–Sweden border at Storlien. Until 2008, it was regarded as the entire section from Trondheim Central Station to Storlien. The line was initially 102.23 kilometers (63.52 mi) to the border, or 105.97 kilometers (65.85 mi) to Storlien Station. With the new definition, the line is 70.69 kilometers (43.92 mi). The national border is 655.10 kilometers (407.06 mi) from Oslo Central Station and 751.67 kilometers (467.07 mi) from Stockholm Central Station. At Leangen Station the Stavne–Leangen Line branches off and provides a bypass through Trondheim. At Hell the Nordland Line continues northwards. From Storlien the line continues as the Centre Line via Östersund to Sundsvall.

The line largely follows the coast of the Trondheimsfjord from Trondheim until reaching Hell. From there the line heads inland through the valley of Stjørdalen, initially following the river of Stjørdalselva. The line runs predominantly due east from Trondheim, passing through the current municipalities of Trondheim, Malvik, Stjørdal and Meråker. With the new definition, it only passes through the latter two and is entirely located within Trøndelag county. From Trondheim to Hell, the line runs just above sea level, except past Leangen Station, where the line hits 34-meter (112 ft) above mean sea level. From Hegra Station there is again a slight rise. The 72 kilometers (45 mi) from Trondheim to Gudå Station remain fairly flat. From there, the line enters a steep climb, passing Meråker Station at an elevation of 220 meters (720 ft) above mean sea level and Kopperå Station at 329 meters (1,079 ft). Storlien is located at 593 meters (1,946 ft) above sea level. The Meråker Line is not electrified and lacks centralized traffic control, but is equipped with GSM-R. The standard gauge railway is owned and operated by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.

Proposals for a railway were first made in 1870. Routes via Verdal Municipality and Røros Municipality were soon discarded, and the Meråker Line was approved on 5 June 1873. The first revenue services ran in 1879, and the line was officially opened on 22 July 1882. The line boosted the local economy, allowing for same-day transport of produce to Trondheim. The line has been upgraded several times to increase the axle load. During World War II, the line was the scene of both the Hommelvik train collision and the Meråker train derailment. Steam trains were in use until 1971, following the introduction of diesel locomotives in 1961. From 1900 to 2005, Meraker Smelteverk was a significant customer, using the line to haul carbide, and later microsilica, from their mill at Kopperå to the port at Muruvik.

Since the Middle Ages, both the Stjørdalen and Verdal valleys were important trade routes connecting Trøndelag and Jämtland. In particular, Levanger grew into an important trading town for Jämtland farmers, who would travel across the Verdal Mountains. The first public discussion of a railway was launched in Levanger in 1858; the initiative was pushed by Jämtland's governor Thome, who proposed a line via Verdal to Levanger. At the time, the Trondhjem–Støren Line was about to be built, and the commercial interests in Trondheim were more concerned with a southward connection along what would become the Røros Line to Oslo. An 1869 meeting in Sundsvall, Sweden, had proposed three routes for the line: via Verdal, via Meråker or as a branch from Røros.

A road up Stjørdalen was built during the 1850s, connecting at Stjørdalshalsen to a steam ship service to Trondheim. A concern in Sweden was that Bottenviken could freeze up and that the Trondheimsfjord offered an ice-free alternative for export of timber. Trade from Norway to Sweden was limited, mostly due to the limited infrastructure. Norwegian trades argued that a railway would allow for the export of Norwegian fish to Sweden.

A committee was appointed in 1870 to consider the railway, and was followed by on-site investigations to determine the railway's route. Similar investigations were carried out in Sweden. For the Norwegian side, costs were estimated to be at 4.7 million Norwegian kroner. Until 1875, Norway used the specidaler. Surveys along the Verdal route deemed it unsuitable. These studies presumed a narrow gauge (1,067 millimetres or 42.0 inches) railway, common in Norway at the time. Operating profits were estimated to give a 4.5 percent return on capital. Shares in the railway company were offered for sale in 1871; the largest purchaser was Trondheim Municipality, who bought shares for 1.2 million kroner. In Trondheim alone, private investors bought an additional 3.6 million kroner in shares.