Lier Line - Route

Route

The line was built with 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge, a minimum curve radius of 100 metres (330 ft) and a steepest gradient of 3.0 percent. It was the only line in Norway for which no blasting was done during construction. At the old Lier Station, located 24.5 meters (80 ft) above mean sea level (AMSL), the line connected with the Drammen Line and then ran 21.15 kilometers (13.14 mi) northwards up the Lier Valley. The line passed through stations at Landfald and Egge before reaching a branch line to the gravel pit at Egge. The line continued past Utengen and Sjåstad before crossing the wooden, 49-meter (161 ft) long Sjåstad Bridge. It then ran past Muggerud and ran along the 46-meter (151 ft) long viaduct across Sverregropen until passing Iledalen. A 0.80-kilometer (0.50 mi) branch line ran from Iledalen via a wooden 30-meter (98 ft) long bridge over Solbergelva to Tronstad Bruk. The main line continued across the wooden, 90-meter (300 ft) long bridge over the creek Solbergelva before reaching Sylling. This was the line's highest elevation, at 128.8 meters (423 ft) AMSL. Between there and Holsfjorden, a branch of the Tyrifjorden lake, the line was built with a zig-zag, so the train had to back 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) and then continue forward. At Svangstrand, located 65.0 meters (213.3 ft) AMSL there was connection with a steam ship.

The only track left after the demolishing was a short section at Lier Station, which remained until the station closed in 1973. The old Lier Station has been preserved. The section between Reenskaug, located a few hundred meters (yards) from Lier Station, to Landfald has become the suburban street Lijevegen. From Landfall to Egge, the right-of-way is an overgrown path. From Egge to Muggerud, the right-of-way is used as the street Banevegen. In 1993, the right-of-way from Muggerud to Rønningen was rebuilt as a hiking and riding path. The branch towards Tronstad Bruk has been converted to a street, although most of the right-of-way north of Rønning has disappeared, as it has been reclaimed as agricultural land, particularly north of Sylling. The station area at Svangstand in intact, with the station building looking just like it did in 1904. Other station buildings have been converted to homes or commercial buildings.