Brevik Line
The Brevik Line () is a railway which runs from Eidanger to Brevik in Porsgrunn, Norway. The single track and electrified branch line of the Vestfold Line is exclusively used for freight traffic to Norcem Brevik hauled by CargoNet. First proposed in 1875, the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) started construction in 1892, allowing the railway to be officially opened on 15 October 1895. An early important service was correspondence with a train from Oslo to a coastal ferry, as it was the closest line to Agder until 1927. The Brevik Line was originally built as a narrow gauge railway, but was converted to standard gauge in 1921 and electrified in 1949. From the opening until 1964 the line saw between ten and nineteen daily round trips with a commuter train to Skien. All passenger transport was terminated in 1968. Route The Brevik Line branches from the Vestfold Line at Eidanger Station and runs for to Brevik Station, making it located entirely within Porsgrunn. The railway is single track, standard gauge and electrified at , but lacks centralized traffic control, automatic train control, and GSM-R. Excluding spurs, the line has eighteen bridges and eleven level crossings. It reaches a maximum elevation of above mean sea level and a minimum of . The line is owned and maintained by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. The only regular traffic on the line is the hauling of limestone for Norcem Brevik. Operated by CargoNet, the trains run to the limestone mine in Porsgrunn. The Brevik Line branches from the Vestfold Line at the now disused Eidanger Station, which is located from Oslo. The Brevik Line is connected to Eidanger Station from the east side, so trains running to Porsgrunn and Skien can run through, while trains continuing on the Vestfold Line must switch direction. The line passes a halt at Prestealléen ( from Eidanger) before reaching Nystrand Station (). The station served a popular recreational area and generated a lot of the holiday and weekend traffic on the line. After passing a halt at Mule () the line reaches Skjelsvik Station (). Southwards the line runs a relatively straight section, passing a halt at Valen () before reaching Heistad Station (). There was a spur to Heistad Fabrikker. South of Heistad the line branches, with a spur running to the Grenland Terminal. This section includes a tunnel. The main line continues past a halt at Ørvik () before reaching Norcem Brevik. South of this point the railway has been demolished. There was a spur to the factory. The line formerly continued past Dalen Station () through the Trosvik Tunnel before terminating at Brevik Station (). In Brevik there was a spur which ran down to the port. History Planning The first public meeting for planning a railway in the Grenland region was conducted on 19 January 1874. At a second meeting on 28 January a planning committee was appointed, with representatives from the various municipalities in the area. It proposed three alternative routes for