In 1912 Sam Eyde and Kristian Birkeland opened a fertiliser plant in Rjukan through their company "Norsk Hydro-Elektrisk Kvælstofaktieselskab", later known as Norsk Hydro. To transport the synthetic fertilisers to the quay in Skien for shipping, the products where first sent on the Rjukan Line to Mæl. Then by train ferry across Lake Tinn and further on the Tinnoset Line to Notodden. Finally the fertilisers were transported on barges along the Telemark Canal through a series of locks.
Efficiency Requirements
In 1916 Eyde and Birkeland decided to open Rjukan II, the second construction phase of their fertiliser plant in Rjukan. This required a more efficient transportation system. The Parliament therefore made an urgent decision to construct a railway line between Nordagutu and Eikonrød in Skien on 25 July 1913, which became the Bratsberg Line. Five years earlier it was already decided to connect the isolated Rjukan Line to the national railway network by building a line between Notodden and Hjuksebø. Despite the line to Eikonrød was completed on 4 December 1916, the grand opening was not until 9 February 1920. On 1 July the Tinnoset Line became a part of the Bratsberg Line, and on 1 July 1923, the part between Porsgrunn and Skien was included as well.
New terminal station
On 1 July 1955 the ownership of the Bratsberg Line was transferred to the Norwegian State Railways (NSB). When they decided to terminate the passenger traffic in the autumn of 2000, the private company "Timetoget Bratsbergbanen AS" took over by using diesel railcars. When they closed down next year, NSB was once again operating on the Bratsberg Line. They continued to use the same railcars even thought the line was electrified. An 800-metre track was opened to Notodden bus terminal in 2004, which became the new terminal station. Same year, the stations Hoppestad, Valebø, Dalsvatn, Holtsås, Hjuksebø, Trykkerud, Tveitan, Tinnegrend and Notodden was closed down. The siding to the bus terminal was later electrified, and in 2020 only electric passenger trains were operating on the Bratsberg Line. Today the Bratsberg Line is defined as the 46-kilometre part between Porsgrunn and Nordagutu.
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