The Ofoten Line
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The Ofoten Line, which connects Narvik to Sweden, is one of Norway's most scenic and remarkable routes, linking the Arctic region to the rest of Scandinavia. This particullary line is actually not connected to the rest of the Norwegian railroad system. The need for this railway started in the 1600s, when iron-rich ore fields were discovered in the north of Sweden, particularly in Kiruna. These fields are among the largest iron ore reserves in the world. However, shipping the ore from the Swedish wilderness was a challenge. Reindeer, horse and boats were used until the industrial revolution created a huge demand for iron in Europe. With the invention of the steam locomotive in the 1800s, the concept of a railway to Narvik began to take shape. Narvik's ice-free harbor, heated by the Gulf Stream, made it an ideal location for shipping, as the waters never freeze. Construction of the railway began in the late 1800s, led by an English company, and was completed and officially opened on July 14, 1903. The project was one of the most extreme engineering feats in Norwegian history, with workers facing harsh climates, the winter storms, and using only the tools that was available at the time. By 1923, the railway was electrified, and by the 1960s, it became the first in Norway to be fully automated, using some of the most powerful electric locomotives in the world.