Oulu–Kontiomäki railway

Oulu–Kontiomäki railway

Location of the railway line in Finland
Overview
Locale Finland
Termini Oulu
Kontiomäki
Stations 6
Operation
Opened 1926–1930
Owner Finnish Transport Agency
Operator(s) VR Group
Technical
Line length 166.1 km (103.2 mi)
Track gauge 1,524 mm (5 ft)
Electrification Overhead catenary, 2 × 25 kV
Operating speed 140 km/h (87 mph)
Route map
Legend
RHK, Finland
Oulu–Kontiomäki
Legend
north towards Tornio
166.1 Oulu
162.4 Oulu freight yard
south towards Seinäjoki
147.1 Pikkarala
130.5 Muhos
Muhos River (Bridge info)
108.4 Utajärvi
83.4 Nuojua (closed)
Oulu River (Bridge info)
74.2 Vaala
40.8 Kivesjärvi
17.3 Paltamo
Kiehimä's River (Bridge info)
13.9 Palta Oy (spur)
north towards Ämmänsaari
east towards Vartius
0.0 Kontiomäki
south towards Iisalmi
south-east towards Joensuu

Oulu–Kontiomäki railway is a railway line in Finland. The line is owned and maintained by the Finnish Rail Administration. It connects the city of Oulu to station at Kontiomäki, which is a junction of five railway lines in Paltamo municipality, approximately 26 kilometres (16 mi) north from the city of Kajaani. The line is single-tracked and electrified with a total length of 166.1 kilometres (103.2 mi). The traffic is controlled via centralized traffic control by the operator located in Oulu rail traffic control center at Oulu railway station. The line follows the south shore of Oulu River.

The electrification was taken in commercial service on December 1, 2006, the power was turned on on October 1, 2006. First commercial electric-powered trains ran on November 1, 2006. The maximum allowed speed is 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph) in passenger service, and 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in freight service. Passenger service speeds will be raised to 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph) once the necessary precautions regarding level crossing safety have been completed and approved.

Centralized traffic control was completed in 1998.

Traffic

Traffic consists of a mixture of passenger and freight trains. Most of the traffic is freight traffic originating at Kontiomäki, Uimaharju (on Joensuu–Kontiomäki line) and Vartius. The only operator is the national rail operator VR. There are eight daily passenger trains (four in each direction).

The line is most noted for the presence of heavy taconite unit trains. These trains originate in Kostomuksha, Russia, and terminate in Kokkola, Finland, where the ore is transloaded in to bulk ships. Previously taconite train also ran to Rautaruukki steel mill in Raahe, but this traffic ceased early in 2007, when Rautaruukki decided to order the taconite from LKAB in Sweden.

History

The line was built in five sections over the course of four years. First segment to be taken in service was a line from Vuokatti to Paltamo via Kontiomäki in 1926. After this eastern segment was built, a line east from Oulu to Muhos was taken in service in 1927, followed by Muhos to Utajärvi in 1928, and Utajärvi to Vaala in 1929. The last segment, joining Vaala with Paltamo was completed in 1930.

On May 23, 1995, an avoiding line was taken in service at Kontiomäki. This enabled the traffic between Vartius and Oulu to bypass the Kontiomäki station, without the need to perform run-around moves at Kontiomäki yard.

Connections with other lines

Oulu–Kontiomäki line connects with Seinäjoki–Oulu main line (Pohjanmaan rata) and Oulu–Tornio main line at Oulu. At Kontiomäki the line connects with two main lines: Iisalmi–Kontiomäki and Joensuu–Kontiomäki, as well as with freight-only branch lines Kontiomäki–Vartius and Kontiomäki–Ämmänsaari.

Media related to Oulu–Kontiomäki railway at Wikimedia Commons

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