Bane NOR has completed the construction of new tracks at the Hove stabling facility, located near Lillehammer, which plays a central role in several company’s initiatives aimed at strengthening the railway and train services in the Innlandet region.
New tracks for parking up to 16 trainsets have now been constructed at Hove depot and as a result, the current train parking will be moved away from Lillehammer town centre. No passengers will board or alight at Hove, which is situated around 3 km north of Lillehammer centre, but the projects here still bring many positive benefits for both passenger and freight traffic.
By constructing the stabling facilities, Bane NOR avoids empty trains taking up space at stations or on other tracks. At the same time, this makes it easier to carry out interior cleaning and daily maintenance to keep the train sets in good condition.
At Hove stabling facility, eight tracks are being built, providing capacity for a total of 16 Flirt trains, which are used for regional services. The area will also be available for other rail vehicles. The works began in 2023 under the direction of main contractor Baneservice and are now nearing completion.
The project is progressing well, and the stabling facility is set to become fully operational in time for the timetable change in December this year, according to project manager Morten Berg-Solbakken at Bane NOR.
In the longer term, these new parking facilities are a necessary prerequisite for enabling more departures to and from Lillehammer and along the southern section of the Dovre Line. However, additional measures further south are needed for this to become a reality.
To the south of the new stabling area at Hove, a siding has also been established. The main purpose of this track is to allow freight trains up to 650 metres long to wait off the main line of the Dovre Line, enabling other traffic to pass unhindered.
The siding is intended both for delayed freight trains waiting without disrupting other services on the Dovre Line, and for trains serving the timber terminal. This is one of many initiatives aimed at shifting more freight to rail and improving the overall robustness of train operations.
Norway’s third-largest timber terminal is located at Hove, and Bane NOR is currently assessing opportunities to expand the terminal’s capacity.
Share on:
