The world's northernmost train

After 14:e juli-breen, we crossed the bay Kungsfjorden to:

Ny-Ålesund

In the very small (25 persons living there year round, about 10 times that many scientists working there in the summer) community Ny-Ålesund, on the island Spitsbergen in the archipelago Svalbard situated in the Arctic Sea between the North Pole, Greenland, northern Scandinavia and Novaja Zemlja, the world's northernmost train is to be found.

I visited there the summer of 1995.

It not operational, but a preserved mining train used to haul coal from one of the several coal mines on Spitsbergen, a few kilometers to the harbour at Ny-Ålesund, which also happens to be the world's northernmost settlement.

The preserved engine is number 2, built in 1909.

Apart from the train, the other main sight is the airship mooring mast used for the attempt to reach the North Pole.

The fenced off areas used for scientific research (very convenient to have undisturbed nature just outside the door from the research buildings) are also very visibile, as well as the mountains. The coal mine itself doesn't show well from the village, but it's not far off.

Another sign of the scientific use of Ny-Ålesund is a satellite antenna installation.

Roland Bol, , has supplied this information about the engines on Svalbard:

nr type name   built by     year  bought from    year   scrapped
2   B  tyskern Borsig       1909  Salangsverket  1917     -
?   B  ?       Orenstein&K. 1911  Niedermeyer&G. 1917   1970
4  1C  Haddebo NOHAB        1875  NÖJ            1919   1934?
6  1'B Roxen   NOHAB        1885  NÖJ            1919   1934?
?   ?  ?       Maschinenbau 1911  ?              1918?  ?
	       Babelsberg
3 C Sten Sture Motala V.    1890  Vetlanda Jv    1945   1970

From front plus cars It is further said that the nr. 2 from Borsig was erected as a monument in Ny Ålesund, and that originally it was built for 80 cm track. The railway in Ny Ålesund was 90 cm. It might be that the people buying locos found the nr.2 by accident, as they passed Salangsverket on their way to Svalbard. It arrived on Svalbard on July 12. The Orenstein&Koppel was intended to be their first; it arrived on August 26 by the vessel Deneb.

Apparently 891mm was close enough. The question mark after 1934 means that it is not sure that 1934 was the exact year, but it is certain that they were scrapped.

The fifth engine's existence is not even sure.

The article also notes that some source said that Roxen was the first engine in Ny Ålesund (false), and that the first engine in Ny Ålesund is the one erected as a monument (true).

More engines were bought after 1945, but I listed Sten Sture, because it might interest you for its age and origin.

On to Blomstrandshalvøya

My Swedish railways page
My trip to Svalbard
Last modified 1995 Dec 22 by Urban Fredriksson

griffon@canit.se