In the landmark year of 1924 for Flåmsbana, construction started on the 20.2 km / 12 miles long railway. 20 tunnels were planned, 18 of which had to be carved out by hand. The tunnel work costs one of the navvies (workers) lifes a month. The tunnels totalled 5692 metres. The work force varied between 120 and 220 labourers, depending on the strength of the Norwegian economy. Passenger traffic was allowed starting 10 February 1941, after extra sets of engine-powered brakes were installed on three of the locomotives. The Ministry of Transportation decided to call the new railway line “Flåmsbana”. |