Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 35, 2010

The Romerike Tunnel (Romeriksporten) is a 14.580 km railway tunnel in Norway that connects Oslo with Lillestrøm. The longest railway tunnel in Norway, the tunnel forms the first half of the Gardermoen Line. It is double track and electrified, permitting speeds of 210 km/h. Construction started in 1994, with plans to open along with the rest of the Gardermoen Line and the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, on 8 October 1998. Due to a major leak from Lutvann and several other lakes, the tunnel could not open until 22 August 1999. The leakages increased the cost of the tunnel from NOK0.5 billion to NOK 1.8 billion. The main contractor was Scandinavian Rock Group. While the tunnel was originally owned by NSB Gardermobanen, it is now owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. The tunnel allows long-distance, regional and Flytoget Airport Express Trains to bypass the old Hoved Line, reducing travel time from 29 to 12 minutes.