Saturday, November 2, 2024

Oslo suburban electric railcar from the 1950s


A 600-car before the conversion to one-man service, seen in the mid-1970s on the Holmenkollbahn.


The HKB 600 series was a series of 12 suburban railway cars numbered 601-612 and delivered to the Holmenkollbahn in Oslo for use on the three lines over 1951-1956. They were manufactured at Skabo/NEBB. Each car had 40 seats and 120 standing places.  When Oslo was to host the Winter Olympics in 1952, more capacity was needed. Eight railcars with teak cladding were therefore ordered from Skabo, numbered 601-608. 

The type was therefore often called "Olympic cars". After the Olympics, the series was expanded by four more, numbered 609-612. By this time, all other suppliers of railway equipment had stopped using teak as cladding.

The carriages differed from the Holmenkollbahn's earlier cars by being built according to the flow-through principle. With a seated conductor, everyone had to go in the back and pay the conductor when passing. The exits were front and middle. In addition, they had ewer seats and more standing room than the older carriage types. This meant that they were not particularly popular.

Over 1981-1987 they were converted to one-man operation and with a new electrical system.

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