norwegian meter long double track railway tunnel runs norway located line tunnel built kilometer double track high speed segment located north station runs tunnel meters concrete planning tunnel started late 1990s railway interest groups advised building isolated segment upgraded track complete plan upgrading entire line construction started april new section tunnel opened november fourth segment upgraded specifications runs roughly north south hill north town center northern entrance located county road southern entrance located town center south tunnel lies station tunnel meters long meters bedrock meters concrete portal meters long constitutes southernmost kilometer long double track segment electrified signaling system kilometers hour mph serves emergency exit railway tunnel crosses meters twin tube tunnel county road tunnel single serves emergency exit line owned maintained history line opened narrow gauge railway later converted standard gauge electrified line retains poor capacity curves previous tunnel north meter long completed early 1990s work started increasing speed capacity reliability building shorter sections double track higher permitted speeds period little investment funding railways split series small segments planned individually sections combined length kilometers opened segment fourth section line upgraded later projects completed allow travel time oslo reduced minutes initial planning segment considered different initial route proposals analysis possible rights way south north considered september government presented proposal included segments line parliament passed plan february segment second line new passing loop proposed construction start november delayed plans following investment cuts second cabinet response minister transport stated considering financing project public private partnership paid tickets route time saving minutes trains heading north minutes saved changing direction trains run loop town passengers traveling southwards experience minute increase travel time plan isolated investment section criticized pro railway interest organizations including conservation nature norwegian state railways operates train service recommended place investments hold line planned called plans troublesome stated trains nearly time reliability gains investment authority instead built double track connection existing segment trains efficiently catch delays reaching long term plans line imply line need allow speed kilometers hour mph built trains need stop slow stations time construction plans route south estimates able allow high speeds new line built different right way entirely avoiding alternatively route feature slow speeds large local environment binding line run possible build high speed line stations serving population centers advised building segment instead recommended authorities wait entire line planned following appointment second cabinet government started working longer projects increased funding ahead project given minister transport march entire project estimated cost billion norwegian nok main civil engineering advisor project bids issued building main segment included tunnel kilometers joint venture contract awarded march lowest bid nok million nok million expensive joint venture structured built tunnel ground section construction project started march work tunnel started april blasting began construction ran center tunnel average speed meters week work casting concrete started september weeks starting january blasting performed occasion executed road closed safety reasons following public naming competition announced february tunnel known breakthrough tunnel achieved june second final breakthrough took place september construction proceeded injuries nearly complications resulted tonnes long tons short tons build ground section north tunnel concrete casting laid january laying track performed signaling installed installed overhead wire installed power supply telecommunications systems tunnel relay based signaling system scheduled replaced shortly weeks opening closed allow new old sections connected construction saw tracks south tunnel rearranged allow trains operate opposite direction loop work performed took man hours tunnel segment opened schedule november segment cost nok billion budget time opening double track laid tunnel station previously trains crossed passing loop closed train having wait competition new segment trains pass point allowing increased reliability signaling system installed time opening tunnel remained operated single track temporary signaling system allowed passing loop speed limited kilometers hour mph
Jarlsberg Tunnel