Lidingöbanan train climing the hill at Torsvik. Photo by David Pirmann, October 2010.

Overview

The Lidingöbanan light rail line operates from the Red Line Tunnelbana (Metro) station at Ropsten easterly onto the island of Lidingo. This line is the only one of the four tram/light rail operations in Stockholm still consistently using "heritage" cars. While it has been proposed to replace these cars with modern trams like those used on the Tvärbanan line (Bombardier Flexity Swift models), the service on the Lidingöbanan is operated with Swedish-built motor/trailer sets built 1944-1952 and refurbished 1983-1988.

The line opened in 1914, and formerly ran further into downtown Stockholm, but the operation was cut back to Ropsten in 1967 concurrent with the drive-on-the-right cutover in Sweden and the withdrawal of nearly all of Stockholm's tram lines. An additional branch on the north side of the island of Lidingö was terminated in 1971, leaving only the operation from Ropsten to Gåshaga brygga on the south side of the island.

Just outside of Ropsten station is a drawbridge, formerly a two-track operation but now a single track and bicycle/pedestrian lane. The tram bridge is in the shadow of a much higher roadway bridge parallel. At the east end of the bridge, the junction between the south side and north side lines can still be seen. The north leg of the junction is used for the pedestrian/bicycle path.

A typical off-peak tram configuration would be one A30 or A30B car coupled to one B30 or B30B car. All of the cars are capable of bidirectional operation (i.e. without looping) but the B cars are non-motorized control trailers. A third A30/A30B car is added during peak times, in a motor-trailer-motor car configuration. The cars are cut and added at the "AGA" station, which is adjacent to the depot. Cars are added/cut to consists without removing the train from service. An offpeak service departing Ropsten with a two-car motor-trailer set might wind up at Gåshaga brygga with a third car attached! This is achieved with just a short delay at AGA station.

There have been discussions regarding extending the Tvärbanan and/or the Djurgården tram lines through the city to Ropsten, which would potentially allow a connection to the Lidingöbanan line. Also, the Metro tracks at Ropsten end with an eye toward extension across the Lidingöbanan bridge.

Route Map

Map of Lidingöbanan line from Wikipedia (Steven Strehl). (source and licensing - Creative Commons).

Photo Gallery

Five Random Images
Image 73680 (246k, 1044x701) Photo by: David Pirmann Location: Ropsten	Image 114150 (277k, 1044x701) Photo by: David Pirmann Location: Gåshaga brygga	Image 114154 (272k, 1044x701) Photo by: David Pirmann Location: AGA	Image 114162 (341k, 701x1044) Photo by: David Pirmann Location: Lidingöbron (Bridge)	Image 114166 (357k, 1044x701) Photo by: David Pirmann Location: Ropsten

Photos By Location

Photo locations: Ropsten, Lidingöbron (Bridge), Brongrenen, Torsvik, Baggeby, Bodal, Larsberg, AGA, Centralvägen, Skärsätra, Parkvägen, Kottla, Högberga, Brevik, Käppala, Talludden, Gåshaga, Gåshaga brygga

Links

English Wikipedia Entry.

Data page for A30 type trams (301-310) from the Swedish Tramway Society.

Data page for A30B type trams (311-324) from the Swedish Tramway Society.

Data page for B30 type trams (601-607) from the Swedish Tramway Society.

Data page for B30B type trams (608-613) from the Swedish Tramway Society.

Data pages for the A24 class cars. The cars on the Lidingöbanan were reclassed to A30/A30B and B30/B30B during their refurbishment. They were part of the A24 fleet built 1944-1952. Data from the Swedish Tramway Society.

Page Credits

By David Pirmann.