During the last 25 years, service has been discontinued on several Norwegian branch lines. The Arendal branch, which connects the beautiful Skagerak coast with Nelaug on the Oslo-Stavanger line, was not supposed to be an exception. 

In the late nineties, however, catenaries were installed between Nelaug and Arendal, and this picture shows an Emu class 69 on a magnificent stone arch bridge about 10 kilometres south of Nelaug 22.07.2003. But, in spite of electrification, the Arendal line still lives a dangerous life.

Photo by Leif-Harald Ruud (http://home.no.net/leifharu - lhruud@broadpark.no)