Sunday, July 19, 2015

North of Sweden: Kiruna

Day 6: further north to Kiruna
Leaving the beautiful station of Boden.

Night train from Stockholm.

The train is stopping at Murjek with 51 inhabitans.
Nattavaara with 115 inhabitans.
In Gällivare many people are getting off.
Malmbanan was electrified 1915 (this year celebrating 100 year). For that reason, many transformer substations were built. They are built in a massive and monumental style by the architect Folke Zettervall.
The meeting stations are built every 10km.
The further north it goes, the less trees and other plants can be viewed.
Arriving at Kiruna, passing by the entrance to Kirunavaara mining.
Iron Ore train depot.
Due to the ground deformations there is a plan to move Kiruna town 3km east. The railway had to be the first to be moved, the passenger trains are now arriving at an interim station which is now a terminus. The locomotive has to change direction in order to continue further to Narvik.

The old railway station is now closed for good.
The tracks have been removed.
LKAB is the company that operates the mining here, it is 100% owned by the Swedish state.
Kiruna was founded 1900, and was once the largest town in the world in terms of areal (between 1948-1968).
1414 must be the distance in km from Stockholm.


Kiruna has today 18148 citizens. 2200 are working for the LKAB mining in Kiruna.
X52 has arrived from Luleå.
Many streets have a relationship with the railway.


Wherever you go in Kiruna, the mining can be seen.
Simple, Swedish coloured buildings.

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