Raahen rautatieosakeyhtiö

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raahen rautatieosakeyhtiö
legal form Osakeyhtio
founding September 27, 1898
Reason for dissolution May 23, 1941
Seat Raahe

Raahen rautatieosakeyhtiö ( Raahen rautatie oy ) was a private Finnish railway company that built the railway line from Raahe to Lappi . The stock corporation was founded in Raahe on September 27, 1898 and entered in the commercial register on June 9, 1899.

history

After the completion of the first railway line between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna in 1862, further railway projects were started. In 1873 it was decided to build the Ostrobothnia route. After this information became known, it was assumed in Raahe that the route would continue north through the city towards Oulu .

However, this was led in a straight line from Kokkola to Oulu and did not reach Raahe. The city was thus in an isolated position. As a result, Raahe was considering its own plans for connection to the rail network. Up until 1882 there were several inquiries to Parliament regarding the rail connection. However, there was no positive decision.

In 1896 the pharmacist A. Tennander suggested the project again in the city council, where it was positively received. A railway committee carried out a study on the route between Raahe and Tuomioja and had a cost estimate drawn up. The first plans were for a narrow-gauge railway with a gauge of either 600 mm or 760 mm.

When the preliminary plans were ready, the chairman of the railway committee, Judge Fredrik Grönroos, gave them to parliament on February 12, 1897. At the same time there was a new route project, whereby in addition to the previous variant Raahe - Lappi - Ruukki - Vuottolahti and beyond to Kajaani, the route from Raahe via Vihanti , Pulkkila and Piippola to Iisalmi was considered possible.

The commercial councilor, shipowner and businessman Henrik Sovelius (1817–1904) made 200,000  Finnmark available as a donation for the construction of the line on the condition that the city of Raahe must contribute the same amount. The city promised the funds and provided the land required for the construction free of charge. On March 9, 1897, there was also a further commitment of 400,000 marks from the state. On May 16, 1897, the city council approved the plans.

While waiting for the final decision from Helsinki, Raahe looked forward to the construction of the line soon. When no decision was made, the city sent a letter to Helsinki in February 1898 to clarify the problem. Then came the message that the plan had finally been adopted, but the preconditions were not narrowly defined. However, the state would not build the route, the city would have to take care of it itself.

When official confirmation of government subsidies was received, new plans for a standard gauge line were drawn up. Emil Sonck , civil engineer of the Jokioisten rautatie , was appointed site manager. He suggested increasing the cost estimate of the route to 1,220,000 marks.

Foundation of the company

On September 27, 1898, the founding meeting of the Raahen rautatieosakeyhtiö ( Raahen rautatie oy ) took place. The purpose of the company was to build and operate the railway line from Raahe to Lappi.

Construction began before the building permit was granted. Several hundred men worked on the route. The planum was completed in many places in the spring of 1899. Further construction was delayed because the supplier of the rails, the English company Balckow Bengham Co., did not receive the order on time. On July 16, 1899, the steamship Primitella (16,500 tons) reached the port of Maivaperä by rail. The construction work continued from this point on.

Raahen rautatie Oy locomotive

Two tank locomotives from Baldwin with the axle arrangement 1'B1 'and the construction numbers 16634 and 16635/1898 were procured for operation, which were given the operating numbers 1 and 2. A three-room engine shed was built in Raahe .

For transport tasks , Sandvikens Skeppsdocka och Mekaniska Werkstad in Helsinki supplied a combined 1st and 2nd class passenger car, a 3rd class car and 25 freight cars . On July 6, 1899, the first test drive with the locomotives took place in Maivaperä. On August 10, 1899, the Lappi – Tuoioja line was connected to the Seinäjoki – Oulu line and officially opened on December 5, 1899.

nationalization

The private railway company ran the business for almost three decades. During this time, plans for a connection to the state railway were discussed several times. Significant government grants and loan guarantees were promised but not redeemed.

After Finland gained independence , the railway line was taken over by VR-Yhtymä , the state railway company, on February 27, 1926 for a purchase price of 2,600,000 marks . The city bought all the sidings in the port area.

The corporation was officially dissolved on May 23, 1941.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Timo Myllykoski: Harvinaisuus saapui asemapihalle. June 30, 2007, accessed November 14, 2018 (Finnish).
  2. ^ Baldwin Locomotive Works, Index of Companies, Construction Numbers from August 1896 to January 1902, Nos. 15000 to 19999. (PDF, 18 MB) SMU, p. 58 (96) , accessed on November 14, 2018 (English).
  3. ↑ Baldwin Locomotive Works engine specifications, 1869-1938. (PDF, 18 MB) Vol. 22. SMU, p. 74 , accessed on November 14, 2018 (English).
  4. ↑ Mikko Alameri: Railways in Finland Verlag Josef Otto Slezak, Vienna 1979, ISBN 3-900134-22-7 , p. 40
  5. ↑ Raahen rata. Pieni Tietosanakirja, III. Masku – Sanomalehti, 1925–1928. In: Project Runeberg . Pp. 1073-1074 , accessed November 14, 2018 (Finnish).

Web links