Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume III

CONSTRUCTION OF BERGEN-KRISTIANIA RAILWAY. 351 another southwards from the Sogne Fjord up the Flaam Valley to Myrdal at the east- Building- ern enj jatter Transport _ „ Roads road was eventually continued right a- long the line of the railway to Gulsvik, to supply the construction gangs with provisions and mate- rials. The making of these roads as a preliminary to the actual building of the track was a some- what arduous business, but one which could not be shirked, as on the roads, until the Gravehals tunnel should have been pierced, the men on the mountain sections east of Myrdal were entirely de- pendent. Simultaneously with the roads, telegraph and telephone lines were carried up-country ; and bar- racks were built for the workmen out of materials transported over the heaviest gradients by means of cableways. The principle adopted was to work hard on the roads during the short summer, and to erect barracks and furnish them with stores at points where tunnelling had to be done, as this work could be con- tinued through the winter after the roads had become snow-blocked and completed. nothing more could be done in the open. While one sec- tion of road was in course of construction, the surveyors were marking out the section next ahead. In 1901 road building was started on the Hallingsdal or eastern side of the mountains, and also on th© lower tying ground towards Gulsvik By September 1902 a cart could be driven from the head of the Sogne Fjord to Ustevand. As soon as a barrack was finished it was filled with labourers. Eventually, at great expense, and after over- ENTRANCE TO A TUNNEL NEAR MYRDAL. The short snow-shed seen is to prevent the entrance being blocked by snow-slides. In the foreground is a snow-fence. coming many difficulties, the engineers com- pleted the roadway and electrical means of communication. The transport roads finished, materials were brought up in bulk, and it became possible to construct some of the permanent station buildings to serve temporarily as homes for the staff. Each station had its storehouse and bakehouse, the first well stocked during the summer with clothes, tools, tinned goods of all kinds, flour, and potatoes. To avoid the need for laying in large quantities of wood against the winter to run the bake- houses, the bread was baked in large batches as soon as the cold weather set in, and