Report on derailment at Narvik station at the Ofoten line 12 March 2023
Railway report 2024/02
On Sunday 12 March 2023, a fully loaded ore train from LKAB Malmtrafik AB derailed with 24 wagons in track switch 4 at Narvik station on the Ofoten line. The line was closed for 12 days before it reopened. The Ofoten line is a very important railway line for Northern Norway. It is crucial for the region’s mining industry, for passenger and freight traffic between Norway and Sweden, and very important from a societal safety and emergency preparedness perspective.
The train was on its way from Kiruna to the terminal at Narvik Harbour for unloading. The train held a speed of 30–35 km/h when it derailed. There is a decline coming to the station area and when wagon 4 derailed, and although the train’s speed was initially low, the heavy ore wagons pushed on the rear so that several wagons derailed, and the consequent damage was therefore major. As a result of the major damages in the derailment area, it was not possible to find the exact initial derailment location.
Bane NOR SF had for a long time been aware that there was a track fault due to poor ground conditions in the derailment area. This was attempted rectified several times, by adjusting the track and compress the ballast, but it was not sufficient to eliminate the track fault. The track fault consisted of a combination of track twist and side fault, which increases the risk of derailment. The wagons were thoroughly examined for errors without revealing anything that could explain the derailment. The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) therefore considers the track fault to be the most likely cause of the derailment.
In the derailment area, several broken rails were observed. In order to exclude rail fractures as a cause, pieces of the rail were sent for metallurgical investigations at the Norwegian Armed Forces Laboratory services. The investigations showed that the fracture had occurred as a result of a sudden overload, consistent with the consequential damage from the derailment.
In 2023 Bane NOR SF started a major reconstruction of Narvik station. Among other things, the project would make changes that would improve ground conditions in the derailment area. In February 2024, Bane NOR SF stopped the project for financial reasons. This means, among other things, that the area with poor ground conditions and increased risk of derailment remain unchanged. The NSIA therefore submits a safety recommendation that deals with the assessment of risk and any need for compensatory measures.
Derailed train at Narvik Station. Photo: NSIA
Published 12.03.2024
Safety recommendation
Safety recommendation Rail no 2024/03T
On Sunday 12 March 2023 LKAB Malmtrafik AB derailed with an ore train in track 4 at Narvik station at the Ofoten line. The railway is of great importance for the region’s mining industry, for passenger and freight traffic between Norway and Sweden, and is very important from a societal safety and emergency preparedness perspective. In the derailment area, for a long time there had been demanding ground conditions that could be linked to known track faults, that increased the risk of derailment. A major reconstruction project at the station in 2023–2025 was expected to repair the track faults permanently, but the project was halted indefinitely by Bane NOR SF in February 2024.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Railway Authority ask Bane NOR SF to assess the safety consequences of stopping work and promoting any compensatory measures.
Facts
| Location | Narvik station |
| Occurrence date | 12.03.2023 |
| Type of Transportation | Freight train |
| Type of occurrence | Derailment |
| Rolling Stock | Freight wagon |
| Operator | LKAB Malmtrafikk AB |
| Section | Ofotbanen |