Entry 14: New Opportunities

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Entry posted by whiteshark365 · August 13, 2022

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September 20, 2004
Population: 3,090

The Kanin Line

The Kanin Line is a 106-kilometer railroad that branches off the Norland Line in Dunderland, Norway. From Dunderland, the railway line traverses through the Scandinavian mountains, eventually ending in Stokkvågen (a small port city located 38 kilometers west of Kanin Fjord). While primarily designed to transport cargo, the line also provides passenger service. Treacherous terrain prevented the use of electrical trains; therefore, the Kanin Line operates all-diesel locomotives.

Construction of the Kanin Line began in April of 2000, requiring four years to complete. Stokkvågen Station began operating in May of 2004 and passenger train service began in July of 2004. Construction of the railway was a direct result of the explosive growth of the port city of Stokkvågen. Stokkvågen’s population grew 63% between 1997 and 2004, increasing from 9,817 to 16,060. Cargo traffic in the city’s port increased five-fold in that same period. The Kanin Line provided a cheap land-based transportation system, allowing Stokkvågen to directly ship cargo into the interior Norway and Sweden.

Unfortunately, the Kanin Line does not directly connect to Kanin Fjord. Topography, recent residential developments, and construction costs combined to prevent a financially feasible route into the town. This left Kanin Fjord off of Norway’s rail network. Exclusion of the town was to the ire of its residents and the Navnår Corporation. Engineers left the possibility of a future connection to Kanin Fjord open, but only when such connection became financially viable. As a public relations appeasement to Kanin Fjord, the rail line was renamed the Kanin Line in honor of the town.

Within the Kanin Fjord region, the Kanin Line has 3 stops. The first stop is at Nolborg, the other two stops are in New Kanin Fjord. The line crosses over Hjortfjorden 5 kilometers north of Kanin Fjord over a region of the fjord known as De skarpe (“The Sharps” in English). Additionally, a rail maintenance yard was constructed on the northern shore of a part of Kaninfjorden known as Stille bukt (“Quiet Bay” in English), for the repair of passenger and freight locomotives. The maintenance yard’s location was close to the center of the Kanin Line, providing minimal travel distance for trains needing maintenance.

New Kanin Fjord

New Kanin Fjord is a boom town located at the confluence of E220 and the Kanin Line on the northern shore of Kaninfjorden, and directly adjacent to the new a rail maintenance yard known as Baldur jernbanegården. The town is located approximately 7 kilometers to the east of Kanin Fjord and 6 kilometers west of Nolborg. The completion of the Kanin Line and associated maintenance yard required the construction of new homes and apartments to house workers. While not directly part of the Kanin Fjord municipality, New Kanin Fjord along with Nolborg are considered part of the Kanin Fjord micropolitan area, that has a combined population of 3,090.

Construction of the town began in April 2003 and was completed by August 2004. Kanin Fjord has a population of 454 residents. Unlike American towns which are governed by a complex system of zoning laws, no such laws exist in Kanin Fjord, and developers as a result packed as many homes and apartments as possible into an area only 0.08 km². A population density of 5,517 per square kilometer. New Kanin Fjord’s 454 residents are crowded into 75 homes and 8 apartment buildings.

In addition to housing, developers provided amenities for the new town. A new high school and elementary school were constructed to educate the worker’s children, a police station to better manage crime, and a recycling center to process the town’s garbage. There is even a grocery store, gas station, auto repair shop, and multiple shops.

New Kanin Fjord resolved many of the region’s problems. Development of the town provided a solution to Kanin Fjord’s land crisis. Flat topography surrounding Stille bukt offered the ideal location for a large rail facility and a new town. The location was perfectly situated along the shore of a naturally protected harbor allowing for the possibility of a future port. Additionally, the location was well situated for Kanin Fjord’s Norse believers who had a fear of the water, by providing jobs that were not directly located along the water’s edge.

Aerial Photo New Kanin Fjord