Norske tog has signed a lease agreement with Grenland Rail covering four diesel-electric Stadler EURODUAL locomotives, which will be used to reintroduce night train services on the Nordlandsbanen line.
Passenger trains have been absent from the line since October 2024, when one of the locomotives was withdrawn following a serious accident. Finding approved replacement traction for passenger use has since proved difficult. The leased units, originally designed for freight traffic, are being rebuilt to meet requirements for passenger operation. Norske tog is working with the Norwegian Railway Authority to complete approvals.
According to the plan, the locomotives will remain in service until new long-distance trains are introduced. The EURODUALs will operate long distances in northern weather conditions and are intended to support both reliability and operational continuity on the line.
SJ Norge, which operates passenger services, is expected to resume night train operations between Trondheim and Bodø once infrastructure repairs at Levanger are completed. The railway line was damaged by a landslide on 30 August 2025. Infrastructure manager Bane NOR estimates that repairs will be completed by summer 2026.
