1958-2000

From this centre in Kiruna, the switches and signals at stations along the 20-mile single-track railway between Narvik and Gällivare were remotely controlled. Under each town name, track plans for all stations were drawn, and instructions were set for how trains should operate and where they should meet along the route.

On the desk sits a small keypad, called a keyboard. Through it, signals and switches at the various stations along the route were operated.

The traffic followed the graphical timetable on the table. Each train's route on the track is drawn with a line, and where the lines intersect, trains meet at a station.

The stations along the line were all equipped with their own signal box. The signal boxes' built-in safety systems prevented accidents even if the centre were to send out an incorrect order.

When completed in 1958, the centre in Kiruna was Sweden's first major facility for remotely controlling yards and lines. In 2000, it was replaced by a computer-based facility with a control centre in Boden.