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The Modernity of Electricity
Railways arrived late in Sweden. However, with the investment in electric operation on the railways, Sweden was among the first in the world.
In the 1890s, the first electrically operated lines were constructed in Sweden. They were equipped with low-voltage direct current and only functioned at shorter distances from the power station. When, ten years later, an alternating current motor was developed that worked for locomotives, the possibility of electrifying longer stretches emerged.
In the 1910s, the first major electrification project in Sweden was carried out when a section of the Iron Ore Railway received electric operation.
In the 1930s, electrification began in earnest. About 300 kilometres of track were electrified per year during the decade. The work progressed from south to north. By 1937, it was possible to travel electrically all the way between Malmö and Gothenburg.
By 1942, electric operation was completed between Trelleborg and the Swedish border. It was then the world's longest continuous electrified railway.
Electricity or Steam?
A steam locomotive consumes up to two tonnes of coal and 10,000 litres of water per hour. Refuelling and other preparations for use took a very long time. The steam locomotive was also a very hot and dirty working environment.
In comparison, an electric locomotive requires minimal maintenance and is better for the environment and the operator. It provides twice the horsepower compared to a steam locomotive relative to its weight. Efficiency could increase from about 10 percent with steam power to about 70 percent with electric power, while operating costs decreased by three-quarters.
Efficiency is a comparison between the amount of energy supplied and the amount utilized by a machine. These figures can be compared with the 95 percent efficiency of today's modern trains and 30 percent in a modern car.
Caption: SJ advertising poster from the 1940s.
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