Tillbaka

When Hultsfred became a railway junction

In the 1920s as many as four railway lines passed through Hultsfred. Several industries started or moved here during the first half of the 20th century thanks to the railway, where both raw materials and finished products could be transported. The nationally known social democratic politician Maria ”Kata” Dahlström’s husband was the manager of the railway construction in the area for several years. She tried to improve the conditions of the railway workers. Hultsfred still has three railway lines in different directions, one of which is the well-known Smalspåret which has high cultural and historical values.

These are railway lines that passed through Hultsfred:

• 1874: Nässjö-Oskarshamn railway (NOJ).
• 1877: Östra Centraljärnvägen (ÖCJ), from Linköping and Vimmerby (which later formed the Stångå-dals¬banan, together with the Kalmar–Berga railway).
• 1879: Smalspåret Hultsfreds-Wästerviks railway (HWJ) to the east via Ankarsrum and Verkebäck.
• 1922: Smalspåret Växjö–Åseda-Hultsfreds Railway (VHJ) west to Växjö.

Photo: Eric Karlsson 1951, The Railway Museum