100 stories from the hiking route

1923 – Riisselja-Orajõe railway line is formally opened

Information

Topic

Village life and society work

Coordinates

Long-Lat WGS 84

Latitude: 58.0273055555556

Longitude: 24.5643166666667

L-EST 97

x: 6431916.3
y: 533343.7

Location

Ikla-Aegviidu Hiking route

In 1919, the Pärnu-Tallinn Railway Board decided to build a siding from Surju to Laiksaare and onwards, as the railway board had great forest reserves in the forests of Kilingi, Surju, Lodja, Laiksaare and Orajõe.
Thus, the Pärnu Railway Board, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Rural Affairs concluded an agreement on 26 May 1920 to build the railway siding of Surju-Laiksaare-Orajõe. The cutting of the ride for the siding began right after the contract was signed.
A total of 39 bridges were built on the railway line, the biggest of which crossed the Reiu and Lemme Rivers. Water supply was set up at the Laiksaare, Massiaru and Orajõe Stations. The formal opening of the railway line took place on 24 January 1923. Passenger trains were scheduled to run three times a week, as the railway was mostly used for timber transport. The opening of the new railway line affected timber rafting and shipping, and many boatmen were left unemployed, as before, timber had been mainly transported by boat. The railway was extended from Orajõe to Ikla in 1925.
In 1929, the Riisselja-Ikla Railway Station was adapted for general use and daily passenger traffic began. The Riisselja-Ikla railway was closed down on 30 September 1975. By that time, it was the last public narrow-gauge railroad in Estonia.

Sources:
Helme, M. 1996. Eesti kitsarööpmelised raudteed