The Fiskars Track

Before the establishment of the Fiskars track, where travelers could ride either the Pikku-Pässi or a hand-powered rail cart known as a draisine or trolley, transportation between Fiskars and Pohjankuru relied on horses, oxen, barges, or boats. Compared to Pikku-Pässi, these modes were considerably slower. Historically, it is understood that a well-trained workhorse — or in similar cases, an ox — could sustain a pulling force of about one ton when continuously working on flat surfaces.

If we compare this to the locomotive, which was estimated to exert a pulling force of 90 tons, one would theoretically need about 90 such animals to achieve the same pulling power. Given that a horse-drawn carriage traveled at approximately 5 km/h and an ox-drawn carriage at around 3 km/h, the journey between Fiskars and Pohjankuru would have taken at least an hour by horse and nearly two hours by ox!

The industries along the planned Karjaa rail line handled significant volumes of imports and exports, making investment in railway infrastructure particularly justified. Between Fiskars, Åminnefors, Koskis, and Billnäs alone, approximately 17,000 tons of goods were transported on a yearly basis.

At Fiskars, it was estimated that the daily transport requirement of 1,000 lispund (8,500 kg) would necessitate 21 horses, as additional reserve horses were required for uphill climbs. Pikku-Pässi’s pulling power exceeded the projected requirements, meaning there was capacity for future growth in the daily transport volumes.

During summer, barges were used to cross Borgbyträsket, but as the Fiskars River gradually became too shallow, Pikku-Pässi significantly improved both transport speed and capacity. With its 90-ton pulling force, it reduced travel time between Fiskars and Pohjankuru to a mere 15–20 minutes.

Construction and Technical Vision

At the 1889 company meeting, the railway connection between Pohjankuru and Fiskars was discussed, and even before construction began, there was great interest in the project. Planning commenced in June 1890 after an instrumental survey conducted by engineer Herman Norrmén. Norrmén was one of Finland’s most prominent engineers at the time and later served as a project manager for the Coastal Railway before his tragic murder in Taalintehdas in 1907.

The Fiskars Railway was designed according to the Decauville system, allowing for a flexible and efficient construction process where track sections could be easily assembled.

The newspaper Teknikern (December 1, 1890, no. 0, p. 8) described the railway project as follows:

By September of the same year, work on the four-verst (approximately 4.27 km) long railway track was underway and progressing rapidly. The project was led by engineers Norrmén and Elenius, the latter also serving as Fiskars’ estate manager. A workforce of around sixty experienced railway builders participated, many of whom had previously worked on the Kotka railway, bringing invaluable expertise.

Alternative Routes and Unrealized Plans

The final railway route was not set in stone—two alternatives were considered. The chosen path ran west of Skurudalsberget along Borgbyträsket’s edge, but another option would have routed the railway east of Skurudalsberget via Slätmanskorset.

Further expansion plans were in discussion as early as 1876, when Adolf Törngren investigated extending the railway to Orijärvi. In 1919, engineer Emil Sonck from Larsberg examined the possibility of adding a track to Antskog for passenger transport. The proposed railway would have accommodated second- and third-class passengers with a total of 42 seats. Waiting pavilions were planned for both Antskog and Fiskars, as Pikku-Pässi did not operate regular passenger service, only running when necessary.

When the Coastal Railway between Turku and Helsinki was being developed, the Karjaa line was highlighted as especially critical for the region’s industries. Enhanced railway connections would resolve supply challenges related to affordable coal. Local ironworks, particularly Fiskars, relied heavily on coal, but the price of locally sourced charcoal had risen. Improved transportation would allow for more efficient and cost-effective coal imports, strengthening the case for investing in the line. Many argued it should be prioritized over the Ekenäs line, as expanding the Fiskars Railway from Pohjankuru to Antskog would bring substantial benefits to the local ironworks. Ultimately, however, the expansion never materialized.

Construction and Economic Significance

The construction of the Fiskars track, which ultimately spanned approximately 5.5 kilometers, was relatively straightforward. Only a single 75-meter section required blasting through rock at Borgbyträsket, while the steepest incline along the route was 250 meters situated near Fiskars.

Initially, the estimated cost for the Fiskars-Pohjankuru railway track was 43,000 marks — equivalent to roughly 240,000 euros in 2024. Even by contemporary standards, this was a substantial investment, especially when compared to similar railway projects in Sweden. However, this budget proved insufficient, and construction costs nearly doubled, rising to 85,000 marks (approximately 475,000 euros in 2024). The primary reason for the increase was the shift from a horse-drawn system to a motorized locomotive railway, which required heavier rails. Instead of the planned 4-kilogram rails per meter, 7-kilogram rails were necessary. Despite the added expense, the Fiskars track was still praised for being more cost-effective than its broader gauge counterparts.

The steel rails for the railway were imported from Belgium via P. Sidorow and Finska Redskapshandeln in Helsinki. In total, the track required approximately 80 tons of steel rails.

Once the track was completed, traffic to Fiskars grew as expected. By the time of World War II, the railway was transporting up to 4,300 empty wagons and 6,300 loaded wagons annually.

Pikku-Pässi the Trailblazer

The track was eventually constructed from the upper ironworks in Fiskars, running parallel to the main street, past the market square, through the lower ironworks, along the Fiskars River and Borgbyträsket, through Skurudalsberget, and finally reaching Pohjankuru harbor.

At first, Pikku-Pässi was the only train reaching Pohjankuru — marking the first railway link in the area and making it a true trailblazer!

Railway traffic primarily took place in April–May and November–December, dictated by the availability of ships accessing Pohjankuru harbor. This made rail operations highly seasonal and susceptible to ice conditions.

The completion of the Coastal Railway in 1899 changed the landscape significantly. Fiskars gained year-round railway connectivity, enabling more consistent and reliable transportation, independent of harbor schedules.

As part of the Coastal Railway expansion, Pohjankuru Station was built and officially opened on February 1, 1899. Later that same year, on November 1, 1899, a post office was established in the same building.

Elevator, Level Crossings, and Factory Rails

Imports such as coal and other raw materials essential for ironworks production were brought in from Pohjankuru, while Fiskars exported its manufactured goods. Additionally, timber, planks, refractory bricks, sheet metal, liquid fuel, fertilizers, tools, and machinery were transported to the works.

At the upper ironworks area, an elevator system was built to lift Pikku-Pässi’s wagons for loading. The structure consisted of a tower made of dark slag bricks, rising to a height equivalent to three floors. Inside, a winch-based lifting mechanism was installed, allowing wagons to be moved up and down between the river and the foundry yard on the upper slope of Hammarbacken. The river was crossed via a narrow concrete bridge reinforced with two steel beams, with rails laid to guide the wagons across the water to the elevator.

Rail tracks were embedded within all factory buildings, and Pikku-Pässi even had its own locomotive shed in the upper works, on the yard that today (2025) is located between Fiskars Veterinary and Fiskarin Laatupuu Oy.

Goods from the workshops were transported to Pohjankuru, often including the award-winning Fiskars plows, typically painted in their signature blue color.

At the Cutlery Workshop, a small red flag signaled that goods were ready for pickup, alerting the locomotive driver to stop and either load cargo or collect mail.

Without Pikku-Pässi’s contribution, the company would not have been able to grow into what it is today. It is also known that, on occasion, Pikku-Pässi was used to transport furniture during relocations.

Initially, the narrow-gauge railway ran within the standard-gauge railway at Pohjankuru port, but in 1903, two level crossings were introduced to improve efficiency and safety. After an accident in 1912, additional safeguards were implemented, including protective barriers and a reversible signal plate connected to a mechanical interlocking system. This prevented movement on the narrow-gauge track if there was traffic on the Coastal Railway.

In 1920, the railway was extended to connect to the newly built string factory in Pohjankuru.

During recent wars, cellulose was transported from Pohjankuru to use as animal fodder. The volume was so large that wagons were stacked as high as possible, sometimes causing sacks to fall off during transit.

Fires and Derailments

For the most part, traffic along the Fiskars track ran smoothly, but there were occasional dramatic incidents, including derailments and small fires.

The use of firewood for fuel led to sparks from the locomotive — or even from the tracks — igniting small fires along the railway, particularly during the driest months of the year. When this happened, firefighters had to act quickly to prevent the flames from spreading.

Fire crews often used a draisine equipped with firefighting gear. Fortunately, they always arrived in time, ensuring no major fires broke out. Their efforts were critical in protecting the dense forests around Fiskars from devastating wildfires.

When the locomotive derailed, a crane was typically used to lift it back onto the tracks. However, if no crane was available, support wedges — sometimes even made from the birch firewood used for fuel — were placed along both sides of the rails. The team then attempted to maneuver the locomotive back onto the track through methodical and forceful adjustments until the wheels properly aligned.

The causes of derailments varied, ranging from excessive speed in curves to jammed switches. Narrow-gauge locomotives were also inherently more prone to derailments due to their reduced track width.