Renewal of Track Bed, Southern Section of Lötschberg Summit Tunnel
After almost 20 years, a new slab track at the Swiss Lötschberg.
The section of the double-track Lötschberg Summit Tunnel is part of the mountain route of the Lötschberg line and is the central link from Spiez in the canton of Bern to Brig in the canton of Valais.
BLS AG, the standard-gauge railway company, commissioned the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group Switzerland to convert the track bed from ballast to a slab track (LVT system) and to install four switches (LVT-EW VI-900-1:19) in the tunnel section from kilometer 46.750 to 48.210 of the Lötschberg. The company operates an extensive regional transport network, including the standard-gauge part of the Bern S-Bahn, parts of the Lucerne S-Bahn, and the car transport routes at Lötschberg and Simplon.
All works and construction phases at the Lötschberg are carried out while the tunnel remains fully operational. Only the track undergoing reconstruction is closed at any given time.
The work is divided into four construction phases. The preliminary work took place from February 19 to March 27, 2024, with the conversion of Track 100 from April 2 to June 28, 2024. The conversion of Track 200 is being carried out from July 1 to September 27. The final works will be executed from September 30 to December 20, 2024.
Facts
Removal
- 2,200 meters of track
- Four 900-type switches
- Approximately 9,500 tons of excavation
Installation
- Base slab concrete 1,300 m³
- 7,600 LVT blocks
- Track bed concrete 1,700 m³
- Four switches LVT-EW VI-900-1:19
