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Infrasite News
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| | | | Source: Infrabel | | | Project: Antwerpen-Centraal (HST) | | | Date: 2007-03-23 | | | | | | | | | Infrabel opens new Antwerp north-south junction | | | | | |
The central link in the northern branch of the high-speed network
Antwerp, Belgium - This Friday, Infrabel, the infrastructure manager of the Belgian railroad network, did officially open the Antwerp north-south junction. Via this new 3.8 km-long railroad tunnel running from Antwerp-Berchem to the Damplein, both domestic as well as international trains can, as of Monday 26 March, fan out directly beneath the city in the direction north of Antwerp and towards the Netherlands. The north-south junction constitutes the central link in the northern branch of the high-speed network and, in addition, plays an important role in any efforts towards the further development of the mobility in and around Antwerp. During the weekend of 19 and 20 May, Infrabel and SNCB Group will be organising a major event at Antwerp Central Station when the general public at large will be invited to become acquainted by train with this new railway junction.
1. Belgium's high-speed network
Belgium, situated right in the very heart of the European network, forms a very important pivotal point in the European high-speed network. Infrabel, the infrastructure manager of the Belgian railroad network, aims to take full advantage of this opportunity. The Belgian HST network, to be fully completed by the end of 2007, will comprise in total more than 300 km of railway lines. For more than half of this distance, trains will run on their own special track beds at speeds up to 300 km/h. On the tracks at the remaining section, the trains will operate at speeds of 160 to 200 km/h.
In the course of 2007, Infrabel will make the high-speed line between Antwerp - Dutch border available to the railroad operators (see infra). The opening of the HSL Liege- German border is planned to take place in December 2007. The northern (87 km) and eastern branch (139 km) remain the two still missing links in the Belgian high-speed network. The western branch Brussels - French border (88 km) has been in use already since 1997, while the high-speed line Louvain - Liege (Ans), which is part of the eastern branch, has been operational since 2002.
2. Antwerp north-south junction and HSL North
Modernising the railway line Brussels - Antwerp
The line Brussels - Antwerp (L.25) forms the start of the northern HSL branch and is one of the busiest railway lines in Belgium. One of the major advantages is that both domestic and high-speed trains use this existing railway line. The modernisation works conducted between Brussels and Antwerp are practically completed- except for some work left on the project Netebrug in Duffel (construction of two new railway overpasses) plus the rail by-pass project in Mechelen (construction of a new dual-track 3.4 km-long line) - which will allow the HSTs and domestic trains to run at speeds of 160 km/h.
Project and advantages of the north-south junction
As of 26 March 2007, trains in Antwerp can use the north-south junction, which constitutes an important section of the northern branch of the high-speed network. In May 1998, Infrabel - at that time still SNCB - started with the construction of this new railroad junction between the stations Antwerpen-Berchem and Antwerpen-Luchtbal, including, amongst others, a 3.8 km-long railroad tunnel between Berchem and the Damplein square.
Thanks to the north-south junction, the railroad capacity in the direction north of Antwerp and to the Netherlands will be doubled. Furthermore, Antwerp Central Station will by the end of 2007 count 14 renovated train platforms and tracks. Both domestic and international trains such as the HSTs will be able to run directly via the railroad tunnel underneath the city and the Antwerp Central Station and no longer be forced to use the ring railway tracks. This new fast railway connection (time savings of about 15 minutes) is a blessing for mobility in and around Antwerp and will allow the further development of urban periphery railroad traffic in the city.
Various track levels in Antwerp Central Station
The construction of the north-south junction is carried out in various stages in order to ensure that the Central Station will at all times remain accessible to travellers during the construction period. During a first phase, (May 1998 - December 2003) train traffic was possible in Antwerp Central Station on three track lines. Since the end of 2003, the entire level +1 has been completed and trains are now entering the station on 6 tracks.
On Monday 26 March 2007, Infrabel will make the north-south junction at level -2 available to the operators. Via the four platform tracks, the trains can proceed to the two through tracks in the direction of the tunnel. In December 2007, level -1 will be ready for service and, as of that moment, the Antwerp Central Station will have the use of 14 tracks distributed over 3 train levels. During the spring of this year, the shopping and promenade zone - between the station's main concourse and the future second station's entrance - will be taken into service by SNCB Holding.
Overview of the works on the north-south junction line
Between the stations Antwerpen-Berchem and Antwerpen-Centraal, construction works have been ongoing ever since 1998. First, all existing bridges and overpasses were given an extra foundation and the existing level +1 on the railroad embankment was finished. Next, access slopes (inclination grade of 2.9%) leading towards the underground levels were built. The access tunnel starts near the Lange Leemstraat (Berchem). In the first section, four tracks are positioned parallel to one another. Farther on, the tunnel divides into two levels with, each time, two tracks by which the trains can enter the Antwerp Central Station.
The trains will run at an average depth of 18 meters beneath the city via a 1.2 km-long railroad tunnel between Astridplein and Damplein. The two single-track tunnel tubes are linked underneath the Astridplein with the 80 meter-long tunnel underneath the Antwerp Central Station complex. This tunnel has been ready since the end of 2001, but the actual tunnel works underneath the city were started only as of the end of September 2002. Mid-February 2003, the drilling machine Zandvreter reached Astridplein and the first of the two tunnel tubes was completed. From May to beginning of September 2003, the drilling machine Krabbekoker drilled out the second tunnel tube underneath the city of Antwerp, after which the finishing work on the two tunnel tubes could be started.
The trains come to the surface and leave the tunnel at the Damplein. The tunnel shaft is qualitatively integrated into the square that is completely being refurbished with an emphasis on a green zone and traffic-friendly solutions. Beyond the Damplein, the north-south junction climbs to the level of the present Antwerpen-Essen railway line (line 12), then continues via the renovated bridges of the IJzerlaan, Merkemsestraat and the Albertkanaal towards the north of Antwerp.
Just past the station stop Antwerpen-Luchtbal, the tracks of the north-south junction are via a major track and points system linked up with the line Essen - Roosendaal and the new high-speed line in the direction of the Dutch border.
High-speed line Antwerp - Dutch border
In October 2000, Infrabel - at that time still part of the former SNCB - started work on the construction of the 35.2 km high-speed line along the motorway E19 Antwerp - Breda. This HSL North starts at a tube tunnel under the Havanastraat overpass (Antwerpen-Luchtbal). The high-speed line then crosses the cloverleaf E19/A12 and subsequently runs along the west side of the motorway to the Belgian-Dutch border.
Near the cloverleaf at the Kleine Bareel (Merksem), two gigantic arch bridges form the access gate to the Antwerp Metropolis. The municipalities Schoten and Brasschaat are characterised by the tunnel tube along the Peerdsbos. This 3.2 km-long tube with a roof construction protects the railroad line against falling trees and at the same time serves as a sound-barrier along the E19. A little further on, the HSL crosses the Bloso-Plassen via a raised earthen embankment on top of which the bedding for the railtracks has been laid.
In Brecht, Infrabel started early March of this year with the finishing works (for instance, the finishing of the train platforms and access points) for the new stopping point Noorderkempen. This stop is destined to serve only domestic train traffic and is due to become an important link for public transit. Subsequently, the HSL continues on via Wuustwezel in the direction of Hoogstraten where, at the border crossing in Meer, the autoroute has been shifted some 40 meters eastward to accommodate the passage of the new high-speed line. In total, along the entire line beside the E19, some twenty overpasses/bridges plus six access and exit ramps were adapted.
In the course of April 2007, Infrabel will make the high-speed line available to the operators. HSTs will be able to speed towards the Netherlands at 300 km/h. Domestic IC trains will achieve speeds of 200 km/h. Thanks to the HSL North, travel time between Antwerp and Amsterdam will be halved to approximately 1h10 (approximate journey time).
3. Safety, an absolute priority for Infrabel
Infrabel makes safety her absolute priority and therefore integrates all possible safety features into the construction and the modernisation works of her railway network. A great number of safety measures were undertaken for the north-south junction. The Building Management System (BMS) at the control centre controls and manages the safety aspects. The access slope, the station, and the drilled-out tunnel tubes have been equipped with a fire detection system and smoke and heat discharge installations. In the event of a fire, these installations will be activated by means of an ingenious smoke-removal and ventilation system, via smoke-removal venues, ventilators and air curtains. In order to determine the optimal direction for smoke removal, a train positioning system is being used.
In the event of an emergency situation, escape passages, three emergency exits and two cross-connections inside the drilled tunnel tubes will be used for the evacuation. The evacuation is guided by means of illuminated pictograms and a dynamic evacuation guidance system (DEG). This system makes it possible, on the basis of its ability to locate smoke concentrations, to identify the safe evacuation route direction via illuminated cabinets showing the correct escape routes by means of lighted arrow icons.
The following safety measures (amongst others) were installed to assist fire protection efforts: water lines for the extinguishing of the fire, fire extinguishing cabinets, gas extinguisher installation inside the control centre, water reservoir, sprinkler stations… The entire complex of the north-south junction has thus been equipped to pinpoint the location of a fire outbreak without the slightest delay, to report the occurrence, and to activate all necessary safety procedures and scenarios. In addition, a sophisticated network of cameras, communication means, and access controls has been installed.
In the fall of 2006, Infrabel conducted test runs on the high-speed line Antwerp - Dutch border, all of these at elevated speeds. The tests conducted with a Thalys test train were aimed at checking out the railtrack's infrastructure, the ETCS signalling system, the safety system, and the communication network GSM-R. Furthermore, Infrabel also participated actively in an evacuation exercise (October 2006) inside the 3.2 km-long tunnel tube of the Peerdsbos. During an international safety exercise in Hoogstraten (November 2006), Infrabel tested out the Belgian-Dutch emergency plan and also checked out the collaboration amongst the various emergency aid services in order to improve and optimise these further.
4. Strategy and investment
With the construction of the Antwerp north-south junction, Infrabel is putting the finishing touches on the completion of her HST infrastructure, coupled to a capacity expansion of her domestic railroad infrastructure. The investment in this new railroad tunnel is an example of a modern and well-equipped and outfitted infrastructure that combines maximum safety with a faster and expanded mobility. This fits well into the Infrabel strategy, which pursues a gradual, progressive heightening and utilization of the railroad's infrastructure at those locations around the network that need such attention.
With its HST project, Infrabel enhances Belgium's role as an international junction and even expresses the ambition to become the European railroad hub, to that effect offering the various operators a competitive railroad infrastructure that is adapted to and keeps pace with the current and future demands. With an investment of 350 million euro for the ETCS implementation (European Train Control System) on the whole Belgian network, Infrabel emphasizes her determination to take the lead in the expansion of the Belgian railroad network and turn it into the safest network in Europe.
The Antwerp north-south junction is a gigantic infrastructure project that fulfils an important role in the development of the mobility aspect in and around Antwerp. Travellers will be able to benefit from an expanded train schedule, new and modern stations, and the comfort of a well-functioning public transit system network. Likewise, the new railroad junction is also an important catalyst for social (station as meeting place) and economic developments (projects) in the City of Antwerp. The north-south junction and the HSL North are perfect examples of the way in which Infrabel is integrating new railroad infrastructures into the environment (example: Damplein and the Peerdsbos tube). All these objectives fit well into the Infrabel strategy: an ongoing heightening of the safety, security, and reliability of her network operations.
Infrabel's total investment in the Antwerp north-south junction amounts to 765 million euro. Infrabel is investing 684 million euro in the HSL North. Both infrastructure projects are part of the northern branch of the high-speed network (87 km) which represents a total investment of 1.540 billion euro. To assist in the construction of the Antwerp north-south junction and the high-speed line Antwerp - Dutch border, Infrabel has called upon the know-how and expertise of her engineering and survey bureau: TUC RAIL.
5. Public event during the weekend of 19 and 20 May
Following the previous successful events when visitors could stroll through the railroad tunnel underneath Antwerp Central Station (2001) and the tunnel tube underneath the city (2004), Infrabel and the SNCB Group are organising a final event for the general public at large. This event will take place during the weekend of Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 May between 9 AM and 6 PM. This time, visitors will be conveyed by train from Antwerp Central Station through the brand-new north-south junction, all the way to Antwerpen-Luchtbal and back.
Inside the Central Station, exhibitions will be displayed and projections about the station and the works in progress, and young and old will be able to enjoy entertainment events. Anyone interested in the final wind-up of the north-south junction project is cordially invited to visit us on 19 and 20 May. Meeting place is inside the great hall of Antwerp Central Station. Information about this coming event will be distributed via the media, brochures, posters in the train stations, flyers, announcements … Watch for them!
* Infrabel is a limited liability company of public law, responsible for the management, maintenance, renewal and development of the Belgian railway network. The company is also in charge of the allocation of the licences and slots to all Belgian and foreign operators. The specific structure of the Infrabel shareholders guarantees a total independence. Infrabel was established on 1 January 2005, at the splitting up of the Belgian Railways, and is part of the SNCB Group. The company now employs some 14,000 people and achieves a turnover of about 1,1 billion euro (2006).
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