Article
Project Manager Renee Melis
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The first train-free period has come and gone! During the period of 13 to 28 November 2022, people worked very hard in the Schiphol railway tunnel under contract to ProRail. The work forms part of the Schiphol Major Maintenance project. This is a large-scale job that in total will take six years to complete and that will require multiple train-free periods.
Under contract to ProRail and in close coordination with stakeholders, the Strukton Volker Schiphol (SVS) combination, together with suppliers, is preparing the Schiphol railway tunnel infrastructure for the next forty years. Aside from the tunnel we will also be working on the tracks between Riekerpolder, Schiphol and the Hoofddorp train yard.
The Schiphol railway tunnel includes two tunnel tubes. We renovated the tracks and sleepers in both tubes. We also worked on train safety. The tracks along the platforms were raised so that the train floor height now is level with the platform’s height. In the oldest tunnel tube we removed the smoke-absorbing wall and ceiling plates. These had been affixed using an adhesive containing asbestos fibres. 6,500 m2 in the tunnel have now been sanitised.
All activities planned to be carried out between 13 to 28 November were completed. All in all an excellent first train-free period, as we call it in railway parlance.
Removing the smoke-absorbing wall and ceiling plates with their asbestos-containing adhesive was a special job. The Subcontractor, Vlasman, devoted a great deal of time and energy together with us to develop a special method of work for this purpose, which enabled us to safeguard the safety of personnel and passengers. In the future the overhead lines will therefore be mounted on a new and clean ceiling surface.
The SVS construction combination consists of Strukton Rail and VolkerRail. Both railway companies hold a 50% stake in the combination. De Wilde, as subcontractor, has been contracted for the project as specialist in embedded block rail track systems. Various other subcontractors include Aveco De Bondt, Strukton Milieutechniek, Antea Group and Nexus Rail.