International Railway Journal - May 2008 - (Page 21)

Øresund traffic have pushed the station the very limits of its capacity. Trains arriving from Copenhagen currently have to reverse here to continue their journey north toward Helsingborg and Gothenburg, resulting in conflicting movements that frequently cause delays on the station approaches. Indeed, without the investment in Citytunnel, Øresund capacity would be capped at 35,300 passengers per day. The tunnel will initially be used by 350 trains per day, although it will accommodate up to 450 trains and will provide sufficient capacity for up to 50,000 Øresund passengers per day. Platforms will be a minimum length of 250m to accommodate ninecar trains, and platforms are being extended at other stations in Skåne. Citytunnel will be equipped from the outset with the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) together with the standard Swedish automatic train control (ATC) system, although most, if not all trains will initially operate using ATC. The underground Malmö Central Lower station, is being constructed in a cut-and-cover box adjacent to the existing terminus, and its four platforms will handle 85% of all trains arriving at Malmö Central. From here, the line runs underground to a new city centre station at Triangeln, which is within walking distance of the city’s main shopping area and the University Hospital, one of the region’s largest employers. Around 18,000 people work within walking distance of the station, and Trinageln is expected to the be the busiest of the three Citytunnel stations handling 37,400 passengers per day, rising to 60,000 per day by 2020. At the southern exit of the tunnel in the district of Holma, the line leaves the bored tunnel and The four subsurface platforms at Malmö Central will handle 85% of all traffic using the station when Citytunnel opens in 2011. passes through a 360m concrete tunnel before emerging into a new fourplatform station at Hyllie. This station is situated in an area of residential development and the track through the station is 7m below ground level to minimise noise. Because of the need to minimise structure-borne sound along the entire length of the tunnel, vibrationinsulating twin-block sleepers will be installed, and soft elastic spacers with a specially-developed flexible mounting will be placed between the sleeper blocks and the concrete base. South of Hyllie, the tracks divide to form a triangular junction with the Øresund line. The final section of new infrastructure to be built will be a grade-separated junction at Lockarp, which will allow trains travelling south and east from the Citytunnel access to lines to Trelleborg and Ystad. In 2010, the tunnel line at Malmö Central will be connected to the existing line, requiring extensive remodelling of the station throat. This will be the final phase of the project and one of the most disruptive, requiring the substitution of regional trains by buses on many routes. Nonetheless, Citytunnel, Skånetrafiken and infrastructure manager Banverket are already working on contingencies to minimise disruption and ensure passengers are kept well informed of changes. Citytunnel says it is confident that it has the support of Skåne residents, who recognise the long-term benefits the tunnel will bring to the region. In the meantime, train operators and Banverket will continue to grapple with the daily operational challenges and limitations of the existing infrastructure, comfortable in the knowledge that there is light at the end of the tunnel for Skåne’s thriving rail network. IRJ IRJ May 2008 21

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of International Railway Journal - May 2008

International Railway Journal - May 2008 Contents This Month News Transit News Market News Technology News News Analysis Italian Railways on the Road to Recovery High-Speed: On the Home Straight Korea Develops High-Speed Ambitions Setting New Standards for New Rolling Stock India Solves Traction Motor Conundrum Weathering the Storm with Climatic Testing Technology Drives US Train Inspections Rendezvous Full Contact List Advertisers Index The Last Word

International Railway Journal - May 2008

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