Large Track-Laying Machines in Use
Machines like these are not used every day: The very large track-laying machines drove over the tracks in northern Switzerland and renewed, cleaned, and tamped with millimetre precision. This summer, the Swiss railway infrastructure experts put in an enormous amount of work.
As in spring 2021, three construction projects were implemented with the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). In the Tecknau construction project, 1,500 metres of track was rebuilt on the line between Sissach and Olten. In addition, two points were renewed. The work on the railway construction site in the very north of Switzerland, in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, took place in July and August 2021 and has already been successfully completed.
At the end of July, work also began on two construction projects between Bern and Basel. With the help of SPITZKE machinery, the Swiss railway construction specialists of SRS rebuilt around 4,200 metres of track in Herzogenbuchsee. A few kilometres further south, they renewed 880 metres of track in the Seeberg district of Riedtwil.
Track-laying machines in Switzerland
Cooperation with SPITZKE’s Buchloe branch is not new and works seamlessly. The Swiss track-laying crews can always rely on their colleagues from the eastern Allgäu region, who know Switzerland very well. The use of German track-laying machines, including assembly line technology, is rare in Switzerland. The RM 900 S ballast cleaning machine and the track renewal train from SPITZKE’s technology and rolling stock were used.
Even though the yellow track-laying machines are truly impressive, the important work was carried out by the Swiss track layers on site. They drove the project forward and brought it to a successful conclusion in August. The line could be opened for train traffic on time. After that, the SRS colleagues are finishing up the remaining work.