3.2 Kilometeres of track, 1 Quadri-Lateral, 1 Triangel Junction and 2 more Junctions with switches, all double track, and a lot of concrete. All this is being built by Rhomberg Bahntechnik with its Civil Engineering Partners Grötz GmbH & CO. KG and Reif Bauunternehmung GmbH & CO. KG. In a very confined space in the centre of Karlsruhe. The work is in full swing.
The most complex part of the entire public transport project, which will take around two and a half years to complete, was scheduled to start right at the beginning in the summer of 2019: the double-track switch quadrilateral. Since the north-south connection in Karlsruhe had to be cut at another point for the construction work, the quadrilateral was planned for the first construction phase. In order to be able to produce this, the northern access route to the newly constructed quadrilateral had to be built first. The quadrilateral consists of a total of five sections. Each section consists of several track elements, which are mounted and fixed on site on a curved and concreted track support plate. The logistical masterpiece of those involved, who had to block road sections for the transport and assembly of the elements weighing up to 10 tonnes, is particularly noteworthy.
The entire line will be constructed in various Rheda City systems and track support plates in a light mass-spring system with fibre-reinforced concrete, the majority of which will be grassed tracks. Positive ‘side effect’: the project will further improve the look of Karlsruhe and make it considerably greener. Currently, in addition to most of the switch quadri-lateral and its access routes, over 400 metres of track have already been installed using the latest digital methods. The next major construction phase of the overall building project will start in autumn 2020.The project is part of the ‘Karlsruhe combined solution’ and will be built on a road tunnel through which the new Bundesstrasse 10 passes.
