BASF MEYCO Fireshield 1350 fire protection mortar was used on this project   Invitation to tender for first 1.2 km of 16.5 km section of proposed 56.7 km AlpTransit. August 1999.   Invitation to tender for construction of two access tunnels in soft ground, lengths 410 m and 420 m. Sept 1999.Open invitation to tender for lot 554 of Gotthard AlpTransit project involving construction of two running tunnels between Bodio access drift and Faido multi-functional station, deadline 7th December, 2000. Contact Lucerne office, fax +41 917 439737. Visit www.alptransit.ch July 2000.   Award of Faido-Bodio tunnel section to consortium of Zchokke-Locher, Hochtief, CSC and Mayreder. Visit www.alptransit.ch 27/01.   Atlas Copco announced an order for five drill rigs placed by Consorzio TAT (Tunnel AlpTransit), including Zschokke Locher, Alpine Mayreder Bau, Hochtief, CSC, and Impregilo to construct the 16.6 km Bodio and 15.1 km Faido sections of the Gotthard base tunnel. Excavation to start in spring 2002. Atlas Copco will deliver the first part of the order during the first quarter. Visit www.atlascopco.com/rde and www.boomer-rig.com 52/01.   First 380 m from Bodio portal under construction in cut and cover. 1.2 km-long bypass tunnel to main tunnel alignment completed, together with 1.4 km of east tube and 400 m of west tube to provide launch chambers for two 8.83 m-diameter Herrenknecht TBMs which will start in late-2002 on remaining 15 km-long drives to Faido. 27/02.  Difficult ground conditions in Faido-Polmengo are slowing down the Gotthard base tunnel. Progress is reaching only one metre a day instead of the planned 10 metres, or 30 metres a month instead of 300. A few weeks ago, on the site of the Faido multi-functional station, tunnellers encountered a tricky gneissic area consisting of Leventine gneiss and Lukmanier gneiss. The rock yields under the pressure of the 1,400 m mountain cover above, literally transforming the rock into sand. Special support measures have been adopted to install centimetre after centimetre a kind of steel corset at the tunnel crown. The AlpTransit management reckons that a reliable estimate of the cost overruns and delay will not be possible until the summer. To date, progress at Bodio has reached 14% on the east tube and 9% on the west tube. 15/03.

This adit will be 1.784 km long x 60 sq m at 1% downgrade to the Alptransit tunnel horizon where a further 200 m of preparatory work will be required to open out the four running tunnel faces. Ed Ast is undertaking the main development using an Atlas Copco 353E drillrig under moderate blasting restrictions achieving 12-16 m/day advance in Aar Massiv and Erstfeld gneiss. A full face comprises 105-110 holes of depth 3-4 m which are primed with Dyno experimental aluminised slurry using a pump and Nonel detonators. Swellex rockbolts with Dramix steel fibre reinforced shotcrete to support roof and walls. Rock flowed through Pegson crusher located 150 m inside portal and by conveyor to surface and dumps. Ast will complete end-November. Prequalification late-May for 11.4 km main tunnels, but method still under discussion. Elsewhere on the Gotthard base tunnel, the alignment of the section from Uri to the portal is still undecided. Contact info@alptransit.ch for further information. May 2000.Open invitation to tender for lot 252 running tunnels 2 x 11.4 km long to be constructed from base of 1.78 km-long adit currently under drill/blast excavation by Ast-Holzmann using underground crusher with conveyor system to surface for removal of spoil by rail. Cross-passages 40 m-long at 320 m intervals between main tunnels. Deadline 22nd January, 2001. Contact Lucerne office, fax +41 412 260600, e-mail info@alptransit.ch or visit www.alptransit.ch July 2000. Lot 252 for 2 x 11.4 km-long running tunnels towards Sedrun awarded to Strabag/Murer jv using Herrenknecht TBMs. 1.88 km-long x 3.5 m-diameter TBM drive for cable tunnel underway between new transformer cavern and existing Amsteg power station. 27/02.  Herrenknecht has completed the assembly of the first Gripper TBM, machine S-229, for the Gotthard base tunnel north. The 9.58 m-diameter TBM will excavate the eastern tube (11,350 m) of the Gotthard base tunnel between Amsteg and Sedrun. Assembly at the jobsite in Canton Uri will start in mid-March 2003. AGN, the JV consisting of Murer and Strabag, ordered two Herrenknecht hard rock TBMs for this section in February 2002. The second TBM will drive the western tube (11,350 m).Both machines weigh 1,200 tonnes each without the backup system.Representatives of AGN took delivery of the machine on 16th January in the presence of AlpTransit Gotthard AG. The machine is now being disassembled to be transported to Switzerland where pre-assembly is scheduled from March at the tunnel portal prior to full assembly in the start cavern. Excavation will start end of May. The second machine (S-230) will start three months later on the western tube.Herrenknecht has its own subsidiary in Amsteg, in close proximity to AGN's jobsite. The Swiss affiliate works in close cooperation with cutting tool supplier RUAG in Altdorf to achieve the best efficiency on AlpTransit projects, both at the Gotthard and Lötschberg.Four Herrenknecht Gripper TBMs will be in operation at the Gotthard base tunnel, the longest railroad tunnel worldwide with a total length of 2 x 57 km, to excavate a total of 75 km of tunnel. Visit www.herrenknecht.com and www.alptransit.ch 06/03.

BASF MEYCO Fireshield 1350 fire protection mortar was used on this project   Located at Goppenstein, 4.1 km Ferden access adit to be driven through gneisses and schists in the Aare massif. Also Fystertella ventilation tunnel 1.735 km and 365 m shaft to be raise bored at 1.8 m and enlarged to 5 m. This will connect via a ventilation chamber to the twin main tunnels. May 1998.   Tenders invited for 9.4 m-diameter single-track tunnel to be driven in three lengths from Mitholz near Frutigen at north end using TBM or drill/blast. Also TBM drives at south end for 3,073 m Steg tunnel, 4,100 m west bore to Ferden and 2,000 m to Raron. February 1999.   Awards expected in August and October, 1999. May 1999.   Contract awarded to jv of Skanska, Rothpletz & Lienhard, Walo Bertschinger and Ilbau for 2 x 7.5 km-long Mittholz central section to commence March, 2000. November 1999.   Steg 3.073 km access tunnel, 4.117 km TBM drive at 9.4 m-diameter, and 2 km-long drill/blast section awarded to Matrans jv comprising Marti, Walter, Porr and Balfour Beatty in equal quarters. Value $160 million. Mitholz jv reported earlier is actually led by Ilbau, and includes Dumez-GTM together with the three other partners already listed. Contract due to be signed February, 2000 at a value reported as $315 million. November 1999.   Open tendering, deadline 4th September, 2000, for construction of 8.5 km of 62 - 78 sq m running tunnels accessed from the base of the developing Ferden adit. The office handling this project is BLS AlpTransit AG, Aarestrasse 38 B, Postfach 3601 Thun, Switzerland, e-mail info@blsat.ch or visit www.alptransit.ch May 2000. Construction of 1.5 km drill/blast and 9.2 km of 9.4 m-diameter Raron TBM tunnel awarded to Matrans consortium of Marti, Walter, Porr and Balfour Beatty.Visit www.balfourbeatty.com May 2000.Balfour Beatty, reports that contract value of Raron twin 10.7 km tunnels with optional 1 km extensions is $150 million. Client is BLS AlpTransit AG, a subsidiary of SBB Swiss Railways. Visit www.balfourbeatty.com July 2000.   DBT Mineral Processing GmbH reports that it is supplying three crawler-mounted mobile impact roller type SB 1315R crusher plants to process the 1.8 million cu m of solid rock to be excavated in the two 9.5 km south tunnels and the single 7.4 km north tunnel. The crushers will be fed by side-dump loaders at the face and moved up after every blast. Crushed rock of -200 mm sizing will be discharged onto a telescopic belt conveyor installed in the roof of the tunnel. Visit www.dbtminpro.de July 2000. Three Atlas Copco Rocket Boomer XL3 C and two L2 C computerised drillrigs to be delivered to Schweizer Alp Transit Consortium (Satco) for driving main running tunnels north and south from base of Mitholz access adit. Visit www.atlascopco.com July 2000. Award to consortium of Losinger, Prader, Bouygues, Deneriaz, Evequoz, Imboden and Theler of $65 million construction contract for 12 km of tunnel off four faces at Ferden access towards Bern and Valais, starting May, 2001 and completing late-2005. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 15/01. Award of $170 million drill/blast contract for 7.1 km-long, 9 m-diameter twin-tube section of Lotschberg base tunnel to Bouygues for completion early-2005. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 28/01. BLS AlpTransit reports that 66 km, or 75% of the total tunnel system, has been driven, mainly by drill/blast using Atlas Copco drillrigs. The Adelrain fork cavern has been excavated on the drive N from Mitholz, and the west tube is now underway with 600 m to go to Frutigen portal. The 9.7 km Mitholz drives S are 67% complete, and the Ferden drives N are around 30 %, while Ferden drives S are virtually finished. At the Raron end, the Herrenknecht TBM drives N are well advanced, with the west tube complete, and the 9.7 km east tube 65% complete. The 4.5 km drill/blast west tube portal drive is 76 % complete. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 13/03. As of 1st April, 2003, progress at the Lötschberg base tunnel reached 67,493 metres which represents 76.6% of the whole tunnel system. In Frutigen, the first 120 m of the west tube have been excavated. Delicate work is presently under way to drive the east tube under the embankment supporting the existing BLS line.Heading north from Mitholz, there is only 200 m to go before the junction with the Frutigen west tube. Breakthrough is scheduled for mid-May. Heading south, the tricky karstic area in Doldenhorn, 2.7 km in length, has been crossed without too much trouble. The teams are now gearing up towards the last risky geological area at the Lötschberg with two difficult stretches composed of crumbly materials. More than 2.3 km of internal concrete lining has already been installed in the east tube. The spoil management facilities have processed so far 472,000 tonnes of concrete aggregates.In Ferden, the southbound east tube has been completed on 2nd April and teams are now concentrating on the north drives. The internal concrete lining (invert and side walls) is being installed. The Steg/Niedergesteln teams are drilling the cross galleries between the west and east tubes. The concrete lining works are due to begin this month heading for Rarogne. The Ferden-bound Herrenknecht TBM, which started in Rarogne, reached km 6.5 while in the west bore, miners have only 1 km to go. Breakthrough is expected for the summer. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch 16/03.Consortium SATCO tunnelling from Mitholz encountered the Vorlos tunnelling team working from Frutigen on 14th May, 2003. This second breakthrough at the Lötschberg base tunnel took exactly 1,000 calendar days. The tunnel includes a 7,492 m drive, 22 transverse tunnels, a service station and a crossover cavern. The majority of the work (7,024 m) was performed from Mitholz by SATCO using the drill/blast method. Tunnellers working from the north portal in Frutigen drove the first 120 metres of base tunnel in difficult conditions in unconsolidated rock and just 5 m below the BLS rail line which remained in operation while work was in progress. 80% of the total tunnel system has now been driven. Visit www.blsalptransit.ch. 22/03.By end-January, 2004 Satco had excavated almost 23 km of tunnel. They were awarded a further bonus kilometre towards Ferden in the south, and a contract to mine an 800 m-long parallel link close to the Frutigen portal in the north. As a result, Satco will excavate 26 km of tunnel by mid-2004. Meanwhile, concrete lining is underway in the east tube, with 300 m completed in the north drive, and more than 5 km in the south. More from wolfgang.lehner@satco.ch or visit www.blsalptransit.ch 08/04.

SRP Ingenieur AG from Brig-Glis secured the contract for expansion of the Lötschberg base tunnel. For more information contact BLS Netz AG, Berna, webisite www.bls.ch  and visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=37592-2016. 05/16.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 04.07.2017, for the replacement of frequency converters in the Lotschberg base tunnel. The duration of the contract is from 01/01/2018 to 31/03/2019. For further information visit http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=967167 (German) and/or http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=968059 (French). Contact BLS Netz AG, attn. David Haueter, Bern, email david.haueter@bls.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=190759-2017.  21/17.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 24.01.2018, for the renewal of tracks and switches in the Loetschberg tunnel. The contract includes the adaptation of the drainage system. Duration of the contract from is 02.05.2018 to 31.12.2022. Further information from http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=986831 (German) and/or http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=986863 (French). Contact BLS AG,  attn Silvio Gasparini, Berna,  tel +32 583272958, email            silvio.gasparini@bls.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=384333-2017. Ref.n. 296. 40/17.

Marti Tunnelbau AG from Moosseedorf secured the EUR74.63 million contract,

excluding VAT, for the renewal of tracks and switches in the Loetschberg

tunnel. The contract includes the adaptation of the drainage system.

The duration of the contract from is 02.05.2018 to 31.12.2022. Further

information from

http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1019957  (German)

and/or http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1019965

(French). Contact BLS AG,  attn Silvio Gasparini, Berna,  tel +32

583272958, email silvio.gasparini@bls.ch. Visit

http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=206061-2018.

Ref.n. 296. 20/18.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 29.03.2019, for the replacement of ventilation in the Lotschberg tunnel. Duration of the contract is from 01.09.2019 to the 31.12.2021. For further information

http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1057883 (German) and/or http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1061173

(French). Contact BLS AG, Bern, email david.haueter@bls.ch. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=082429-2019.

Ref.n. 423. 08/19.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 01/04/2021, for assistance to the owner for the BLS project to design and build a protection gallery above the Mitholz railway line. The tunnel will be built as a security measure for the planned dismantling of the Mitholz ammunition depot by the Federal DDPS (Department of Defence, civil Protection and Sport).For further on the tender, please click here(German), here (French) and here. Duration contract from 01/06/2021 to 31/12/2031. Contact BLS AG, attn Silvio Gasparini, Berne, email beschaffung.bau@bls.ch. Ref.n. 1084. 09/21. 

Open invitation to tender, deadline 20/07/2021, for the renewal of protection and control technology in the Loetschberg tunnel. Participation in the on-site inspection on May 27, 2021 is mandatory. Document 4.1 ‘’Registration for compulsory inspection" must be completed and sent by e-mail by 19/05/2021 to david.haueter@bls.ch. Duration of the contract is from 01/01/2022 to 31/12/2023. Contact BLS AG,  attn David Haueter, Berna, email david.haueter@bls.ch. Further information on the tender click here (German) and/or here (French) and here. Ref.n. 835. 19/21. 

Schneider Electric (Schweiz) AG from Ittigen secured the CHF4.55 million contract, excluding VAT, for the renewal of protection mandatory for the Loetschberg tunnel. For further please click here(German) and/or here(French). Contact BLS AG,  attn David Haueter, Berna, email david.haueter@bls.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=493095-2021. Ref.n. 835. 39/21.  

BASF MEYCO Fireshield 1350 fire protection mortar was used on this project   Sinking of 800 m-deep Sedrun shaft commenced February, 1999 by jv of Murer, Shaft Sinkers, Locher, Marti, Zschokke and CSC. April 1999.   Tenders invited for 2,646 m-long Faido access tunnel at Mairengo and Amsteg access tunnel. Also Bodio service tunnel 3,162 m-long and 5 m-diameter with two cut-and-cover tunnels at 380 m each. May 1999.   North portal to Sedrun is 21 km; Sedrun to Faido is 19 km; Faido to south portal is 16 km. Sedrun and Faido are construction accesses and will be retained as emergency exits during operation of the railway. At Sedrun there will be two crossovers together with passenger unloading facilities in separately-ventilated galleries to be excavated off-line. Amsteg access is for construction and maintenance purposes only. At this stage it is anticipated that the Sedrun section will be advanced by drill/blast on four faces off the shaft starting February, 2000. Two TBMs will drive from the north portal position towards Sedrun and another two TBMs will drive from the south portal; two TBMs will drive south from Amsteg commencing early-2002 and another TBM will drive from Bodio following on 400 m of preparatory cut-and-cover in blocky alluvial ground and 420 m drill/blast with grouting; two TBMs will drive north from Faido starting end-2002; and the final launch should be from Erstfeld in mid-2003. The south end of the tunnels will be segmentally or concrete lined, and elsewhere shotcrete, waterprooof membrane and in-situ concrete will be standard. The invert will be concreted in-situ throughout. Rock temperature will be 45 degrees C, provoking maximum air temperature of 35 degrees C and humidity of 70 %. Working temperature will be reduced by circulating cooling water to the faces from refrigeration plants on surface. Sedrun already has a 10 MW plant. Project has been divided into five main contract lots. Each of the three central lots will employ 500 men; the south lot 400 men; and the north lot 300 men. See also ch/20 – 22 below. October 1999. Shaft Sinkers of South Africa reported completion of a 800-metre vertical shaft at Sedrun. The contract also included a ventilation shaft and a cavern more than 2,000 metres below the surface. A new phase in the construction of the world's longest railway tunnel is about to begin now with the drill-and-blast of two pairs of tunnels from the cavern in both directions between the middle of next year to the end of 2007. Visit www.alptransit.ch 42/01. Click ch/19 and ch/22 To complete the first stage of AlpTransit and finance the second stage, further investment will be necessary for a total of CHF600 to 800 million. The Swiss Parliament has to approve the new funding next summer. The cost estimate for the first stage of AlpTransit - which includes a first phase with the Lötschberg and Gotthard base tunnels and a second phase with the Mount Ceneri and Zimmerberg tunnels - is CHF14.7 billion. However, unforeseen geological conditions in Faido at the Gotthard base tunnel and the decision to build a twin tube instead of a bidirectional tunnel under Mount Ceneri or safety improvements in the tunnels will cost an extra CHF520 million. Consequently, reserves dropped to CHF249 million as of 31st December, 2002. Another CHF50 million will also be submitted in Parliament for the second stage, which includes the underground crossing of the Uri valley. This stage, programmed for the 2010-2020 decade, will consist in lengthening the Gotthard base tunnel so that the line will run in tunnel on 75 km instead of 57, from Brunnen to Bodio. A final decision will be made in 2007. The Lötschberg base tunnel is 75% complete while the Gotthard base tunnel is 20% complete. Visit www.alptransit.ch and www.blsalptransit.ch 15/03.Following an out-of-court agreement between the project owner AlpTransit Gotthard and Schweizer Bahntechnik Konsortium and once the contract is signed, which is scheduled for spring 2008, Transtec Gotthard will draw up the implementation plans to begin installing railway technology in the Gotthard base tunnel in 2009. On 4th May, 2007, Transtec Gotthard was awarded the contract for railway technology but the decision was attacked in justice by the defeated consortium Schweizer Bahntechnik. Read E-News Weekly 24/2007. The order is worth CHF1.69 billion and construction is scheduled to last until 2016. Zurich-based Atel Installationstechnik leads the Transtec Gotthard consortium, whose other members are Alcatel-Lucent, Thales Rail Signalling Solutions (TRSS), Alpine Mayreder and Balfour Beatty Rail. Visit www.transtecgotthard.ch, www.atel.eu, www.thalesgroup.com, www.alpine.at and www.bbrail.comTranstec Gotthard is also aided by a number of other partners, among which Kummler+Matter, Pöyry Infra and Scheuchzer. Visit www.kuma.ch, www.ewi.ch or www.poyry.com and www.scheuchzer.chOnce the federal office of transport has granted its approval, work on installation of the railway technology systems is scheduled to begin at the south portal in Biasca around the beginning of 2009, and at the north portal in Erstfeld around 2012. The construction period is around seven years. The Gotthard base tunnel is scheduled to go into commercial operation in 2017. The work covers installation of railway technology facilities in the two one-track tunnel tubes, each 57 kilometres in length, and the outdoor routes connecting the existing rail network. The railway technology to be installed includes the track, power supply and cabling, lighting and power installations, overhead lines and switching stations, tunnel instrumentation and controls, data networks and operational communications, tunnel communication systems and signal boxes, process control systems and a new signalling and train security system.Before these systems can be installed in the tunnel, extensive systems for logistics and transport such as construction railway, workshops, storage depots, accommodation, ventilation and air conditioning systems, power supply, radio and telephone systems need to temporarily set up. Visit www.alptransit.ch 03/08.Pöyry has been awarded an engineering services contract in the Gotthard base tunnel project by the Swiss Transtec Gotthard consortium. The assignment comprises support of the operational management, technical coordination and planning integration. The value of the contract is about EUR10 million. AlpTransit Gotthard as owner awarded the Transtec Gotthard consortium the work contract for the installation of the railway technology in the Gotthard base tunnel. Transtec Gotthard comprises Atel Installationstechnik, Alcatel-Lucent Schweiz, TRSS Thales Rail Signalling Solutions, Alpine Bau and Balfour Beatty Rail. The consortium's contract is for implementation planning and installation of the railway installations and involves equipping the two single-track tunnels, each with a length of 57 km, as well as the overground lines to the north and south with a total length of around 11 km. Installation of the railway systems through the south entrance will start in the second half of 2009, and through the north entrance at Erstfeld at the end of 2011. Commercial operation of the world's longest railway tunnel with scheduled train services is planned to start at the end of 2017. Visit www.poyry.com, www.transtec-gotthard.ch and www.neat.ch/pages/e/index.php 20/08.

The JV TLT-Turbo/ABB, secured the EUR31 million ventilation contract lot C in Gotthard Base Tunnel. The contract includes the design and the development of operational ventilation as well as its realization and installation in Sedrun and Faido multifunction stations. Duration of work: mid-2012 to spring 2014. Visit www.alptransit.ch. 18/11.

The consortium ETG (Implenia/Alpiq Infra AG) secured the EUR37.44 million contract (lot E) to equip multifunction stations Sedrun and Faido, ventilation stations and railway engineering buildings. The one-year contract includes project design, development, manufacture, installation and commissioning of mechanical and electromechanical equipment. Visit  http://www.alptransit.ch/it/stampa/comunicati-stampa/werkvertrag-fuer-ausruestung-der-multifunktionsstellen-sedrun-und-faido-unterzeichnet-783.html?cHash=ab265fd6896657eb554981ac9712ec87. 17/12.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 12.11.2012, for delivery and installation of MT cables in Gotthard Base Tunnel. Bid is in two lots. Contact Achats du groupe prestations de services du groupe achats de biens de consummation, Bern. For more http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=748603. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=

312972-2012. 41/12.

Nexans Suisse SA of Cortaillod secured the EUR4.18 million contract (lot 1) and the EUR3.7 million contract (lot 2) for delivery and installation of MT cables in Gotthard Base Tunnel. Contact Achats du groupe prestations de services du groupe achats de biens de consummation, Bern. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=030415-2013 and http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=030416-2013. 05/13.

The joint venture EB-GBT, composed of Bruegger HTB GmbH from Frutigen and Implenia from Zurich, secured the EUR3.09 million contract, including 8% VAT, for the cleaning work in the Gotthard Base tunnel, the underground access tunnels and secondary buildings. The duration of the works is from 01.10.2017 to 31.12.2022. Contact SBB, Berna, email einkauf.dienstleistungen@sbb.ch.  Visit http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=982485 and http://www.rsi.ch/news/ticino-e-grigioni-e-insubria/Ecco-chi-pulir%C3%A0-Alptransit-9492637.html. 35/17.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 09/11/2022, for the supply of maintenance and troubleshooting on the jet fans in the Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) and Ceneri Base Tunnel (CBT), each fan must be dismantled and replaced with a functioning fan. A logistical concept is required for dismantling and assembly in the tunnel, which makes it possible to load the fans onto the maintenance train and transport them from the maintenance and intervention center (EIZ) into the tunnel, exchange them, bring them back to the EIZ and for inspection or repair unload.

For further information please click here (German) and/or here (Italian). The duration of the contract is from 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2028.  Contact Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB, attn Hans-Peter Luethi, Berna, email hans-peter.luethi2@sbb.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=522519-2022. Ref. n. 220002. 39/22. 

Twin tunnel to be bored by Marti jv using Herrenknecht ex Pomy. May 1998.  North tube breakthrough by Herrenknecht 11.7 m-diameter TBM achieved May, 1999 by contractors GTG, a jv of Marti, CSC, Comina and Pierre Freiburghaus. TBM dismantled and taken back to start for south tube to complete by October, 2000. Maximum daily advance 21.6 m with average of 13 m. Steelcord muck conveyor from TBM to portal with 400 m cassette. Korfmann fans and Grindex Matador pumps. Segment prefabrication at site produces six 1.8 m rings/day using forms supplied by Bernold and CBE. 28 cm-thick ring comprises 5 x 9 t segments plus key. Sept 1999.

Will drive 3.1 km over next three years to explore geological conditions for the 15 km Mt Ceneri base tunnel. Has advanced more than 2 km at 6 m/day. April 1999.   Mt Ceneri is on southern access to Gotthard base tunnel. Sigrino exploration drive underway on a 30 sq m single face to one side of the main tunnel alignment and should be completed end-2000. Contractor LGU using Tamrock drillrig for drill/blast with rockbolt support and steel arches in places. Main drive should start in 2005. Visit www.alptransit.ch April 2000.  Public hearings into the 2 x 15.4 km Ceneri base tunnel will be held from 2nd April to 16th May, 2003. The main worksite will start in Sigirino where a launch cavern for each tube is planned to start tunnelling. The full lengths of both tubes will be driven with two TBMs except a section in the Valcolla area to be blasted. The alignment on the north side bifurcates from the Bellinzona-Locarno line shortly after the Giubiasco station to enter in tunnel in Vigana between Camorino and San Antonino. On the south side, connection to the existing line will be in Vezia. Around 4 millions cubic metres of spoil will be removed and recycled. The CHF2.2 billion tunnel is part of the second phase of AlpTransit. Work to commence in 2006 for opening in 2016. Visit www.alptransit.ch 14/03.CHF1.3 billion has been allocated to the 15.4 km Ceneri base tunnel, which will be constructed as two single-track tubes, fully equipped. A scheduled building in phases has been discarted because, although this would have saved CHF155 million in the short term, extra costs of CHF334 million would have been necessary later to equip the second tube. Also, a building in phases would have reduced the capacity of the tunnel by 60%. The federal department for environment, transport, energy and communication (DETEC) is expected to approve the designs in mid August. Preliminary works could start next fall and the main works in 2006-2007. The Ceneri tunnel is part of the Gotthard AlpTransit line, since its approval at a referendum vote in 1992 confirmed in 1998. The cost is estimated at CHF2 billion (1998 price). Visit www.bav.admin.ch and www.alptransit.ch/pages/img/aktuell/Info_Ceneri_f.pdf 26/05.On 30th April, 2007, AlpTransit San Gottardo and CMC (Consorzio Monte Ceneri), a consortium whose partners are Swiss contractors CSC, Frutiger, and Rothpletz, Lienhard + Cie, signed a contract for the first underground works at the Ceneri base tunnel. The contract is worth CHF85 million (VAT not included) and encompasses tunnelling of the Sigirino access adit and an operating cavern. The contract has been signed slightly less than one year after the first stone of the Ceneri tunnel was laid on 2nd June, 2006 and further to 12 months of preparatory work for the Ceneri base tunnel, at Camorino and Sigirino construction sites. Tunnelling will commence next autumn and will last a bit more than two years. The 15.4 km-long Ceneri base tunnel connects Camorino with Vezia and is one of the key links of the plain line. It is scheduled to open in 2019. Read E-News Weekly 18/2003. Visit www.alptransit.ch, www.csc-sa.ch, www.frutiger.ch and www.rothpletz.ch 19/07.The contract for the construction of the Ceneri base tunnel from the northern portal, in Camerino, has been awarded to the Matro sud consortium headed by Pizzarotti teaming up with Ennio Ferrari, LGV, Cossi Costruzioni and Rodio Geotechnik. The consortium presented an offer of CHF103 million for the main northern lot consisting of a tunnel that will emerge on the Vigana hill under highway A2 where a double portal for three tracks will be constructed (two tracks for the new Alptransit railroad and one for the Locarno-Lugano line). Construction is programmed to commence on 6th October, 2008. Visit www.pizzarotti.it, www.ennio-ferrari.ch, www.lgv-sa.ch, www.cossi.com and www.rodio.chThe project will take place in three phases. First, an approach trench will be built in the slope that, from the valley, will lead to the tunnel site. Then, once the portal area is ready, some 50 metres will be excavated in soft ground just under the A2. From that point, crews will cut the rock through Mount Ceneri on an overall length of about 700 metres consisting of two tubes and a cavern system. The three large caverns, with width up to 23 m and height of 14 m, will be excavated by traditional methods. They will accommodate tracks for the south-north line, the north-south line and the Vigana connection that will be the interchange between north-south high speed lines and the local traffic. Click here for more details. Excavation will take place in soft soil using jet grouting and in rock using explosives. The supports will mainly consist of anchoring bolts, shotcrete, welded mash and steel arches. The final lining will be an inner concrete ring. Visit www.alptransit.ch 29/08.

The CPV consortium, formed by CSC SA (Lugano) and Pizzarotti SA (Bellinzona), signed the EUR43 million contract for the construction of Lot 854 at Vezia, the main lot of Ceneri Base Tunnel, including the south portal, 200 m of cut-and-cover tunnel, as well as drilling, blasting and lining both tunnels along a length of 300 m. Works at Vezia will continue until 2016. Commercial operation of the Ceneri Base Tunnel with scheduled train services is planned to start at the end of 2019. Of the total of 40.19 km of the Ceneri Base Tunnel, at the end of February 2010, 7,673 m, or 19.1%, had been excavated. Visit www.alptransit.ch, www.csc-sa.ch and www.pizzarotti.ch. 10/10.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 03.09.2012, for counselling and assistance during security analysis for ventilation, smoke ventilation, safety exits and underground stations in the following railway tunnels: Gotthard base tunnel (ch/17) from 2014 to 2017, 800 hours; Ceneri Base Tunnel (ch/14) from 2012 to 2017, 850 hours; Loewenstrasse station and Weinberg tunnel (ch/37) on cross link in Zurich (DML) from 2013 to 2015, 350 hours; tunnel on CEVA line (ch/40) at Geneva from 2013 to 2017, 900 hours. For more, visit http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=741257. Contact BAV, Safety Dept, Berna, e-mail beschaffung@bav.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=231258-2012. 30/12.

On 14.03.2104 the Swiss Federal Administrative Court has partly upheld both of the appeals against the awards made by AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd of the railway systems lots "Railway Track & Logistics" and "Railway Systems & Overall Coordination". The contested awards have been annulled and returned to AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd for reconsideration. AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd will analyse these decisions and decide how it will proceed in the next few days. Visit http://www.alptransit.ch/en/media/press-releases/vergaben-bahntechnik-am-ceneri-basistunnel-bundesverwaltungsgericht-heisst-beschwerden-teilweise-gut-986.html?cHash=ba68fd7817d795d431f0a610d7dfea31. 14/14.

The Swiss Federal Supreme Court has upheld two appeals against decisions of the Swiss Federal Administrative Court of March, 2014 in connection with the award of railway infrastructure systems for the Ceneri Base Tunnel. The judgements of the Federal Administrative Court have been annulled. The original decisions of AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd for the awards are confirmed: Railway Track & Logistics lot to the Mons Ceneris Consortium, under the lead management of Mancini&Marti AG, Bellinzona ; the Railway Systems & Overall Coordination lot to the CPC Consortium, under the lead management of Cablex AG, Berne.

The formerly planned date for opening the Ceneri Base Tunnel to commercial traffic along with the revised railway timetable in December, 2019 therefore remains the goal of AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd. Click ch/14 for tunnelbuilder archive. Visit http://www.alptransit.ch/en/media/press-releases/bahntechnik-am-ceneri-basistunnel-1019.html. 38/14.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 14.09.2015, for supply, installation, operation and test of ventilation equipment in Ceneri basis Tunnel, lot 890 C. Duration of contract from 01.06.2016 to 31.08.2019. Contact AlpTransit Gotthard AG, Lucerne, tel +41 (0)41 226 06 97-00; specs and docs from Ingenieurgemeinschaft ITC (Itecsa – Toscano), attn Eng Davide Merlini, Lugano, e-mail davide.merlini@piniswiss.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=121227-2015, GU S 067. 25/15.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 22.03.2019, for test drives to be done in Ceneri Base Tunnel. Duration of the contract is from 01.03.2020 to 31.08.2020. Further information from

http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1061297 (german) and/or http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1062359

(french).Contact CFF Voyageurs P-OP-FSE-PTF-SEF, attn. Markus Roethlisberger, Bern, tel  +41 79 223 14 29,  email roethlisberger.markus@sbb.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=092004-2019.

09/19.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 13/09/2021, for the general management for the Sigirino access adit. For tender documents click here (Italian) and/o here (French). Tenders must be sent to Ferrovie Federali svizzere FFS Infrastruttura, acquisti, supply chain e produzione,  attn Elisa Bartesaghi,  Bellinzona, email elisa.bartesaghi@sbb.ch. Duration of the contract is from from  17.01.2022 to  31.12.2024. Contact Infrastruttura - Progetti di ampliamento e rinnovo - Gestione progetti -Regione Sud, attn Cristian Reveruzzi , Bellinzona, email cristian.reveruzzi@sbb.ch . For further on the tender please click here30/21. 

To be driven in opposite directions from two shafts by 12.3 m-diameter Herrenknecht TBMs: one a hard rock, the other a dual-mode Mixshield slurry machine. First machine launched at Allmend Brunau shaft towards Thalwil, Sept 1998. 9.4 km long to connect with proposed Gotthard AlpTransit tunnel at Nidelbad. Contracting jv of Prader, Locher, Wayss & Freytag. Nov 1998.   Two TBMs now at work, with 12.29 m-diameter south drive machine 3 km into its 5.6 km drive having recorded a best day of 39.1 m or 23 rings while completing 673.2 m of tunnel in June, 1999. First 330 m of north drive being undertaken by second TBM in rock mode using disc cutters and conveyor belt. Following 150 m will be in slurry mode using hydraulic spoil pipelines to surface separation plant. Machine will then complete the bulk of the 2.7 km drive in rock mode in molasse. The final 700 m will be in soft mixed ground with extra drag picks on the cutterhead. Lining comprises seven bolted segments and key, 12.04 m outside diameter and 11.44 m internal diameter. Aliva pumps are used at both TBMs to pump pea gravel into the annulus. Segments are transported by converted Kiruna trucks. There are vehicle turntables behind each TBM. Zimmerberg will connect with AlpTransit Gotthard in a continuous tunnel, possibly using the same machines. Sept 1999.   South section TBM driving 5.6 km from Allmend Brunau to Nidelbad in typical Sweetwater molasse has passed the halfway point and completed 673.2 m in June, 1999 with a best day of 39.1 m or 23 rings. Conveyor capacity is 1,100 t/h using 1 m-wide belt at 2.2 m/sec. Major constraint is the rate at which spoil can be removed from site because only 13 trains/day can be handled. However, 100,000 t surface stockpile will smooth rockflow. First 330 m of 2.7 km north drive was in hard rock, then TBM was converted to slurry mode for 150 m following which it will revert to hardrock configuration. Visit www.herrenknecht.com November 1999.  Rail 2000 Thalwil junction and 900m/1,300m branch tunnels completed using drill/blast to connect with advancing cut and cover. TBM face in main tunnel left ready for AlpTransit drive to Nidelbad when finances are available. Herrenknecht TBMs completed drives in both directions from Allmend Brunau shafts and removed for storage. 27/02.

Basler & Hofmann AG Ingenieure Planer und Berater from Zurich secured the EUR642,536 Euro, excluding VAT, for the concept study for the 11 km Zimmerberg II base tunnel and the Meilibach tunnel. Duration of the contract is from 01.07.2018 to   31.03.2020. For further information http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1020197. Contact SBB, attn Jogchem Dieleman, Lucerne, email jogchem.dieleman@sbb.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=229993-2018. Ref.n. 1149877. 22/18.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 16/03/2022, for general management and coordination of technical services - Pre-project phase – for the Zimmerberg 2 base tunnel, Nidelbad-Litti. The contract includes the Nidelbad widening work, the ZBT2 tunnel system with two 10.8km single-track tunnels and the cross connections, as well as the Litti connection with the tunnel portals, the connection to the existing track network and the turnaround facility. For further information http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1237183 (German) and/or http://www.simap.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?NOTICE_NR=1237201 (French). Tenders must be sent to CFF, attn Reto Braegger, Olten, email reto.braegger@sbb.ch. Duration of the contract is from 01/06/2022 to 31/12/2023. Contact CFF, attn Benjamin Karli, Olten, email benjamin.karli@sbb.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=016642-2022. Ref.n. 1161142. 03/22. 

3.3 m pilot bore followed by 1.2 km roadheader excavation as top heading and bench. For completion end-2001. August 1998.

Three contracts awarded worth over $160 million: Teerag-Asdag/Baresel/Locher for two caverns and two shafts; Dragados/SELI for two caverns; and Taylor Woodrow/Amec/Spie Batignolles for two tunnels total length 5 km and several caverns. Completion for 2005. February 1998. Work progressing well at three projects involving six shafts, 32 caverns and 6 km of tunnels. At point 1, the larger of two new experimental halls is UX15 with a span of 35 m. The second is USA15 with a span of 23 m which will be supported by 36 anchor tendons, each with 235 t breaking strain. At point 5, the 70 m-deep shafts are being sunk through 45 m of waterbearing moraine by freezing using recirculating brine at -25 degrees C. There are also two large caverns of widths 26.5 and 18 m with 250 m of connecting tunnels. In the vicinity of point 1 the first of two 2.5 km-long, 12 sq m tunnels is under construction as part of package 3 using an Alpine Westfalia WAV 50 roadheader with 100 t/h conveyor with best day performance of 12.5 m and average of 6 m. The second tunnel will be driven using a 3.8 m-diameter TBM. The rest of package 3 work is spread throughout the 27 km-long circular LEP ring and includes 700 m of minor tunnels, two shafts and 15 chambers. Total value $220 million. The existing LEP collider will close in October, 2000 to facilitate the upgrading work and will reopen as LHC in 2005. The new ring will then carry out some of the experiments for which the ill-fated Supercollider in the U.S. and the Protvino collider in Russia had been designed. Visit the world's first website, opened in 1989 at www.cern.ch May 2000.  Spie Batignolles/Sotrabas has purchased a SM 130-C roadheader from IBS of Germany with cutting performance 150kW, machine-integral slewing belt conveyor, and attachments for rockbolting. The machine will join the two modified AM 50 roadheaders already supplied. Visit www.cern.com July 2000.

4.14 km-long, 8 sq m horseshoe section advanced from both ends at 122 m/month/face beneath Ante Lebanon mountains from Aen Zarka to Al Balaa by contractors Banske Stavby of Prievidza, Slovakia and Takla-Weavers of Guernsey, UK. Holed 16th November, 1998. Generally in competent limestone of 9 – 62 Mpa using resin encapsulated rockbolts, steel arches, mesh and lagging. Some dry karst caverns encountered. Maximum overburden 200 m. One 10 m section was supported by micropiles and compensation grouted. Final lining of 20-30 cm-thick monolithic concrete under installation using 10 m telescopic slip formwork. Two vent shafts of 800 mm diameter by 58 m-deep and 108 m-deep installed for emergency escape. December 1999.