Göstritz (lot SBT1.1) - On June 8th, 2022, after 8 years of construction, the 1st breakthrough took place between contract lot SBT1.1-Tunnel Gloggnitz and contract lot SBT2.1-Tunnel Fröschnitzgraben, part of the 27.3km twin-tube Semmering Base Tunnel project.
From the Lower Austrian intermediate point in Göstritz a 1,587 m tunnel was driven with a maximum overburden of approx. 720 m. The water-bearing "Otter" ridge was successfully penetrated with a water pressure of 25 bar as part of the construction of lot SBT1.1 from Göstritz in the direction of Styria. The breakthrough in the second tunnel tube is expected at the end of 2022. The remaining drives in construction lot SBT1.1 are to be finalized in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
In the Gloggnitz construction section, the tunnel is located directly in the fault zone in Grassberg (Globgnitz municipality) and the extremely complex structure of the rock with rock layers of the most varied properties - hard, soft, water-bearing, dry – have necessitated extensive special measures before tunneling in the direction of Göstritz can be continued.
Fröschnitzgraben (lot SBT2.1): Driving work completed
At the end of January 2022, the excavation work in the Fröschnitz tunnel section (lot SBT2.1) was successfully completed. In this section alone, almost 13 of the 27.3 km of the Semmering Base Tunnel has been completed, 8,6 km of them by the two TBMs in the two tubes. The machines, around 125 m long and weighing 1800 t, will be completely dismantled in the tunnel and brought to the surface in parts. The engines and other electrical and hydraulic systems can be reused.
The work on the interior of the tunnel is also in full swing, almost 4 km of the inner shell has already been completed. The inner shell is the one of the last steps in the tunnel construction. Once complete the technical railway equipment (tracks, lines, technical equipment) will be installed in the tunnel before the trains can finally drive through the mountain
Grautschenhof(lot SBT3.1): more than two thirds of the drive completed
In the Grautschenhof construction section to the east of Mürzzuschlag station, more than two thirds of the approximately 7 km have already been completed. To the west, towards the Mürzzuschlag portal, almost 2.2 km have been completed. To the east, to the Fröschnitzgraben construction section, around 3 km have already been driven. The breakthrough between the construction lots SBT2.1 and SBT3.1-Grautschenhof should take place in the 4th quarter of 2023.
Mürzzuschlag: Work on the station building is in full swing
The listed station building in Mürzzuschlag is currently being completely renovated. The work around the station building is progressing well, platform 1 and its tracks are being completely rebuilt. The station building has had a new noise protection wall erected (to the west), between the station building and the post office building. Once the extensive work in the area of the station building is complete in the spring of 2023, the bus station will also be moved to the forecourt. This will make changing between bus and train much more convenient. In the last construction phase, platforms 2/3 will be completely rebuilt, thus completing the modernization of the station area.
More than 24km of the 27.3 km of tunnel have already been created. For further information on the project please click here for the video, here and at/24 for tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://infrastruktur.oebb.at. 24/22.
