Now open a public contest to choose the names of the two TBMs that will soon start excavating two tunnels on Lot 1A of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria high-speed railway. The project is being carried out by a consortium led by Webuild with partners Pizzarotti, Ghella, and Tunnel Pro, on behalf of RFI (FS Italiane Group). 

The public can vote here until November 7 for one of two pairs of names: Leucosia and Ligea, inspired by the sirens of Greek mythology who were said to have lived in the Salerno Bay; or Elvira and Olga, a tribute to two prominent Salerno-born artists: Elvira Notari, Italy’s first female film director, and Olga Schiavo, a painter and ceramist. The winning names will be announced on November 12. 

With a cutterhead diameter of 13.46 m, these two TBMs - along with Partenope that has been operating since February on the Saginara tunnel –will drive 5 new tunnels planned for Lot 1A. The lot includes 35 km of rail between the cities of Battipaglia and Romagnano, with 20 tunnels (eight of which will be excavated using four TBMs) and 19 viaducts. 

One TBM will excavate the Serra Lunga tunnel, which is over 800 m long, and will then continue excavating the Acerra (approximately 250 m long) and Petrolla (over 1.2 km long) tunnels.

The other TBM will excavate the Piano Grasso tunnel, over 2.2 km long, and then the Contursi tunnel (over 1.5 km long). 

Click here and it/280 for tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.webuildgroup.com/ and https://www.ghella.com. 45/25.