Tunnel Makes Breakthrough on Milan-Lecco RailwayThe breakthrough on 27th February, 2008 of the 2,155 m Beverate rail tunnel that links the Airuno and Olgiate Molgora stations, north of Milan, was greeted with cheers and applause by the workers, site managers, city officials from Olgiate, Airuno and Cernusco, the contractor Todini, the owner RFI, and a crowd of onlookers, many of whom are directly concerned by the tunnel works. On its Olgiate side, the tunnel runs right under various of their homes. Visit www.todini.it and www.ferroviedellostato.it/allegati/Comunicato%20Stampa%20galleria%20Beverate%2027_02_08.pdf A Caterpillar 330B excavator ripped the last chunk of rock which, within a few minutes, was literally pulled down into pieces, tearing a hole through the bedrock. Not only the breakthrough on the 12.3 km Carnate Usmate-Airuno section represents a new connection between the two neighbouring municipalities of Airuno and Olgiate but also shorter travel times between two more distant places: Lecco and Milan. Visit www.cat.comThe Milan-Lecco line will be entirely double-tracked and will eliminate the constraints imposed by the single track and therefore the current inevitable and repeated delays when a train is behind its schedule, even by only a few minutes. In fact, the new alignment is an alternative to the existing track which cuts diagonally through the slopes of Mount Crosaccia. The new line will increase capacity and provide increased efficiency and more punctual traffic. The double track will make realistic, and soon possible, the objective of travelling in just 100 minutes from Sondrio to Milan and vice versa.The Beverate tunnel generated 240,000 cubic metres of rock, without incident. Now that the two sides have been joined, the completion of the rail line is around the corner. After the concreting of the vault and walls is finished, the railway technology installed, and the tracks laid, the Milan-Lecco line will be fully double tracked next summer in July 2008. Click here and it/90. View photos here and a video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqLbvxqMVY4 14/08.