Upgrading the Orte-Falconara Rail LineThe Orte-Falconara line is one of the few transversal lines on the Italian rail network. It actually crosses the central Apennines from the Marche region in the east to Lazio in the west. Dualling of Terni-Spoleto section (Apennine pass)The Ancona branch of RFI, the Italian railway operator, awarded to a JV of Maire Engineering (leader), Geodata, Sintagma and Electrowatt Infra, now Poyry Infra, the preliminary design, environment impact study and final design of the railway dualling between Terni and Spoleto stations, on the Orte-Falconara rail line. Click it/55. Visit www.maireengineering.it, www.geodata.it and www.ewi.chThe new alignment runs mostly below ground, for a total of 18 km, in one-track two-way single bored tunnels. Mechanised tunnelling will be used to create 9.3 m OD 8.2 m ID tunnels. A 5.2 m OD 4.5 m ID safety tunnel is also envisaged parallel to the main tunnel, 30 m distant from it and connected by pedestrian cross passages every 250 metres. These cross passages will be driven using traditional methods, featuring a net inner cross section of 17.6 sq m. An intermediate service station in cavern is also planned, to be built also using traditional means with net inner cross section of 104.4 sq m and a 650 m ventilation shaft, net inner cross section of 20 sq m.The Terni-Spoleto rail link crosses the Umbro-Marchean Apennines. The project, which will bypass the existing line, goes through the Martani and Sabini mountains, between which obvious tectonic superimposition can be identified. Map of Orte-Falconara line Map of Terni-Spoleto section, to be dualled From the lithologic point of view, the two rock masses are very similar, the different existing rock formations can be grouped in massive lithoid rock, characterised by carbonate-bearing sequences composed of massive limestone, and stratified lithoid rocks, consisting of pelagic carbonate-bearing sequences composed of cellular dolomite, jaspoid limestone, Maiolica limestone, white shale; pelagic calcareous-marly sequences composed of red ammonites, fucoid marls, red shale, ashen gray shale; tuffaceous marly-arenaceous sequences composed of marly-arenaceous Bisciaro limestone.Structurally, the area is mainly characterised by the overlapping of the Martani mountains on the Sabini mountains and by a system of normal sub-vertical faults. The geophysical and geological surveys have been undertaken by Geoinvest. Visit www.geoinvest.itThe preliminary project has been approved by the interministerial committee for economic planning (CIPE) on 27th May, 2005. Four TBMs will be used, working from four drives, two of which for the railway tunnel and two for the service tunnel. The use of conveyor belts has been considered. The estimated cost for all the underground structures on the Terni-Spoleto section amounts to EUR276 million. Dualling of Spoleto-Campello, Fabriano-Castelplanio and Castelplanio-Montecarotto sectionsThe work supervision for the dualling of the Spoleto-Campello, Fabriano-Castelplanio and Castelplanio-Montecarotto sections has been commissioned to Italferr. The Spoleto-Campello section has been awarded to Cooperativa Costruttori. It includes 5 kilometres of cut-and-cover tunnel. Italferr is also responsible for the elimination of all existing level crossings; the construction of road connections with the structures built to cross the new line; the upgrading of stations and stops; technological improvements (electric power substations, signalling and safety equipment and railway telecommunications). Italferr has also been contracted to carry out the environmental monitoring of the Spoleto-Campello section. Construction is scheduled to be finished in January 2008. Visit www.italferr.it and www.coopcostruttori.itDualling of Foligno-Fabriano sectionThe CIPE has approved on 21st March, 2006 the preliminary project for the Foligno-Fabriano section dualling on the Orte-Falconara line, making recommendations and stating technical guidelines. This stretch has a price tag of EUR56 million. The owner is RFI. 41/06.