High current connectors for the longest underground railway connection in the world
Sissach, Switzerland, July 2022 – R&S Rauscher & Stoecklin will deliver 400 A connectors to the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT), one of the most important projects in European railway transportation in the coming years.
The Brenner Base Tunnel is a straight, flat railway tunnel connecting two countries. It runs for 55 km between Insbruck (in Austria) and Fortezza (in Italy). The BBT is the heart of the European TEN SCAN-MED (The Trans-European Transport Network Scandinavia-Mediterranean) Corridor. The SCAN-MED links urban centers in Germany and Italy with port cities in Scandinavia and along the Mediterranean which makes it highly important for the European economy.
Projects such as BBT require robust solutions and the use of reliable devices. Connectors offered by R&S Rauscher & Stoecklin are characterized by a very long service life, easy assembly and fast exchange of spare parts. All these features are very helpful in keeping an underground railway tunnel free of breakdowns.
Technical data and other details of the supply:
- Type of devices: 400 A connectors and plugs as well as connector units with block contactors
- Quantity: several hundred connectors and connector units
- Special requirements: custom made connector units with a very small/lean design
- Place of installation: Brenner Base Tunnel
- Scheduled delivery: 2022 – 2032
Some specifications of the BBT project:
- TEN Corridor: SCAN-MED (Scandinavia-Mediterranean): 9.400 km Railways
- Total tunnel length (from the Innsbruck bypass to Fortezza): 64 km
- Length of the base tunnel (from the Innsbruck portal to the Fortezza portal): 55 km
- Design speed for freight traffic: 120 km/h
- Design speed for passenger traffic: 250 km/h
- Energy supply for railway traction: 15 kV 16,7 Hz and 25 kV 50 Hz
- Total length of the tunnel system: 230 km
About Brenner Base Tunnel
The Brenner Base Tunnel is a 55-kilometre-long railway tunnel under construction through the base of the Eastern Alps beneath the Brenner Pass. Upon completion, it will be the longest underground railway connection in the world. It will run from near Innsbruck, in Austria, to Fortezza, in Italy, replacing part of the current Brenner railway. The Brenner Pass, in the Alps at the border between Austria and Italy, is one of the most important traffic connections between northern and southern Europe. The project is funded by Austria and Italy, and a contribution by the European Union.
About R&S Rauscher & Stoecklin
R&S Rauscher & Stoecklin is part of the Swiss-based R&S Group, a leading provider of electrical infrastructure products in key markets. The company, founded in 1919, is a well-established and experienced manufacturer of transformers, switchgear, and other electrical equipment.
Photos: https://www.bbt-se.com/en/
