Infraspeed
Company type | Besloten Vennootschap |
---|---|
Industry | Rail transportation |
Founded | 1999 |
Founder | Fluor Infrastructure BV Siemens Nederland NV Royal BAM Group NV |
Services | HSL-Zuid infrastructure maintenance |
Website | www |
Infraspeed is the builder and infrastructure maintenance company of the HSL-Zuid high-speed line in the Netherlands.
The company was created in 1999 with the express purpose of pursuing the construction and maintenance of the then-proposed HSL-Zuid. On 11 May 2001, Infraspeed was awarded several
History
Infraspeed BV was established during 1999 by a consortium of Fluor Infrastructure (a division of Fluor Corporation), Siemens Nederland (a partly-owned subsidiary of Siemens) and Royal BAM Group. One year later, the financial investors Innisfree and Charterhouse Project Equity (renamed HSBC infrastructure Ltd in 2002 after becoming a subsidiary of HSBC) acquired a 49% shareholding in Infraspeed and playing an active role in its operations.[1][2]
Infraspeed was founded with the goal of securing a major contract from the Dutch government to construct and maintain
On 11 May 2001, Infraspeed was awarded several
Considerable planning was required in the delivery of HSL-Zuid; in excess of 100,000 documents were produced for the customer during the project implementation phase alone.
Amongst the more significant civil engineering works that were constructed for HSL-Zuid include a 6km-long viaduct outside Bleiswijk, a 2km-long bridge crossing the Hollandsch Diep waterway, and four tunnels of various lengths, the longest of which being just short of 8km.[3][6] Due to the requirement for trains to traverse these tunnels at a maximum speed of 300km/h, it was necessary to develop and install specialised equipment that would be capable of operating under any foreseeable emergency situations that may arise during the line's operating life, including lighting, escape routes, fire detection and fire fighting systems, ventilation, drainage, flood protection measures, heating, and access elevators. Power for the line was provided via seven purpose-built autotransformer substations; the overhead contact system comprised, amongst other elements, 2,507 pylons, 4,038 brackets, 180km of negative feeders and 180km of return conductors.[3][7]
Construction of HSL-Zuid proceeded at a rapid pace.[8] During summer 2005, testing commenced on the southern section, between Rotterdam and the Belgian border, of the line; a similar period of testing started on the northern section in early 2006.[6] Limited residual work, such as to address unstable subsoils and tunnel lining weaknesses, was carried out.[6] On 28 July 2006, the southern section of HSL-Zuid was formally delivered by Infraspeed. On 21 December 2006, the consortium handed over the northern section of the line to the customer, officially ending the construction phase as per schedule.[6][9]
Maintenance activities on HSL-Zuid performed by Infraspeed are structured and recorded along with general status data through an asset management system; this approach supports the generation and provision of appropriate documented information that, amongst other functions, is the basis of payment to the consortium of income for the work performed.[3] Data is gathered from various sources, including intelligent trackside sensors.[10] Infraspeed has alleged that conventional rolling stock is responsible for excessive wearing upon the infrastructure.[11]
In 2011, Siemens announced that it had sold its stake in Infraspeed to HSBC and Innisfree, resulting in these two companies controlling ~86% of the shares.[2]
See also
- NS Hispeed, Fyra; operator and brand name used for the HSL-Zuid line
References
- ^ Sources:
- "Infraspeed", www.prorail.nl (in Dutch), ProRail, archived from the original on 10 May 2012, retrieved 21 March 2012
- "Infraspeed the InfraProvider for HSL-South" (PDF), 1st International Seminar on Railway Operations Modelling and Analysis, Delft, The Netherlands, Journal of Railway Operations Research, June 2005[permanent dead link], First presentation
- "Infraspeed de InfraProvider voor HSL-Zuid" (PDF), 1st International Seminar on Railway Operations Modelling and Analysis, Delft, The Netherlands, Journal of Railway Operations Research, June 2005[permanent dead link], Second presentation
- ^ a b Infraspeed company website, www.infraspeed.nl, March 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "HSL-Zuid: high-speed importance". globalrailwayreview.com. 8 April 2008.
- ^ "Infraspeed wins HSL-Zuid PPP". Railway Gazette International. 1 June 2001.
- ^ "HSL Zuid: rail becomes reality". ijglobal.com. 1 December 2001.
- ^ a b c d e f "HSL-Zuid: ready, steady, go!". globalrailwayreview.com. 6 February 2007.
- ^ Abst, S.; Fiegl, B.; Fihlon, M.; Puschmann, Rainer (November 2007). "Electrification of the HSL Zuid high-speed line in the Netherlands". pp. 46–57.
- ^ Hughes, Murray (1 April 2005), "Contractors hurry to finish HSL-Zuid", www.railwaygazette.com, Railway Gazette International
- ^ "Holland's landmark PPP high speed rail project". railtechnologymagazine.com. 1 March 2007.
- ^ "Beneficial monitoring: not whether, but when?". globalrailwayreview.com. 26 September 2007.
- ^ Vosman, Quintus (8 March 2018). "Conventional trains causing excessive track wear on HSL South, claims Infraspeed". International Railway Journal.
External links
- "Infra", www.infraspeed.nl, Fluor BV, archived from the original on 2 January 2007, retrieved 15 March 2012 - Infraspeed company website