Jarlsberg Tunnel
Double | |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
---|---|
Electrified | 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC |
Operating speed | 200 km/h (120 mph) |
The Jarlsberg Tunnel (
Specifications
The Jarlsberg Tunnel runs roughly north–south through Frodeåsen, a hill just north of the town center of
The Jarlsberg Tunnel constitutes the southernmost part of the 7.8-kilometer-long (4.8 mi) double-track segment of the Vestfold Line between Barkåker and Tønsberg.
History
The Vestfold Line opened in 1881 as a
Initial planning of the segment between Barkåker and Tønsberg considered 13 different initial route proposals. However, no analysis for possible rights-of-way south of Tønsberg or north of Barkåker were considered.
The route will give a time saving of between three and four minutes for trains heading north of Tønsberg, but two minutes of these will be saved by changing the direction the trains run through the loop through town. Thus, passengers traveling southwards from Tønsberg experience a two-minute increase in travel time.[13] The plan to make an isolated investment in the Barkåker–Tønsberg section was criticized by several pro-railway interest organizations, including Norsk Bane, For Jernbane, the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature as well as the Norwegian State Railways (NSB)—who operates the train service. All recommended that the National Rail Administration place the investments on hold until more of the Vestfold Line was planned. NSB's Tom Ingulstad called the plans "troublesome" and stated that the trains would have nearly no time or reliability-gains from the investment. If the authority instead had built more double track in connection with the existing segment at Sande, trains could more efficiently catch up any delays before reaching Drammen.[14]
Long-term plans for the line imply that the line will need to allow a through speed of at least 250 kilometers per hour (160 mph) and be built so trains do not need to stop or slow down at all stations. The National Rail Administration had at the time of construction not made any plans for a route south of Tønsberg; estimates from Norsk Bane show that Tønsberg will not be able to allow high through speeds and that a new through line would have to be built with a different right-of-way, entirely avoiding the Jarlsberg Tunnel.[15] Alternatively, the route would have to feature slow speeds or large encroachments on the local environment. By binding the Vestfold Line to run via Barkåker, it is not possible to build a high-speed line with stations serving population centers such as Horten, Åsgårdstrand and Eik.[8] For Jernbane advised against building the Barkåker–Tønsberg segment and instead recommended that the authorities wait until the entire Vestfold Line was planned.[16]
Following the appointment of
Construction of the project started on 16 March 2009;[20] work on the tunnel started in April[21] and the first blasting began on 11 May.[22] Construction ran from a crosscut in the center of the tunnel and outwards; average speed was 35 to 40 meters (115 to 131 ft) per week.[2] Work on casting the concrete portals started on 18 September.[23] For four weeks, starting in January 2010, blasting was performed above the Frodeåsen Tunnel, and on each occasion that the 100 or so blasts were executed, the road was closed for safety reasons.[7] Following a public naming competition, the National Rail Administration announced on 5 February 2010 that the tunnel be known as the Jarlsberg Tunnel.[24] The first breakthrough of the tunnel was achieved on 30 June 2010.[21] The second and final breakthrough took place on 1 September. Construction proceeded without any injuries and nearly without any complications.[25] The tunneling resulted in 235,000 tonnes (231,000 long tons; 259,000 short tons) of earthwork, which was used to build the above-ground section north of the tunnel.[2] The last concrete casting was laid on 20 January 2011.[3]
Laying of the track was performed by Wiebe, signaling was installed by Norsk Jernbanedrift, Structon Rail installed the overhead wire, and YIT installed the power supply and telecommunications systems.[4] The tunnel has the NSI-63 relay-based signaling system, although it was scheduled to be replaced by European Rail Traffic Management System shortly after 2015.[5] The last six weeks before opening, the Vestfold Line was closed to allow the new and old sections to be connected. This was the most hectic part of construction, as it saw the tracks south of the tunnel be rearranged to allow trains to operate the opposite direction through the loop in Tønsberg. The work was performed by Reinertsen and took 100,000 man-hours.[6]
The tunnel and the segment Barkåker–Tønsberg opened on schedule on 7 November 2011. The segment cost NOK 1.5 billion, which was within budget. However, at the time of the opening, double track was still not laid from the tunnel to Tønsberg Station. Previously, trains crossed each other at the passing loop at the closed Barkåker Station, with one train having to wait for the other. With the competition of the new segment, trains could pass at any point between Tønsberg and Barkåker, allowing increased reliability.[4] However, the signaling system was not installed at the time of opening, so the tunnel remained only operated with single track, although a temporary signaling system allowed it to be used as a passing loop.[26] If used as such, speed was limited to 70 kilometers per hour (43 mph).[27]
References
- ^ Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archived from the originalon 8 June 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lysne, Arne (28 March 2010). "Bygger i bjerge". Tønsbergs Blad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 9 September 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
- ^ Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archived from the originalon 10 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (in Norwegian). Archivedfrom the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archived from the original(PDF) on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d Homleid, Ådne. "Barkåker – Tønsberg". Byggeindustrien. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ^ Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archived from the originalon 8 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d Westermann, Jørg (14 January 2010). "Tønsberg – Barkåker". Tønsbergs Blad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ "Dagbladet fakta: Stortinget ba regjeringen våren 1997". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). 27 September 1999. p. 14.
- ^ Salvesen, Geir (9 February 2001). "Bjørvika gikk seirende ut av kampen om veimilliardene". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 2.
- ^ Enghaug, Pål (17 February 2002). "Jernbanesatsingen sporer helt av". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 3.
- ^ Enghaug, Pål (18 February 2002). "Privattog og bompenger blir vurdert". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 4.
- ^ "Stort behov for helhetlig høyhastighetsplan" (in Norwegian). Norsk Bane. 15 January 2010. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ Haaksaas, Einar (23 January 2006). "Hvert minutt spart koster 270 millioner Jernbaneverket og NSB uenige". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 11.
- ^ "Larvik – Porsgrunn: Vestfoldbanen må ikke bli sidebane!" (in Norwegian). Norsk Bane. 15 January 2010. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ Onsrud, Kjell Erik (12 January 2010). "Mér enn en lokalsak". Sandefjords Blad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ Nilsen, Jannicke (31 March 2008). "Starter på dobbeltspor i 2009". Teknisk Ukeblad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ a b Seehusen, Joachim (9 February 2009). "Stor forskjell på jernbanetilbud". Teknisk Ukeblad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archivedfrom the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archivedfrom the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archivedfrom the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
- Norwegian National Rail Administration. 2 September 2010. Archivedfrom the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
- Norwegian National Rail Administration. Archivedfrom the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "– Og navnet ble Jarlsbergtunnelen". Byggeindustrien. 7 February 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ Lien, Asbjørn Olav (2 September 2010). "Sjekk det smellet!". Tønsbergs Blad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 9 September 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
- ^ Larsen, Lars Døvle (11 December 2011). "Nå er toget mer effektivt". Tønsbergs Blad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (in Norwegian). Archivedfrom the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.