Divača-Koper railway line
Matea Uhlik Vidović,
19.07.2016.
The Divača—Koper section is an integral part of the TEN-T network and crossed by two corridors: The Baltic-Adriatic corridor in the direction (Graz) Šentilj—Maribor—Ljubljana—Koper/Trieste, and The Mediterranean corridor in the direction (Venice)—Trieste/Koper—Ljubljana—Pragersko—Hodoš—(Budapest). The importance of the Divača—Koper line is most evident in international railway freight transport due to the role of the cargo port of Koper in linking the hinterland Slovenian and European economies with countries overseas.
The existing line
The Divača–Koper line was constructed in the 1960s as an industrial track and is the only railway connection between the Port of Koper and the hinterland. The track length is 49km and it runs across a topographically extremely unfavorable terrain and represents a bottleneck within the Slovenian railway network due to great elevations. There are 4 tunnels in the total length of 1029m. One of the measure intended to increase the throughput and transport capacity of the existing line is the modernization of the existing track, which is in the final stage of implementation. Except that fact, studies have shown that Divača-Prešnica-Koper single railway track will no longer suffice due to the increasing traffic in the Port of Koper, and have justified the need to construct the second track line running from Divača to Koper.
Purpose of the second track
In 2005 the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted an important decision regarding further steps for the construction of the second track which will also have positive effects on the development of the economy. The new railway track alignment has been planned in such a way to enable the connection of Trieste-Divača railway track. The planned tunneling technology is the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). Some of the purpose of the second track is to provide a modern and efficient railway link, abolish all limitations of throughput and transport capacity, to increase reliability of the operation and the level of traffic safety of the railway line. This route of 27,1 km runs on different formations of carbonate rocks characterized by numerous karst features and crosses the Karst Edge in a number of tunnels. In accordance with the adopted National Site Plan, all of 8 planned tunnels are going to be a single-tube tunnels. Tunnels T1 (6714m), T2 (6017m) and T8 (3808m) are designed with service tubes, which are to be used for rescue operations, while tunnels T4 (1953m) and T7 (1162m) have transverse exit tubes. Due to the short length of the tunnels T3 (330m), T5 (128m) and T6 (358), a service tube or leading tubes are not planned. The total length of tunnels including service and exit tubes will be 37,4 km.
Financing
As this is a route that is part of the core trans-European network, the Ministry for Infrastructure submitted an application to obtain funding under the new programming period of the Connecting Europe Facility. Up to 1st January 2016, sum of 49.04 million EUR including VAT, i.e. 3.8 % of the estimated investment value, was invested in the project and investment documentation, research, purchases of land and compensations, changes of purpose of land, external quality control, audits, reviews, supervision etc. In line with the investment programme proposal, the estimated investment cost of constructing the second track between Divača and Koper is 1,289,878,629.00 EUR (including VAT). All needed implementation works include all works necessary for the construction of tunnels, bridging structures, access roads and pre-cuts together with works needed to carry out the route and superstructure, catenary, signaling and safety devices, as well as video surveillance and security.
Sources: drugitir.si
di.gov.si
The existing line
The Divača–Koper line was constructed in the 1960s as an industrial track and is the only railway connection between the Port of Koper and the hinterland. The track length is 49km and it runs across a topographically extremely unfavorable terrain and represents a bottleneck within the Slovenian railway network due to great elevations. There are 4 tunnels in the total length of 1029m. One of the measure intended to increase the throughput and transport capacity of the existing line is the modernization of the existing track, which is in the final stage of implementation. Except that fact, studies have shown that Divača-Prešnica-Koper single railway track will no longer suffice due to the increasing traffic in the Port of Koper, and have justified the need to construct the second track line running from Divača to Koper.
Fig. 1 Location of the second track
Fig. 2 The cross-section of the main tube
Purpose of the second track
In 2005 the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted an important decision regarding further steps for the construction of the second track which will also have positive effects on the development of the economy. The new railway track alignment has been planned in such a way to enable the connection of Trieste-Divača railway track. The planned tunneling technology is the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). Some of the purpose of the second track is to provide a modern and efficient railway link, abolish all limitations of throughput and transport capacity, to increase reliability of the operation and the level of traffic safety of the railway line. This route of 27,1 km runs on different formations of carbonate rocks characterized by numerous karst features and crosses the Karst Edge in a number of tunnels. In accordance with the adopted National Site Plan, all of 8 planned tunnels are going to be a single-tube tunnels. Tunnels T1 (6714m), T2 (6017m) and T8 (3808m) are designed with service tubes, which are to be used for rescue operations, while tunnels T4 (1953m) and T7 (1162m) have transverse exit tubes. Due to the short length of the tunnels T3 (330m), T5 (128m) and T6 (358), a service tube or leading tubes are not planned. The total length of tunnels including service and exit tubes will be 37,4 km.
Financing
As this is a route that is part of the core trans-European network, the Ministry for Infrastructure submitted an application to obtain funding under the new programming period of the Connecting Europe Facility. Up to 1st January 2016, sum of 49.04 million EUR including VAT, i.e. 3.8 % of the estimated investment value, was invested in the project and investment documentation, research, purchases of land and compensations, changes of purpose of land, external quality control, audits, reviews, supervision etc. In line with the investment programme proposal, the estimated investment cost of constructing the second track between Divača and Koper is 1,289,878,629.00 EUR (including VAT). All needed implementation works include all works necessary for the construction of tunnels, bridging structures, access roads and pre-cuts together with works needed to carry out the route and superstructure, catenary, signaling and safety devices, as well as video surveillance and security.
Sources: drugitir.si
di.gov.si
