23.11.2018
Qualified and experienced engineers and modern equipment allow the company to carry out large-scale railway investments. Currently, Budimex is carrying out work on LCS Idzikowice, Katowice – Kraków, Warsaw – Lublin, LCS Kutno and Poznań – Szczecin lines. He also has many other successfully completed projects to his credit, m.in. awarded construction of a railway connection in Kraków. We would like to remind you of the course of Budimex’s most important railway contracts on the occasion of the Railwayman’s Day (25 November).
Budimex, which specialises in infrastructure investments, is also the general contractor of many award-winning railway contacts, such as the modernisation of LCS Iława, the Kraków Zabłocie – Kraków Krzemionki railway connection, or the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway.
– The railway industry is an important sector of our business. It is worth noting that the company’s Railway Division employs approx. 300 people. We specialize not only in the implementation of projects in this sector, but also have high-class equipment that allows us to provide services of the highest quality. At the moment it’s ok. 100 units of equipment, among which are, m.in. locomotive, trolley, turnout tamping machine, track tamping machine, welding machine or wagons – says Dariusz Blocher, President of Budimex SA. – We are carrying out extensive work on important sections throughout Poland. It is worth noting that only for line No. 7 we send seven trains of aggregates, i.e. 20 thousand. tone.
Faster trains in Idzikowice
One of the investments currently carried out by Budimex is LCS Idzikowice. The value of the contract is over PLN 128 million, and the planned completion date is June 2020. They include the reconstruction of 10 tracks, the removal of tracks No. 7 and 9, the reconstruction of tracks No. 31, 38 and 40 to contactless tracks, and the extension of tracks 38, 40 and 11. 43 turnouts will be built, which will make the trains safely change tracks. The overhead contact line will also be replaced. The layout of the station will be optimised, thanks to which the speed of freight trains will increase to 120 km/h, and passenger trains to 230 km/h with axle loads of up to 22.5 tonnes.
In the second half of 2019, the Kutno Local Control Centre will also be put into operation, which is part of the modernisation of one of the most important lines, i.e. E20 Warsaw-Poznań. Stations and stops will be rebuilt, and trains up to 750 m long will run along the route, which will allow heavy loads to be transported. It will also improve the transport of regional and interregional transport.
Changes on the international route
Budimex is also responsible for the ongoing reconstruction of track systems and accompanying infrastructure on the E59 railway line on the Rokietnica-Wronki section, which is part of the modernisation of the route leading from Poznań Główny to the Szczecin Dąbie station. The works will include track systems as well as platforms and engineering structures. The value of the investment is over PLN 478 million.
The Trzebinia-Krzeszowice section on the Katowice-Kraków route, located on the international corridor leading from Germany through Poland to Ukraine, will also gain a new face. In the future, passenger trains will travel here at a speed of 160 km/h, and freight trains at a speed of 120 km/h. The modernization will include the Trzebinia-Krzeszowice route and the track system of both stations, track surface, overhead contact line, telecommunications equipment and Rail Traffic Control equipment. As part of the investment, 60 km of track, 110 turnouts, 10 platforms and 46 engineering structures, as well as platforms, engineering structures and elements of small infrastructure will be rebuilt. The contact with TORPOL in the consortium is worth over PLN 596 million.
Modern investments in Olszamowice, Warsaw and Krakow
Budimex also has several significant railway projects in its portfolio, which have recently been completed. Among them is the modern Warsaw Ring Line, the Olszamowice Railway Station, which was put into service in August 2018. It is prepared for automatic control without human intervention and equipped with m.in. and the switchboard has automatic fire extinguishing systems. The technical infrastructure of the station was expanded, including the track surface, turnouts, overhead contact line, and traffic control equipment. There are also 12 modern turnouts with a movable nose of the crossing – the same are equipped with high-speed lines, up to 250 km/h. This is an important investment because it allows for an increase in capacity on one of the busiest railway lines in the country. This will make it possible for passenger expresses, speeding 200 km/h, to overtake freight trains.
In December 2017, a new railway connection No. 624 Kraków Zabłocie – Kraków Bonarka was opened. It was a very difficult investment, as it required the construction of a flyover of over a kilometre, and the route ran through a highly urbanised area. Passenger stops, roads, track system drainage, overhead contact line, power equipment, railway cables, water and sewage networks, and gas networks were rebuilt. In addition, the project included planting greenery and demolition works. The works were carried out very efficiently, despite the fact that they required the maintenance of car, train and tram traffic. The investor, i.e. PKP PLK, appreciated the efficiency and commitment of Budimex. The investment is worth approx. PLN 300 million was awarded in the Bridge Work of the Year 2017 competition.
