Double GCF construction site in France

"In and hors" Suite Rapide Renewal

In the western suburbs of Paris, between tunnels, level crossings, and environmental interest areas, GCF has recently launched the new "Hors Suite" project for the modernization of line 974 000. This project, managed by ETF – responsible for the so-called "Dense Zone" contracts – has entrusted GCF with the renewal and rehabilitation of the railway, leveraging its experience and powerful machinery.

Meanwhile, following the completion of the Suite Rapide project in Château-Thierry (18,690 meters of track renewed and 14,979 kilometers rehabilitated), the second "mobile factory" of GCF-Transalp Renouvellement has begun work in Cavaillon, in the south of France, on the fifth and final "Rapide" site of 2024.

In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, Suite Rapide will work on the renewal of line 925 000, along the section between Miramas (Bouches-du-Rhône) and Avignon (Vaucluse): 68 kilometers of double track for a maximum speed of 140 km/h.

The replacement of track 2 and the rehabilitation of the ballast will take place during the day with simultaneous suspension of rail traffic on both tracks. About 230 workers will be engaged, operating the Matisa P95 renewal train and the Matisa C75-2C rehabilitation train. Their mission is to complete the full renewal of track and ballast (RVB) over a section of 6,704 meters, and for an additional 31,335 meters, to rehabilitate the ballast (RB) and replace the current sleepers (RT).

In Miramas, the main yard will house the rehabilitator and its wagons along with the hoppers for the new ballast. In Cavaillon, the secondary yard will store the P95 and all wagons for transporting the old and new sleepers and rails, as well as ballast hoppers. The planned work schedule aims for completion by December 20.

Renewal in “Dense Zone”

Meanwhile, a five-week renewal intervention is planned in the "Dense Zone" of the Paris suburbs.

Here, between the railway stations of Saint-Cloud and Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche (from PK 14+915 to PK 29+360), GCF teams and machinery are renewing the double electrified track at 25,000 volts. Around sixty workers are involved with the P95 work train, the C75 rehabilitator (recently returned from the HS Aubrac site with 28,909 meters of track rehabilitated), the B45 tamping machine, and smaller machinery. In Vernouillet and Achères, two yards are used to store the machines and materials, while the project management office is located in Nanterre.

Many elements add complexity to the section and its environmental context, as explained by Sabino Carbone from GCF’s French management: "The planned daily production is around 300 meters per night, considering the short interruption window granted for rail operations and the need to avoid exceeding these times, which would cause significant disruptions to passenger train traffic in this busy western Paris suburb. Additionally, the old state of fastenings, difficult to extract with conventional spike pullers, and especially the old sleepers, often break, interfering with the conveyor belt mechanism and causing temporary stoppages."

Other challenges include ramps with slopes exceeding 10%, the crossing of four busy level crossings, and three tunnels (Louveciennes, Butard, Marche) stretching over 750 meters. Finally, crossing two environmental interest areas, Domaine de Saint Cloud and the Forêt domaniale de Marly, will require additional precautionary measures to minimize machine and construction noise, with special attention to ensuring the environmental integrity of access points and pathways adjacent to the tracks.

Read more: Suite Rapide

{ampz:ampzshortcode}