GCF France at work in Molsheim

Railway renewal project in the Grand Est region

GCF France has returned to the Grand Est region where, approximately one year after its previous intervention, it is once again working on Line 110 000 to renew further sections between the railway stations of Molsheim (Bas-Rhin department) and Saales, in Haute-Savoie (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region).

Following the completion of the Mulhouse e Troyes worksites, GCF has recently completed the mobilisation of the Molsheim worksite (the town is well known as the historic home of Bugatti sports cars and of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle manufacturing), whose main operational base is located in the Schirmeck yard.

The principal operating machines required for the project have been assembled here: the P95 renewal train and the C75-2C ballast cleaning machine - the well-proven high-efficiency combination employed on Suite Rapide projects - together with the tamping machine, ballast regulator, 109-3X dynamic track stabiliser, six road-rail loaders, EXBT and EXBR wagons for spoil and ballast, and WRRAM wagons for loading and storing rails. Dedicated areas have also been set up within the yard for machinery maintenance and for the storage of old and new rails, sleepers and ballast.

A second yard has also been established at Saint-Blaise for the storage of excavated material generated by the line works.

Along the line which is divided into the double-track, non-electrified Molsheim–Rothau section and the single-track, non-electrified Rothau–Saales section - both with a reopening speed of 90 km/h - the project will cover five specific work sections this year, representing a total of 5,500 metres of track. Depending on the section, the works will involve complete track renewal (ballast and track, approximately 4,722 m) or rail renewal only (784 m).

More specifically, on the double-track Molsheim–Rothau section, works will be carried out on Track 1 between kilometre points (KP) 39+631 and 40+124, involving complete renewal of the ballast and track structure including rail replacement (RVB + RR), and on Track 2 between KP 35+540 and 36+324, where only the rails will be replaced (RR). On the single-track Rothau–Saales section, three work sections will undergo complete renewal of ballast, track and rails (RVB + RR from KP 54+493 to 56+326 and from KP 49+550 to 50+209), while another section (KP 46+717 to 48+454) will undergo renewal of the ballast and track (RVB).

The programme also includes final dynamic stabilisation and ballast profiling, together with the renewal of level crossings located along the affected sections.

At least eighty workers are engaged on site, operating day and night according to the scheduled shifts: 08:00–12:00, 13:00–17:00 and 22:00–06:00.

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