LEB Lausanne, Switzerland

LEB Tramway, Lausanne, Switzerland

It has been described as “one of the most complex urban construction sites in Switzerland, a major technical and human undertaking even in the 21st century”, due to the logistical, technical and operational challenges faced during its construction within the urban context of Lausanne.

For safety reasons and with the aim of improving urban connections, the project involved the underground construction of a double-track tunnel, at an average depth of approximately 15 metres below street level, along a 1.7-kilometre section of the LEB (Lausanne–Echallens–Bercher) tramway line in the western area of the Lausanne urban agglomeration, along Avenue d’Echallens.

The Client, LEB, defined and awarded the contract for the construction of the Railway Systems to the consortium ICGS, consisting of Implenia SA (lead partner), Cablex, GCF – Generale Costruzioni Ferroviarie, and Siemens. The scope included trackwork, overhead contact line, tunnel ventilation, low-voltage systems, safety systems, telecommunications, and upgrading works at the line’s control centre.

GCF’s role in the LEB project

Within the Consortium, GCF was responsible for the supply and installation of the track materials required for the new tunnel section, as well as for the simultaneous renewal of an additional section previously located in a tunnel. In total, this involved the construction of approximately 4 km of metre-gauge track on slab track and 400 metres of metre-gauge track on ballast, as well as the supply and installation of 10 turnouts.

Furthermore, the railway company of the Rossi Group carried out the installation of the power supply system and rigid overhead contact line over a tunnel section approximately 4.2 km in length, as well as the installation of around 500 metres of flexible catenary at the tunnel entrances and exits, to connect with the existing overhead line.