The 732m-long tunnel on the Lahn Valley Railway, connecting the cities of Koblenz and Wetzlar, is one of two that have been enlarged for Deutsche Bahn.
In November, the 426m-long Fachingen[https://www.tunnelsandtunnelling.com/news/fachingen-tunnel-enlargement-completed/] Tunnel enlargement was also completed.
The consortium, comprising Porr GmbH & Co, Feldhaus Bergbau GmbH & Co, and Heinz Schnorpfeil Bau GmbH, used Herrenknecht’s Tunnel Enlargement System (TES) to enlarge the two 19th century tunnels by 2m.
The TES, which is approximately 46m long, weighs 270 tonnes and has a 12m diameter, enabled the Deutsche Bahn line to remain operational while works were carried out. Trains ran on a new track laid in the middle of the existing tunnel and were shielded by the TES.
