Tamping was not permitted for the tracks in the portal area of the Kreuzliberg tunnel on Baden side because the existing contact wire height meant there was not enough space for the lifting reserve. This situation could not continue until the planned tunnel renovation, and a temporary solution had to be found.
This involved extending the conductor rail from 2014 to replace the existing catenary system in the portal area and create the spare height for the lifting of the track.

Challenging factors in the planning process included the low tunnel ceilings, the track layout with two tracks in the tunnel leading to five tracks in the station and the pre-existing foundation locations on the concrete slab of the Stadtturmstrasse underpass. The transition from the conductor rail to the catenary system is now in front of the portal. On the outside, a two-span cable stay serves as a support for the conductor rail.

The entire process, from the study to the execution of the project, was completed within just nine months. The work was carried out successfully over 20 night closures for individual tracks, and four weekend closures.

We would like to thank SBB and the project team responsible for their trust, and for the excellent collaboration.