Intelligent Rail Summit ’24: Riga Rail Baltica station sees concrete steps forward
It’s now just three weeks to go until International Rail Summit ‘24 in Estonia, and the Rail Baltica megaproject is the gift that keeps on giving. As work on the new Riga Airport continues, construction is now underway on the viaducts that will elevate the Rail Baltica train line to and from the future passenger terminal building. It’s a massive job, and big news for both Latvia and IRS24, as we prepare to gather the industry’s top minds in Tallinn to discuss the latest developments in rail technology, and of course, Rail Baltica. Time to get your ticket…
Rail Baltica’s managers have, in the last few weeks, pledged more than one billion euros in contracts and tenders to progress the megaproject. Earlier this month, Estonia launched a massive landmark infrastructure tender valued at a huge 932 million euros for the Rail Baltica main line. Meanwhile, the Lithuanian government kicked off October with a slew of new Rail Baltica announcements, including the signing of a 98-million-euro contract for the construction of 17 km of track for the megaproject.
Now it’s Latvia’s turn for major developments. It announced on Monday that “the next milestone” had been reached in the development of its Rail Baltica station across from the new Riga airport: the contractor B.S.L. Infra has completed the construction of the reinforced concrete frame, which now stands three storeys high, for the viaducts that will support the Rail Baltica line. And that sets the stage for some groundbreaking advancements.
The second largest phase of Rail Baltica
In the future, the station will be connected to the airport by a pedestrian bridge, while the railway line in the direction of Riga and Jaunmārupe will be placed on viaducts. The total length of the viaduct towards Jaunmārupe will be just under 800 metres, while towards Riga, it will stretch for more than one kilometre. And there’s room for more.
“The construction work and the contract are divided into several phases, progressing according to the available funding,” explained Ēriks Diļevs, Chairman of the Board of Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas. “The active construction zone near the airport is now shifting from the station to the viaducts. This is the second largest phase of the Rail Baltica infrastructure project, covering more than 4.5 kilometres of high-speed railway line.”
The tech is piling up
B.S.L. Infra has already installed 96 foundation piles in one direction, while the reconstruction of existing utility networks and the airport’s fuel station and boiler house is gradually progressing to make space for the future railway viaduct. Some of the concrete grid structures for the viaduct have already been successfully laid.
Meanwhile, in the direction of Riga, work has begun on the installation of the piles. The latest in infrastructure tech is obviously being applied: test piling is currently underway to verify the selected technology, load-bearing capacity, and the necessary depth to reach the dolomite layer that will be strong enough to support the structure’s weight. The team is using drilling and concreting technology, known in the industry as the Kelly technique, rather than traditional pile driving.
Concrete movement
In total, the construction of the Rail Baltica station and the independent viaduct section has required an impressive volume of concrete—around 23,000 m³. Part of that is due to the fact the structure is going to have to withstand high dynamic loads, such as when trains brake and accelerate at speeds that can reach up to 120 km/h. All in all, some 4.5 kilometres of high-speed tracks will be built for the airport project, including both a viaduct and an embankment, as well as the multi-level high-speed railway station.
And as the Riga project gears up towards its second largest phase, the question of rail technology couldn’t be more important. Rail Baltica is already at the forefront of expanding European rail, and as construction on many of its key projects begins in earnest, keeping up to date with the latest developments will be vital for anyone with an interest in the future of European rail.
Rail Baltica and IRS’24
Luckily, a whole host of industry experts intimately related to the project will be joining us for the Intelligent Rail Summit ‘24 in Tallinn between 12-13 November to discuss these topics. From the CTO of Rail Baltica’s steering committee to top government officials, and even rail influencers, we’ll be picking apart how to integrate technologies like AI, big data, and machine learning into its far-spanning rail systems.
But still in their relative infancy, how exactly should these technological advancements be used to truly transform rail operations and efficiency, while simultaneously maintaining safety? And with all this increased processing power, how can we ensure such progress remains green and secure from cyber threats? That’s what we’ll be discussing in Tallinn from 12-13 November. It’s time to reserve your place. Check out the exciting programme here, and register here.
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