Second construction phase: Getzner know-how for major Turkish project

Buers (Austria), Ankara (TR): It is one of the largest railway projects for Getzner Werkstoffe in Turkey. The Buers-based company is supplying the new high-speed line between Ankara and Sivas with elastic bearings that protect against vibrations and reduce maintenance costs. The first construction phase from Yerköy to Sivas will soon be complete; the second phase from Ankara to Yerköy is scheduled to be complete by 2023.

The Turkish railway company TCDD is building a new 406 km high-speed line between the capital Ankara and the city of Sivas in central Anatolia. Together with other infrastructure projects, this railway line is part of the “Middle Corridor” along the new Silk Road, which will connect Turkey with Georgia and Azerbaijan. The rail network in Turkey is due to grow to a total of 31,000 km by 2035. The first construction phase of the new route from Yerköy to Sivas will be finished soon.

Second construction phase begins
The second phase of the construction project covers the roughly 155 km from Ankara to Yerköy and will be completed by 2023. The installation of the Getzner materials will begin in 2019. The Under Sleeper Pads and Under Ballast Mats from Getzner are used to protect the ballast and also ensure lower wear of the superstructure components. Ismail Bayrak is the Project Manager at Getzner Werkstoffe: “For turnouts and transitions in particular, maintenance costs can be greatly reduced by using our elastic bearings. This can significantly increase line availability.”

The Ankara – Sivas route encompasses many bridges and viaducts plus 50 km of tunnels in total. If maintenance requirements are to be reduced, transitions from open track to a tunnel or bridge represent a considerable challenge. Similarly, the numerous high-speed turnouts are themselves high-maintenance components. “In order to optimise these sensitive sections in the track, we are using a total of 205,000 m² of Under Ballast Mats and around 50,000 Under Sleeper Pads,” reports Ismail Bayrak. Getzner Mass-Spring Systems provide optimum vibration protection on 50,000 m² of slab track.

Two hours instead of twelve
The new line will reduce travel times from Ankara to Sivas to two hours from the current twelve and shorten the route between the two cities from 603 km to 406 km. Trains with a capacity of 516 seats travelling at speeds of up to 300 km/h will be used on the line.

Consultancy and support
The experts from Getzner Werkstoffe have supported the project from the initial detailed planning, calculations, and consultations through to the preparation of installation plans and on-site supervision. Particular attention has been paid to environmental compatibility: All Getzner materials for this project are being transported from Austria to Turkey by railway.

In Turkey, Getzner Werkstoffe has already implemented numerous successful projects. These include the first construction phase of Yerköy - Sivas (2018 - 2019), Metro Istanbul (2016 - 2018), Kabataş - Mahmutbey Metro (2017), BursaRay Metro (2016), Kocaeli Tramway (2016), Antalya Tramway (2016), Samsun Light Railway (2016), Çatalca Tunnel (2014) and Marmaray BC1 (2012).