By Lynda Myer
The naming race of 3 giant TBMs, which are due to excavate the tunnels for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and Scarborough Subway Extension in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), has been presented by Metrolinx on 19 October 2021.
The German company Herrenknecht is the manufacture of these TBMs, which are being custom-built for each respective subway project: one machine was generated for the Scarborough Subway Extension’s single tunnel and two TBM EPBs are being constructed for the 6.3 km Eglinton Crosstown West Extension’s twin tunnels. The Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of the last two TBMs with 130 m length and diameter of 6.5 m, that have been ordered by Metrolinx/Infrastructure Ontario and Land’s Corporation have successfully passed this week.
The registration and rules for the competition are accessible here and here.
Naming the TBMs
The deadline of these contests is18/11/2021 from anyone 18 years or older, as well as the younger contributors are encouraged to take part with the help of a parent, guardian or teacher.
Following the submission period, a judging panel will provide a short list from all the entries and these names will be sent online for the community to vote on their top choices. By reaching the TBMs to the respective launch shaft sites in Scarborough and Etobicoke, the name of competition’s winners will be announced.
Although in early November the Scarborough Subway Extension’s TBM is going to leave Germany, the Eglinton Crosstown West’s TBMs will leave Germany later that same month. The January 2022 is the scheduled time for arrival of all three machines in Canada and are estimated to commence tunneling in the spring.
Each contest page will feature a TBM tracking tool when they set sail for Canada in November.
For further information about the Scarborough Subway Extension please click here for tunnelingworld archive and visit this website. Also more details about Eglinton Crosstown West Extension updates are accessible here and here.
