By lyndamyer
While for digging Lot 3 Lercara-Caltanissetta Xirbi of Sicily’s Palermo-Catania railway five TBMs are required, first of them has completed the Factory Acceptance test in China.
The intended EPBM has a diameter of 9.32m.
The detailed design and construction of 47km of new railway line is a content of Lot 3 and the route mostly a variant from the historic line. In addition to these works, contract also includes the construction of about 22km of tunnels (including interconnections), more than 11km of rail and road viaducts, 32km of connected roads, and the modernisation of Vallelunga station.
Considering that two TBMs for Lot 4B (New Enna-Dittaino) passed their Factory Acceptance Test in December 2023, currently they are being shipped to Sicily from China Railway Construction Heavy Industry (CRCHI).
The Lercara-Caltanissetta Xirbi section is part of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana’s (RFI) wider program to modernize the Palermo-Catania-Messina railway.
