Hallandsås Tunnel: Difference between revisions

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The Hallandsås Tunnel, also known as the Hallandsas Ridge Tunnel or Scanlink, is a railway tunnel under construction in Sweden. The planned length is 8.5 km (5.3 miles). It will be located on the Västkustbanan (West Coast Railway), on the section between Ängelholm and Halmstad in southwestern Sweden. When finished, it will connect the city of Oslo, Norway with Hamburg, Germany. Today there is a single track, curvy, steep railway over the ridge. The project was conceived by the European Round Table of Industrialists and the Swedish Railway Administration in the 1980s.

The construction began in 1992, and the traffic opening was originally planned for 1995. However construction was plagued by big problems with large amounts of water coming in from the rock. Only small amounts were planned for. Additionally, a scandal broke out when it was learned a poisonous sealing compound called Rhoca-Gil was used that killed nearby livestock. Rhoca-Gil contains acrylamide, a toxic substance that is mutagenic and possibly carcinogenic. The main contractor, Skanska, took no special precautions for the sealant. Also, it did not tell its own workers or the local population of the risks. By October 1997, local cattle and fish started dying. Also workers were becoming ill. The local press started investigation. After tests were done showing the high levels of acrylamide contamination, the site was made a high risk area and the sale of agricultural products from the area was banned. The main contractor, Skanska, along with Rhone-Poulenc and Swedish Railways all had criminal charges brought against them. Some senior executives resigned. Construction was halted in late 1997.

In 2005 construction resumed with a new completion date estimated at 2012. At the restart there were some delays which may again push back the opening date. The builders however, think they will make up for lost time eventually.

The cost was expected in 1992 to be 1 billion Swedish kronor (110 M€). The cost from 1992 to 1997 was in reality more than 2 billion SEK, for clearly less than half the tunnel length. Since the remaining cost when starting 2005 was calculated to be more than 4 billion SEK (430 M€), there has been much debate and hesitation whether to give up everything or start again. The total cost might reach 8 billion SEK (850 M€) in the end according to the latest calculation.

External links

Current major railway projects in southern Sweden

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 The '''Hallandsås Tunnel''', also known as the '''Hallandsas Ridge Tunnel''' or '''Scanlink''', is a [[railway]] [[tunnel]] under construction in [[Sweden]].  The planned length is 8.5 km (5.3 miles).  It will be located on the [[Västkustbanan]] (West Coast Railway), on the section between [[Ängelholm]] and [[Halmstad]] in southwestern Sweden.  When finished, it will connect the city of [[Oslo]], [[Norway]] with [[Hamburg]], [[Germany]].  Today there is a single track, curvy, steep railway over the ridge. The project was conceived by the [[European Round Table of Industrialists]] and the [[Swedish Railway Administration]] in the 1980s.
-The construction began in 1992, and the traffic opening was originally planned for 1995.  However construction was plagued by big problems with large amounts of water coming in from the rock. Only small amounts were planned for.  Additionally, a scandal broke out when it was learned a poisonous sealing compound called Rhoca-Gil was used that killed nearby livestock.  Rhoca-Gil contains [[acrylamide]], a toxic substance that is [[mutagen]]ic and possibly [[carcinogen]]ic. The main contractor, [[Skanska]], took no special precautions for the sealant. Also, it did not tell its own workers or the local population of the risks. By October 1997, local [[cattle]] and [[fish]] started dying. Staff too were becoming sick. The local press started investigation. After tests were done showing the high levels of acrylamide contamination, the site was made a high risk area and the sale of agricultural products from the area was banned. The main contractor, Skanska, along with [[Rhone-Poulenc]] and [[Statens Järnvägar|Swedish Railways]] all had criminal charges brought against them. Some senior executives resigned. Construction was halted in late 1997.
+The construction began in 1992, and the traffic opening was originally planned for 1995.  However construction was plagued by big problems with large amounts of water coming in from the rock. Only small amounts were planned for.  Additionally, a scandal broke out when it was learned a poisonous sealing compound called Rhoca-Gil was used that killed nearby livestock.  Rhoca-Gil contains [[acrylamide]], a toxic substance that is [[mutagen]]ic and possibly [[carcinogen]]ic. The main contractor, [[Skanska]], took no special precautions for the sealant. Also, it did not tell its own workers or the local population of the risks. By October 1997, local [[cattle]] and [[fish]] started dying. Also workers were becoming ill. The local press started investigation. After tests were done showing the high levels of acrylamide contamination, the site was made a high risk area and the sale of agricultural products from the area was banned. The main contractor, Skanska, along with [[Rhone-Poulenc]] and [[Statens Järnvägar|Swedish Railways]] all had criminal charges brought against them. Some senior executives resigned. Construction was halted in late 1997.
 In 2005 construction resumed with a new completion date estimated at 2012.  At the restart there were some delays which may again push back the opening date. The builders however, think they will make up for lost time eventually.
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 [[Category:Tunnels in Sweden]]
-[[Category:Railway tunnels]
+[[Category:Railway tunnels]]
 {{Euro-rail-stub}}