Contracts for rails, switches and sleepers were signed on Friday 20 April as part of the West Metro extension project. VR Track and Parma were chosen as suppliers, on the basis of a competitive bid.
The project organisers, Länsimetro Oy and VR Track, signed an agreement on rails and railroad switches. The rail agreement relates to 58,000 metres of rail. The contract is valued at around 3.7 million euros. VR Track will also supply railroad switches (points). There will be 35 different types, plus seven crossings. This contract is worth about three million euros. Delivery will take place in 2013-2014.
Parma has been chosen to supply the railway sleepers. The West Metro extension will consist of two underground tunnels stretching for 13.9 kilometres in either direction, and Parma will supply 50,000 concrete sleepers. The contract value is around 3.5 million euros. The sleepers will be delivered in the period 2013-2014. Their design and manufacture is to start right away at a precast concrete plant.
“The West Metro construction project is progressing according to schedule,” says Matti Kokkinen, CEO of Länsimetro. “We’ve been busy this year with procurement. Now we’ve ordered the rails, switches and sleepers, and the mounting and installation work will start next year.”
The tunnelling will be completed in 2013. Work starts on the stations in mid-2012. After that, the rails will be laid and the control system will be installed and tested. The entire project is due to be completed at the end of 2015.
Further information from
Matti Kokkinen, CEO, Länsimetro, tel. 050 347 1558
Länsimetro Oy is jointly owned by the cities of Espoo and Helsinki. Its purpose is to construct the western extension of the metro system, from Ruoholahti to Matinkylä. The company was set up in 2007. Its offices are in Tapiola, Espoo.