Last week, we carried out various works on the railway between Culemborg and Geldermalsen during a six-day shutdown. In preparation for the three-week shutdown that will take place during the summer vacation, we replaced 81 overhead line portals and 9,000 meters of overhead line. We also put several new cables and pipes into use and removed the 160 concrete foundations of the old overhead line portals. The Melkbrug in Culemborg was fitted with new bridge girders and ironwork, as the old ones had reached the end of their lifespan. Around the bridge, we replaced ballast and already applied the new stabilization layer. With the RU800, a special work train from Swietelsky, we replaced 2,500 sleepers starting from Culemborg station and cleaned 700 meters of ballast. Since early this morning, trains between Utrecht and Geldermalsen are running according to schedule.
New stabilization layer
This coming summer, the railway will be shut down again, this time for three weeks (July 14 - August 6). During this period, we will excavate all old ballast and a layer of soil with a special work train, the PM1000, and apply a new stabilization layer under the entire railway. After applying a new layer of ballast, we will renew the 12,500 sleepers along the entire route between Culemborg and Tricht with a conversion train. Additionally, we will install drainage mats in the track bed and lay new inspection paths along the railway.
Houten-Culemborg
On the other side of Culemborg station, between the bridge over the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal and the Lekbrug, work was also carried out during the same shutdown. The RU800 was also active here: the work train replaced a total of 7,865 sleepers and 1,912 meters of rail over a length of nearly five kilometers, aiming to improve the alignment of the tracks. The Harmelen crossing in Schalkwijk has been raised back to height and fitted with new rails. We also renewed the safety equipment in various places and corrected the existing overhead line in different locations.
