Photo by Otto Virtanen
“Our current projects include improving the efficiency of Helsinki railway yard and the Helsinki–Riihimäki line section. We are also building the western additional track and a new station platform in Pasila, as well as renewing the safety devices on the line section Riihimäki–Tampere”, says Pekka Petäjäniemi, Director of the Finnish Transport Agency’s Project Implementation Department.
Railway transport is one of the means of serving the expanding employment areas and meeting the mobility demand of the growing number of inhabitants in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
“The growing passenger volumes require smoother and faster transport, and we are meeting these demands with the current railway investments amounting to over 300 million euro”, says Petäjäniemi.
What is being done on the main line?
The project to increase the efficiency of Helsinki railway yard (HELRA) improves the operations of the railway yard and reduces its vulnerability to disruptions. Currently, 74 trains per hour operate between Helsinki and Pasila at rush hour. Upon completion of the HELRA project, the capacity will be increased to almost 90 trains per hour. This means an increase of 200 trains per day. The project will be completed in 2020 with total costs amounting to 60 million euro.
The project will affect traffic in the Helsinki metropolitan area this summer, as the outermost tracks on the Helsinki–Pasila line section will alternately be taken out of service due to the works in Helsinki railway yard. More detailed information will follow later.
The Helsinki–Riihimäki project will be carried out in two phases. During the first phase, the freight transport to Vuosaari was transferred to a separate track in Kerava. The project also includes building an additional track between Ainola and Purola, as well as renewing the functionality of Riihimäki passenger railway yard, at the same time as elevating the platforms to meet the current requirements. The project will also reduce the vulnerability to disruptions, achieve more flexible services and more punctual trains. In Järvenpää, passenger services will improve through the renewal of the station area, and town residents will obtain a new bus terminal for the feeder transport.
The works carried out in the first phase of the project will cost 150 million euro, and the project will be completed in 2020.
The Western additional track project comprises building a new track and a station platform in Pasila. The new 1.5-kilometre track section will significantly improve train traffic on the main line. The track project is being carried out on the same worksite as the new centre, Tripla, emerging in Central Pasila. The construction work commenced in autumn 2015 with the piling of the bridges in connection to Pasila Railway Station. The new track will be opened to traffic in 2019 and will be fully utilised in 2020. The total budget of the project is 40 million euro.
In the project Renewal of the Riihimäki–Tampere safety devices, the safety devices at the end of their life cycle will be totally renewed. This is done to reduce the vulnerability to disruptions and to ensure fast and safe transport.
“The works will be completed at the end of 2018, when the new safety devices will be taken into use. The most significant traffic disruptions will take place from mid-September to the week before Christmas”, says Project Manager Juha Lehtola.
The project area is 110 km. The total cost of the project is 59 million euro.
Impact on passengers
The Helsinki region and the line section Riihimäki–Tampere are among the busiest railway sections in Finland. When track works are performed among train traffic in these areas, any disruptions will have widespread effects on traffic in both the Helsinki metropolitan area and from Tampere northwards.
“Regrettable travel delays will primarily be due to speed limits imposed on the main line due to track works. Speed limits are imposed to ensure safe track works when trains are passing the track work sites”, says Trackwork Coordinator Juha Kröger.
“The works are scheduled at the same time, partly due to the funding granted for these years, partly due to the schedule of the Tripla construction project. Since the Pasila station area will be turned upside down anyway, many works are being carried out at the same time. We perform many tasks during the same disruptions and strive to minimise the total impact by mutual phasing”, says Kröger.
Enquiries:
HELRA: Project Manager Pekka Rautoja, phone +358 29 534 3829
Helsinki–Riihimäki: Project Manager Juha Kansonen, phone +358 29 534 3633
Pasila Western additional track: Project Manager Jarmo Nirhamo, phone +358 29 534 3596
Riihimäki–Tampere safety devices: Project Manager Juha Lehtola, phone +358 295 34 3892
All email addresses: [email protected]