# World's longest rail tunnel



## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

After 17 years of construction and a cost of $12 Billion the world's longest railroad tunnel has been completed. It's the 35.5 mile GBT in Switzerland and will be formally opened June 1st. In some places it's 7,500 feet below the surface of the Alps. It's designed for passenger service at 155 mph and for more efficient freight service from northern Europe to southern Europe.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Some pictures & info.

Copy & pastes**************


The Gotthard Tunnel has cost the Swiss authorities £6.5bn and took 2,000 workers 20 years to build, which included shifting 31 million tonnes of earth using two million truckloads. Boring machines were able to cut through up to 100 feet of rock every day. There are actually two parallel tunnels so trains can run in both directions. Eight workers died during the tunnel's construction.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/worlds-lon...s-completed-linking-switzerland-italy-1518065


Trains will speed through the tunnel at more than 150 mph. This is only possible because the tunnel grade is almost completely flat throughout its entire length — much more level than the Alpine peaks above.

http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-longest-tunnel-switzerland-2015-8


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Thanks Ed.

If my math is correct it would be 2,154 feet log in HO.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Close enough......I got 2,152.009 ft......won't fit in the basement.....

35.5 x 5,280 / 87.1 = 2,152.009


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Fascinating articles. Amazing work.

Ummm, not to be a nit-picker, but this has actually nothing to do with model railroading. It should be in the European Railways section. Just thought I'd mention it.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Under the title it says "Mostly anything goes, especially train related." so I thought that's good enough to put it here.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

double post went to edit and the site double posted.....AGAIN!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Gramps said:


> Under the title it says "Mostly anything goes, especially train related." so I thought that's good enough to put it here.



Don't worry about the nitpickers, he missed the HO "model" train calculations of the tunnel talked about here.
Dam Nitpickers are worse then rivet counters.:cheeky4:
He is not happy unless he can _itch about something.:smokin:


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Old_Hobo said:


> Close enough......I got 2,152.009 ft......won't fit in the basement.....
> 
> 35.5 x 5,280 / 87.1 = 2,152.009


I divided by 87, I didn't know that HO is actually 1:87.1, I learned something new.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Even if it did fit in your train room, all you would see is the model of the Swiss Alps.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Big Ed said:


> He is not happy unless he can _itch about something.:smoking:



Just scratching my "_itch", Ed. :laugh:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Fire21 said:


> Just scratching my "_itch", Ed. :laugh:


:cheeky4:


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Just beats the Channel Tunnnel at 31.4 miles. This carries both passengers,cars and trucks. You drive on and need never leave your car until you drive off. Awesome experience.


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## Homeless by Choice (Apr 15, 2016)

Cycleops said:


> Just beats the Channel Tunnnel at 31.4 miles. This carries both passengers,cars and trucks. You drive on and need never leave your car until you drive off. Awesome experience.


And that grade is not flat but constant downhill until you cross under the center of the Channel. It then changes from the British to the European power grid (or vice versa if you are headed west), the lights flicker, and it climbs (actually zooms) back to the surface.

LeRoy


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Homeless by Choice said:


> And that grade is not flat but constant downhill until you cross under the center of the Channel. It then changes from the British to the European power grid (or vice versa if you are headed west), the lights flicker, and it climbs (actually zooms) back to the surface.
> 
> LeRoy


I think the flickering you are be referring To was before the conversion of the British side to overhead catenary. Prior to that in the southern network had no overhead and pick up was from a third rail by a 'shoe' on the loco, this limited top speed on the UK side, so there was section where the changeover occurred but I don't know where that happened. In 2007 all Eurostar services were transferred to St. Pancras making the third rail shoe redundant.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

OK, I get why this was moved from the Model Train thread but why North America? I guess because there is a Switzerland, SC.


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## Rip Track (Dec 15, 2012)

Or Switzerland County, IN. Saaalute!


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