(11.03.2016)
The Swedish transport administration Trafikverket has awarded a major track renewal project to Strukton Rail, involving the railway stretch between the villages of Boden and Bastuträsk in Upper Norrland, the northernmost area of Sweden. Strukton will renew 80 kilometres of track (2x40 km) to start with, with the option to renew another 2x8 kilometres.
The project will be carried out in three stages. The first stage will start as early as April 2016, covering the stretch between Koler and Älsbyn, followed by Storblåliden-Koler and Bastuträsk-Träskholm. The entire project is scheduled for completion in October 2017. Strukton Rail will use its high output equipment to renew the rails, sleepers and ballast with high performance and quality standards.
Important transport route
The railway line involved is the main railway line through Upper Norrland, served primarily by freight trains. It provides a highly important transport route for the mining and forestry industry in northern Sweden. The tracks are in great need of renovation. In recent years, the stretch was regularly affected by broken rails and other events that can be linked to the railways deteriorating. This has resulted in reduced capacity and reduced speed limits for some time, which has affected the industrial enterprises of transport facilities and train operators rosters. Original plans to renew the tracks between Constance and Bastuträsk were postponed for a budget vote in Swedish parliament in 2015. This decision was however reconsidered, and a new plan was formulated to replace rails and sleepers and clean the ballast on a total of 100 kilometres of track.
