Rail contractors lowering a section of prefabricated track with rails and sleepers installed on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.
High-speed rail is continuously welded track that allows trains like Eurostar to travel up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link ). By building new rail infrastructure that eliminates constrictions such as level crossings, frequent stops, a succession of curves and not having to share the right-of-way with freight or slower passenger trains, such high speeds can be achieved in safety. Most modern railways use continuously welded rails (also called ribbon rail). In this form of track, the rails are welded together to form one continuous rail that may be several kilometres long, Because there are few joints, this form of track is very strong, gives a smooth ride and needs less maintenance; trains can travel at higher speeds and with less friction. A ballasted track permanent way was chosen for the CTRL: a system developed and tested over the last 25 years of TGV construction and operation. The £ billion Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now High Speed One) was built between 1998-2007 and partly funded by the European Union, it forms a section of the Trans European Rail Network. It is basically a French-style high-speed rail line linking London with the Channel Tunnel, the Eurostar trains were developed on proven technology from the French TGV high-speed system. Stations on the CTRL are the existing Ashford International and new stations at Ebbsfleet and Stratford. The line ends at the rebuilt St. Pancras. In total, the new line took 9 years to build and comprises 109kms of new track, 152 new bridges, 3 viaducts, 14 new tunnels with a total length of 26kms (25% of route), 2 new and 2 refurbished stations and the project created 8000 new construction jobs.
Size: 4064px × 2704px
Location: Ebbsfleet, Kent, UK
Photo credit: © qaphotos.com / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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