16 October, 2010

Gotthard Base Tunnel

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)

The new Gotthard Base Tunnel located underneath the Alps in Switzerland is now the world's longest tunnel. Before this Japan's Seikan Tunnel is the longest tunnel in the world. The tunnelling project started in the 40's by engineer Eduard Gruner and recently, Swiss engineers smashed through the last stretch of rock. Overall, it took them almost 60 years to dig through the 35.4-mile (57 - Kilometer) long tunnel.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel will add to the high-speed transportation network covering all angles of Europe. The high-speed rail will carry millions of goods cutting through the Alps thus reducing the environmental damage that heavy trucks inflicted on the Switzerland's Alpine highland.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel will create a high-speed transportation link which is economically important link between the Dutch port of Rotterdam and Italy's Mediterranean port of Genoa.

Thus, Europeans are willing to spend so much money on building a new high-speed transportation link because they know that the link is vital to their continuous growth in economy which will benefit them in the future.

Read further story HERE.

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