Furka Tunnel – Amberg TRACK PRO Secures Operations Every Day!
Since July 2024, Marti Tunnel has been refurbishing and upgrading the Furka Tunnel, which connects Realp in Uri with Oberwald in Valais.
Opened in 1982, the tunnel is 15.4 km long, making it one of Switzerland’s longest railway tunnels. Since then, neither the tracks nor the adjacent utilities have been upgraded.
To meet today’s safety standards, it was decided to replace the walkways on both sides of the track and to upgrade the escape routes and utility installations. All this work has to be carried out while keeping the line in operation during the day. Since mid-2024, construction has been taking place during night shifts, with all upgrades being completed — including the eventual replacement of the ballasted track with a slab track.
A key challenge during construction is to ensure the track position remains unchanged while heavy works are ongoing. After each night shift, the integrity of the entire track must be verified before trains can run the following morning.
With Amberg TRACK PRO, the contractor has found the ideal tool to assess and confirm track condition — simply, efficiently, and most importantly, reliably. After every shift, just before all machines leave the tunnel, a track worker uses Amberg Track Pro to inspect the track geometry in the area where work was carried out that night.
Any track defects exceeding the defined tolerances are clearly indicated and recorded. Using an intuitive graphical display, the operator can confirm whether the line can safely reopen the next morning.
The head surveyor considers Amberg TRACK PRO the perfect tool to verify track integrity and ensure safe operation after each night shift.
