Sarens Completes Railway Bridge Replacement on Belgium’s Line 53

Sarens has completed the installation of four bridge decks as part of the renovation of the railway section between Mechelen and Leuven on Infrabel’s Line 53. The project, carried out on behalf of Mols Contractors, was essential to modernizing the track, addressing structural wear and tear, and adapting the bridge to support new signaling and speed technologies.

The Sarens team used a Demag AC700 crane configured in a WiHi24m setup with a lifting capacity of 110 tons to lift and install the bridge decks. Each deck measured 24 meters in length, 3.6 meters in width, and weighed up to 85 tons. Transporting the crane and bridge components posed a significant logistical challenge due to ongoing roadworks and narrow access points. Sarens secured private land to create alternative routes and required 12 trailers to deliver the rigging and bridge decks to the site.

The main technical challenge was maneuvering the bridge decks into position between the narrow spacing of the catenary wires. Thanks to precise engineering and careful planning, the operation was executed flawlessly within the scheduled timeframe.

This railway route, inaugurated in 1837 and electrified in 1956, is undergoing comprehensive modernization under Infrabel’s management to improve mobility and increase train speeds. Sarens was chosen for this project due to its proven expertise in similar undertakings and its extensive fleet of cranes and transport equipment.

Erik Van der Elst, Project Manager at Sarens, expressed pride in the accomplishment: “The installation of the decks for the Barebeek bridge was a complex yet rewarding challenge. The benefits to the railway and the successful navigation of narrow spaces near the river and catenaries demonstrate our engineering expertise and commitment to outstanding results.”

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