Modern Technology to Ensure Safety in the Gotthard Base Tunnel
Published: Friday, Aug 11th 2023, 14:40
Updated At: Friday, Oct 13th 2023, 14:12
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The Gotthard Base Tunnel was opened in 2016 and is the longest tunnel in the world. It was designed to be one of the safest tunnels in the world, with modern technology and well-trained personnel. The SBB has experience with tunnels of various types, with their network containing over 270 tunnels with a total length of 260 kilometers. The Gotthard Base Tunnel was built with safety in mind, with two separate tubes to prevent collisions and ventilation to prevent smoke from spreading in the event of a fire. A dense network of detectors is in place to detect heat, smoke, chemicals, shifted cargo, and other potential hazards. In the event of an alarm, the train will be stopped at the nearest emergency stop in the tunnel. In the event of an evacuation, handrails, emergency lighting, and signage will guide passengers to the safe tube. Specialized train attendants are also on board to help passengers in the event of an emergency. The 57 kilometer long tunnel takes 17 minutes to traverse at 200 kilometers per hour. Nine people lost their lives during the construction of the tunnel, and 20,000 training days and 25 million francs were spent on training personnel.nnnnnnnn
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