Ecological excellence: STRAILway secures the “Pont Bleu” over the Drôme
Facts
- Location: Aspres-sur-Buëch, France
- Period: April 2021
- Client: SNCF RESEAU
- Products: 140 STRAILway bridge sleepers 2,400 x 260 x 160 mm with custom milling, 2 STRAILway bridge sleepers 2,600 x 260 x 160 mm with custom milling
- Speeds: max. 90 km/h
Advantages
- Service life > 50 years
- Particularly resistant to all environmental influences
- Easily machinable with standard tools
- Low maintenance
Project description
The ‘Pont Bleu’, an imposing metal lattice bridge without a ballast bed, spans the Drôme River in the heart of the NATURA 2000 protected area ‘Les Ramières du Val de Drôme’. After the removal of lead-based coatings, selecting the right sleeper material was the next logical step for environmental protection. To prevent chemical leaching from treated wooden sleepers and safeguard the ecosystem, the engineering firm EGIS RAIL opted for STRAILway polymer sleepers.
SNCF Réseau leaves nothing to chance. To determine the optimal fastening system, the polymer sleepers underwent long-term testing in a climate chamber. The outcome: a four-hole baseplate with indirect NABLA fastening achieved top marks. With creep below 0.3 mm, STRAILway polymer sleepers demonstrated exceptional stability, even under varying climatic conditions.
Despite the demanding technical and environmental requirements, the project remained cost-effective: the investment in 142 specialized polymer sleepers accounted for less than 0.05% of the total budget – while providing significantly increased service life and entirely maintenance-free operation.
The sleepers were produced at KRAIBURG STRAIL’s facility in Tittmoning and then delivered to SNCF’s plant in Bretenoux for final processing, including drilling and milling. Installation by the construction company MECCOLI was carried out quickly and accurately, allowing train services over the ‘Pont Bleu’ to resume promptly.
