Company News Dec 10, 2008 11:00 AM
ThyssenKrupp Elevator receives order for light rail project in Cologne, Germany
ThyssenKrupp Elevator has received an exclusive order to supply 63 escalators and 13 elevators for the project to extend the North-South Stadtbahn (light rail) system in Cologne. The extension, which will add around four kilometers of track and eight stations, is currently the biggest urban construction project in Germany. The new section will run underground from the “Breslauer Platz” station – directly below Cologne’s central railway station – to the south of the city. Only the provisional terminus at “Marktstrasse” will be above ground. Passenger service is scheduled to start in 2011.
The 76 passenger transportation systems from ThyssenKrupp Elevator in the seven underground stations will also start operation when the line is inaugurated. 13 elevators with rises from 8.86 to 22.45 meters will allow comfortable access for wheelchair users, parents with baby carriages or people with heavy bags. Passengers will also be able to enter or exit the underground stations quickly and safely by one of the 63 new escalators. Mostly fitted with glass balustrades and energy-saving LED lighting, the attractive systems will add to the pleasant, modern atmosphere. In outdoor areas, all escalators will have heated entry/exit sections to prevent people from slipping when there is snow or ice.
The “Severinstrasse” station poses a particular engineering problem: Due to nearby buildings and the intersection with the East-West Stadtbahn line, the tracks and platforms will be at a depth of roughly 20 meters. Four elevators and seven escalators will be installed in this station – including the longest escalator in the entire project with a total length of 39.10 meters and a rise of 18.80 meters.
Future plans include a further expansion of the North-South Stadtbahn to include a link to the banks of the River Rhine as well as an overground extension running south from “Marktstrasse” to “Arnoldshöhe”.