Helsinki Metro
The Helsinki Metro is the metro in the Finnish capital Helsinki. Opened in 1982, it is the only subway Finland and the northernmost subway in the world. The Helsinki Metro has a line with two arms connecting the center of Helsinki with the eastern districts. It is operated by HKL, the public transport company of the city, and is part of the organized by the regional Transport Association HSL transport system.
- 4.1 West Metro
- 4.2 Other Projects
Route and operation
Metro line begins in Ruoholahti and leads up to Itäkeskus, where it branches into a northern section after Mellunmäki and an eastern by Vuosaari. The network with 17 stations is 21.1 km long, about 30 % of which are underground. The platforms have a length of 135 meters. All stations have disabled access, a portion also has P R facilities. The stations are marked in Finnish and Swedish.
The Metro operates Monday to Saturday from 5:25 bis 23:25 clock, Sundays from 6:25 clock. At rush hour the trains run from Ruoholahti in 4- minute intervals, usually every five minutes. The trains run alternately to the two terminals, ie from Itäkeskus arises on the two branches of each halved clock. From mid-June to late July the metro leaves because of the summer holidays with a reduced clock frequency.
Every working day are transported about 190,000 passengers. According to the HKL - 2009 annual report, the metro carried 57.3 million passengers in 2009. Sales in the Metro at the HKL was 20.5 million euros, the profit of 3.4 million euros.
In 2006, the Helsinki City Council decided at the operator's request, the Metro convert until 2011 to fully automatic, driverless operation. Due to technical difficulties and disagreements between the operator and the manufacturer of the automatic, Siemens AG, the conversion has been delayed by several years and is now in 2016. The biggest advantage of automation should be an increased clock frequency. Technically to a clock frequency of less than two minutes to be possible, in practice they should be on the largest part of the network, first 2.5 minutes.
History
In 1958, approved a planning exclusion that in the Finnish capital, a subway would be built after the model of other European cities. But it was only in 1969 summed up the City Council of the City of Helsinki, the decision to built a Metro, which should better connect the eastern parts of the city with the city center.
The construction of the metro began in 1971. Nine years later began shipping the first trains, so that on 1 June 1982 drove the first train on the route between Hakaniemi and Itäkeskus. On 1 July 1982, a extension of the distance between the Helsinki central railway station ( Rautatientori ) and Itäkeskus was released. The commissioning took place in two stages: in the first stage until August 3, perverted the trains only in the main travel time of the rush hour, then rode the trains in the off-peak time and on the weekends.
By March 1, 1983, the extension to Kamppi was put into operation. Since 1 September 1984, the station Sörnäinen exists. In 1981, construction began on the first arm of the line between Itäkeskus and Kontula. This extension was solemnly inaugurated five years later, on 21 October 1986, in operation. In the same year, construction work started for a single station until after Mellunmäki, which went into operation on 1 September 1989.
In order to open the new development areas in the district Länsisatama better, it was decided to extend the line to a station in the west. Here is a railway station in 30 meters was built with a 38 -meter-wide platform and a giant blue stone roof, which is very reminiscent of the stations of the Stockholm Tunnelbana. This station is named Ruoholahti went into operation on 16 August 1993. The Kaisa Niemi station, which should actually be built as early as the Metro opening, was exactly 13 years later, introduced on 1 March 1995, in the city center.
Since the area around Vuosaari recorded a sharp increase in population also needed this area with a connection to the metro network. In 1994, the construction of the 4.2 km extension with three stations of the second arm to the east of Itäkeskus to Vuosaari. Until Puotila the route is underground, then the subway comes out of the tunnel, the Vartiokylä Bay crosses at the Vuosaari bridge and comes to Rastila station. After that, the Metro goes further above ground to the terminus Vuosaari. This date last leg extension was on 31 August 1998.
On 1 January 2007, the station was opened between Kalasatama Sörnäinen and Kulosaari.
On 8 November 2009, there was near the station Rautatientori a broken water pipe that caused that thousands of cubic meters of water entered the station and the water was 20 inches high on the platform. All stations west of the station Sörnäinen were then closed. The following day, it was again possible to drive to the station Kaisa Niemi. During the several months of renovation works, the cost of which was estimated at about five million euros, the trains stopped in the station not to the two underlying stations Kamppi and Ruoholahti however, were supplied. On 15 February 2010 the renovation was completed so far that Rautatientori was reopened to traffic.
Rolling stock
The Helsinki Metro currently has 42 two-car series M100, manufactured by the Finnish company Valmet and Strömberg, and twelve two-car series M200, produced by the Canadian company Bombardier rail vehicles in Ammendorf ( DWA). A third series, M300, is to come in the years 2015-2016 in operation. All series used for current consumption, a side-mounted, swept by live rail with a driving voltage of 750 volts DC. All metro vehicles in Helsinki drive - as well as the Finnish railways - on tracks with 1524 mm broad gauge. Three two-car train (6 cars ) form an execution, which means that the Helsinki Metro currently has 18 full trains. During off-peak times short trains with a length of two two-car (4 cars ) are used commonly.
Series M100
At the time of the decision to build an underground Finnish company Valmet and Strömberg developed first trains for the Helsinki Metro. Valmet mechanical parts and electrical equipment Strömberg ago. The vehicles had to especially meet the winter conditions in the Finnish capital. The originally delivered in the years 1977-1984 cars were modernized in the years 2004-2009 in order to prolong their operational time by another 20 years. In 2013 there were a total of 42 two-car units, which can be up to 100 km / h fast, have 130 seats and can accommodate 287 passengers. The smallest unit ( a two-car, two cars ) is 44.20 meters long, 3.20 meters wide and 3.70 meters high. You may be operating in an association of up to three units. These cars range is denoted by the identifier M100.
Series M200
In the years 2000 and 2001, Bombardier Transportation delivered four full trains with a total of twelve two-car train of a new series, called M200, which in Ammendorf by Bombardier Transportation (formerly German wagon AG ) were prepared. The electrical equipment for the company supplied Traxis. In terms of dimensions, this series differs only slightly from the M100 series, but it looks outwardly much more modern. The trains have, just like the predecessor, three doors per car side. One innovation is that a passage between the two wagons of a double car consists. Another new feature at the time of introduction was a visual information system that presents the next station not only by greeting, but also by display. ( The M100 series was later equipped with the same indication. ) A two-car series M200 has 124 seats and can accommodate 287 passengers. The two series are not mutually coupled.
Series M300
The opening of the West Metro (see below) will necessitate a significant expansion of the fleet. In February 2013 HKL therefore ordered 20 new short trains ( equivalent to 40 two-car units ) by the Spanish company Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles. The first train to be delivered in early 2015. By the spring of 2016, the delivery phase of the new series called the M300 to be completed. The new trains outwardly resemble the M200 series, but it will be either cohesive units with a length of 90 meters and a capacity of 576 passengers. One can go from one end of the train to the other inside the train. The trains are air-conditioned and will be equipped with temporary platoon leader compartments ( see above) should be replaced by passenger seats after the automation of the metro.
Maintenance workshop
The trains are serviced in the workshop near the station Itäkeskus. Two tracks run from the track to the depot, which can wait six trains simultaneously in the workshop hall. Also there is the possibility for simultaneous repair of eight trains. In addition to the workshop, there is also a large parking hall in which 44 trains can be parked. From the depot from there was a non-electrified single-track operation range over the districts of Viikki and Pihlajisto after Oulunkylä over which there was a connection to the national railway network in case of need for the transportation of train units. This track was partially removed in 2012.
New track projects
West Metro
We are currently working on an extension of the current metro line in a westerly direction up to Espoo. It should first of eight new stations will be built, including two in the area of Helsinki and six in Espoo, with the terminus Matinkylä. The length of the new route is 13.9 km. Later, the line is expected to be continued for another five stops to Kivenlahti on the western edge of Espoo. In contrast to the eastern outskirts of Helsinki, where the Metro line is mainly single storey, this is as " West Metro " (Finnish länsimetro ) called extension is completely underground. Its construction was long uncertain. The City of Helsinki Although for decades been pushing the construction of the West Metro, but could not long be started with the implementation of the plans because of the opposition of the city of Espoo. It was only in September 2006, the City Council of Espoo the construction of Metro 's linked to numerous conditions consent. Construction began in November 2009 and were intended to be completed in autumn 2014. The construction costs were originally estimated at 713.6 million euros. In February 2014, however, was estimated that the operation can be started only in autumn 2016, and that the cost will be close to one billion.
The new stations will have a length of only 90 meters, not 135 meters as the previous stations. Therefore be used (also on the already existing sections ) only short trains in the future on the entire Metro network. However, actually caused by a reduction in capacity to the increased clock frequency according to the automation of the Metro (see above) will be more than compensated.
Other projects
Even in an easterly direction, the current line is to be extended, but only in distant future. It is planned to extend the leading after Vuosaari stretch because of the end of 2008 there opened new port to a station. The new station at the port then that would mean satama Vuosaaren. Since early 2009, parts of the eastern neighboring municipality of Sipoo the City of Helsinki were slammed, and a renewal of leading by Mellunmäki section has been brought into the conversation.
A second line that would cross the line current at Kamppi is seriously planned for some time. To the north, they should result from Kamppi first to the Pasila railway station. In between the stations befänden Töölöntori, Stadium and Meilahti. In the final state, this line should continue Pasila in two arms, one hand north to the airport Helsinki -Vantaa, on the other hand, in a northeasterly direction to the district of Viikki. From Kamppi as seen in the other direction, the train should be able to go to the island Laajasalo of the planned stations Esplanadi Helsinki Strand and under the sea, may continue to the island Santahamina. Already in the 1970s, a separate cavity was excavated below the present Kamppi station is to receive the platform of the crossing line. In 2008, the City Council decided for the future station in Pasila already dig a cavity ( this is offered for other on the same site on active construction work on forming ). The construction of the rest of the line, however, is not expected until after 2020, and especially after the implementation of the leading Laajasalo tunnel is uncertain.