Porta Alpina
Porta Alpina was the working title of a project of an underground railway station in the center of Switzerland's Gotthard Base Tunnel connection with the resort Sedrun and around the Surselva to the European high speed rail network.
With the Porta Alpina, the deepest station with the highest and fastest lift in the world and an internationally marketable attraction would be created in the center of the longest tunnel in the world. The opening of the station was planned for 2017, along with the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel.
Starting position
In Sedrun are intermediate attack studs for the construction of the base tunnel. First, a nearly one kilometer long access tunnel leads horizontally into the mountain. From there, two shafts run vertically 800 feet deep down to the level of the railway tunnel. Already in 2000, was proposed by the National Council Brigitta Gadient to expand one of these tunnels and provided for in the base tunnel lay- and multifunction station Sedrun so that a permanent transfer station for the Surselva and Graubünden can be created. A study published by the canton of Grisons, initiated in September 2003 study came to the conclusion that the Porta Alpina would be economically interesting and structurally and operationally feasible.
After a study under the auspices of the office of public transport Graubünden in cooperation with the Federal Office of Transport supported the feasibility, led the political decision-making at local, cantonal and federal level after all the decision for a " pre-investment ", namely the shell of the underground concourses for the Porta Alpina station Sedrun. That created the opportunity to be able to expand at least at a later date, because this work in the form of another huge rock outbursts would have been never to accomplish after start of the tunnel, both logistically and financially. This shell was created between October 2006 and March 2007.
Financing
The expected total costs are estimated at 50 million Swiss francs. However, whether the operating and maintenance costs of the tunnel station Porta Alpina can be covered by the expected revenue is unclear.
Since the approval of the funding was questionable, it was initially decided on a preliminary project with costs of CHF 15 million, so that the tunneling equipment would not be dismantled before the total costs are approved, but can be used for the expansion of the station. Both chambers of the Federal Parliament approved the loan request of CHF 7.5 million for the preliminary design of the Porta Alpina in autumn 2005. Together, 9.8 million are provided by the Canton of Grisons, Surselva region and the local municipality Sedrun.
On 12 February 2006, the Grisons population decided in a referendum on the State share of the overall project and approved with 71.6 % in favor of a loan of 20 million Swiss francs.
The Bernese federal government moved in May 2007, the decision on co-financing the main investment in 2012, which would lead to an earliest start-up three years after the opening of the base tunnel. The Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (UVEK ) was commissioned by then clarify the outstanding issues.
Implementation
Since the tunneling equipment should be dismantled in the access tunnel in 2006, the first outbreak of underground concourses on level tunnel was decided. Here, four of the connecting tunnels were extended between the platforms of the emergency stop and a side gallery. The outbreak made room for four large shelters, which offer roughly 240 people each course. They each have a length of 38 meters, a width of around 10 and a height of 5.5 meters; her outburst in the shell was completed in March 2007.
Effects
The studies suggest that high-speed trains should stop every hour at the station Porta Alpina. Thanks to enormous time savings so would the remote region north and south of the Alps back in the vicinity of the large and economically strong conurbations and not just the Surselva to the recreation area of this important economic centers do, but bring to the local population also attractive jobs within reach.
The feasibility study from 2003 shows, however, that the time benefits arriving from the north to the upper Surselva remain limited. Already for the journey to Ilanz is a ride through Chur preferable to stop at the Porta Alpina.
The study also mentions problems of incorporating the station " Porta Alpina " in the working timetable. One stop so-called A- trains ( € City, Intercity) is not possible because of the necessary deceleration and re-acceleration and time nodes tight integration of trains in Arth- Goldau and Milan. A stop of B- trains is possible. However, the travel time between Arth -Goldau and Bellinzona extended for about 6 minutes ( holding time plus braking and Anfahrverlustzeiten ). This results in Ticino problems with the connections, which are in Locarno and Bellinzona (with connection to Lugano ) to reach. Are just two minutes between arrival and departure of the B- train to Locarno. This causes a so-called turned-over turn required by an additional train composition. The connection of the B- train from Lugano to Bellinzona is not possible according to the study. This means that a negative impact on a commuter train Ticino every half hour to expect and greatly weakened one of the arguments for the Ceneri Base Tunnel.
Open Questions
After the initial feasibility studies, there were many unanswered questions. Travelers in the south would have to go up to 400 m due to the huge dimensions of the multifunction station to get to the lifts, those are moved out of the north tube even with an electric bus to the lifts. Since the lift capacity will probably be limited to 80 people, waiting times of up to half an hour will be created at peak times, with more than 320 passengers. A stay at the railway tunnel itself would not be possible, the construction of foreclosed waiting rooms would be necessary. An elevator ride with a difference in altitude of 800 m within 70 seconds ( 11.4 m / s) also has its pitfalls; so there are fears health problems in sensitive individuals. Also, the temperature differences could ( in the tunnel without cooling to 40 degrees, in the Surselva in winter quite -10 degrees and colder) cause problems for passengers. Once at the top, another switch in feeder buses is necessary, which would then drive the travelers either to the station or to the ski area. Critics wonder therefore whether propelled railway are ready to upgrade three times within a short time and to take a shuttle travel time of at least 20 minutes from the station Porta Alpina to the center of Sedrun up. Therefore ideas for a funicular railway from the village down to the Porta Alpina Sedrun already have surfaced.
The Federal Council has asked for his consent to the pre-project, that before the decision on the main investment on the one hand a spatial concept for the Gotthard region had to be submitted, which shows the economic impact for the region. On the other hand with the operators of the base tunnel route and station Porta Alpina Sedrun (PAS ) an operational concept should be created, which shows the impact on the operation and capacity of the base tunnel.
Graubündner government has made in its project proposal for the main investment to these questions. For example, it was recommended in a health certificate, the lift speed limit when driving down to 7 m / s. However, many objections, particularly from the tunnel mistress Alp Transit Gotthard AG, SBB and environmental organizations, led to the Federal Council decision in May 2007, which defers the decision with the job to the UVEK to answer the further outstanding questions before a decision yet.
It was initiated on the part of the canton of Grisons one hand, that along with the train until the end of August 2007, a reduced supply and operational concept is to be checked, which only provides a daily minimum range of six to eight pairs of trains instead of one hours clock. On the other hand, requires the Federal Council, that he may declare, as the government is set to the project. Namely, if the main project would not be closed simultaneously with the base tunnel, was also to be expected at the budgeted costs of CHF 35 million with an additional cost of 40 million. Under such circumstances, would of Graubündner side the next 2.5 million not spent on expenses for further study, said the Grisons Councillor Stefan Engler.
A temporary end
On 16 May 2012, the Federal Council announced " to refrain for the time being " Porta Alpina.
Trivia
Porta Alpina in 2005 was named the Romansh word of the year.
In the Hamburg model railway exhibition Miniatur Wunderland a model of the Porta Alpina was created, how they would have looked like if it had been built.