Final stage of work on the North/South line has started

News website North/South line:

Now that the tunnel boring machines have left Amsterdam and the tunnel under the IJ is open, we are regularly asked what still has to happen in the next four years before the first passengers can use the North/South line in 2017. Surely you lay the rails and off you go? There is still much to do.

The next phase of the North/South line is about to begin: the fit out, to be carried out by the contractor VIA NoordZuidlijn. A whole new challenge. In recent years most of the heavy work was carried out during the construction phase, now comes the lighter work, but no less challenging. During the fit out phase the tracks will be laid along with all the wiring for the different guidance-, driving- and security systems. This will also involve installing escalators,elevators and decorating the stations. Meanwhile the first results are already visible externally. For some weeks now a two kilometer long stretch of tracks has been completed on the most northern part of the North/South line.

Impressive figures
In the next few years we will lay another seven kilometers of track and finish off the stations. A few impressive figures would not go amiss here: in total there will be 91 escalators, 4 travelators, 24 lifts and 23 emergency exits. We will be fitting out 8500 square meters of public space with a total of 11 000 square meters of glass partitions. That makes those four years a little more understandable.

After North comes.. the rest
The works on the northern section of the tracks up to the tunnel must be ready before the end of the year. Thereafter follows the southern branch of the tracks and the metrostop under the Central Station, nicknamed The Cathedral. By the beginning of 2015 we expect to be able start on the fit out of the three deepest stations; Rokin, Vijzelgracht and De Pijp. We shall continue to keep the local residents up to date on all aspects of the works during the fit out phase.

Checks and Test Drives
The final phase will involve checking all the systems and test driving the new metro train. If all goes according to plan this phase will commence mid 2016. From experience we know that these testing phases take at least 8 months (as long as there no setbacks). The emergency scenarios will also be tested in this period. De Pijp station promises to present a special challenge. Benno Stoiber, contract manager for Transport Technology and Outfitting Department of the North/South line from the Amsterdam City Council: "De Pijp is a very special station because the platforms lie under each other, connected by long escalators. Due to the exceptional circumstances, we have been given special dispensation to allow the escalators to run in the opposite direction in the case of an emergency. But that puts special demands on these escalators." Good practice is therefore very necessary.

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