COMET COMPLETES FIRST TUNNEL DRIVE

This article describes the construction of a 21km automated metro in Copenhagen, and includes a route map. The city's Y-shaped metro network is being built in an unusual order. Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) now drive a pair of 5.5m diameter tunnels 600m from Islands Brygge to a grade-separated junction at Christianshavn, which has been dug in limestone rocks using New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). The TBMs are now being dismantled, then reassembled at Havnegade, from which they will first drill under the harbour, through Chirstianshavn, then down the metro's other branch to Lergravsparken. They will be taken back to Havnegade a second time, to tunnel west to Norreport and Frederiksberg. Most of the tunnelling is through limestone, so that the spoil makes excellent fill material for the new island of Peberholm on the Oresund Fixed Link. Removing spoil and conveying tunnel lining segments directly by sea will avoid many lorry journeys through Copenhagen's historic city centre. The article also describes the design and construction of the stations, the metro's control centre and depot, its rolling stock, and its focus on passenger needs. The city centre section is due to open by 2001 and the western section by 2002; funding is being sought for an eastern section along an old freight line.