TBM 1412, which will excavate Lot 1+2 of the new Palermo-Catania link, has successfully completed the FAT

The TBM 1412, an EPB with a diameter of 9.40 meters, is set to excavate Lot 1+2 – Fiumetorto Lercara Diramazione - Caltanissetta Xirbi, as part of the Palermo-Catania-Messina railway line project. The EPB TBM, along with another identical TBM, will be used to bore the two tunnels of the Alia Gallery, which will extend for 20 km from the Palermo side portal.  

The project is part of the improvement of the High - Capacity rail line between Palermo and Catania. Lot 1+2 Fiumetorto - Lercara Junction will include 20 km of parallel tunnels to accommodate travel in both directions, more than 2km of road and rail viaducts, more than 7 km of roads, and 3 stations. One of the stations, Valle del Torto, will be built and the other two, Cerda and Lercara, will be upgraded. 

The JV will apply systems to recover and reuse rainwater and that used in industrial processes and use 4 tunnel-boring machines (TBMs). The stations will come equipped with systems to ensure a more efficient use of water and the capture of rain. 

The new railway to connect Palermo, Catania and Messina is a strategic project for Sicily and Italy. It will make the transport of people and freight faster and more effective across the island, reducing travel times between Palermo and Catania by one hour, to two hours.