The high-speed railway line which will link the emblematic Saudi cities of Medina and Mecca will use high density concrete counterweights manufactured by Gallizo in order to guarantee the tension in the cables of the electrical network.
The Haramain project will link the historic cities of Medina and Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Through the company Saudi Railway Organisation (SRO), the Spanish consortium Al Shouda developed the project for the “AVE in the desert”, and employed Gallizo in the manufacture of counterweights for the railway catenary system, to provide stability to the electrical network for the line.
The project, which is the largest civil engineering project undertaken to date in the Middle East, is a challenge for the Zaragoza-based company. The concrete used for the manufacture of components has special characteristics, from its high density in order to guarantee the weight necessary, to the material specifications, which will have to tolerate extreme temperatures, sandstorms, or low levels of humidity, among other meteorological conditions.
The involvement of Gallizo and its technical departments will culminate in the opening of the line, which is planned for December 2017. Through this, the Zaragoza-based company will have the backing of guarantees for the future as a supplier of industrial counterweights for the railway sector.
