June 1, 2016

Top News Stories –

European leaders open world’s longest rail tunnel in Switzerland –
The world’s longest rail tunnel, running for 35 miles (57km) under the Swiss Alps, has officially opened. The Swiss president, Johann Schneider-Ammann, said the tunnel, which it is hoped will ease transit through the heart of the continent, would “join the people and the economies” of Europe at a time of rising nationalism and border closures. He spoke before European leaders made a ceremonial first journey through the Gotthard base tunnel. Passengers included the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, the French president, François Hollande, and the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi. While the tunnel was entirely funded by Switzerland, a non-EU member, the bloc’s transport commissioner, Violeta Bulc, hailed it as “a godsend” for the continent. It runs from Erstfeld in the central Swiss canton of Uri, to Bodio in the southern Ticino canton. [The Guardian]

Video of the Day –

Gotthard base tunnel

List of the Day –

World’s longest tunnels (in use) [Wikipedia]

Name Location Length Type Year Comment
Delaware Aqueduct United States New York state, United States 137,000 m (85.1 mi) Water supply 1945 4.1 m wide. New York City‘s main water supply tunnel, drilled through solid rock.
Päijänne Water Tunnel Finland Southern Finland, Finland 120,000 m (74.6 mi) Water supply 1982 16 m2 cross section
Dahuofang Water Tunnel China Liaoning Province, China 85,320 m (53.0 mi) Water supply 2009 8 m in diameter (50m2 cross section)
Orange–Fish River Tunnel South Africa South Africa 82,800 m (51.4 mi) Water supply 1972 Longest continuous enclosed aqueduct in the southern hemisphere (22.5 m2cross section)
Bolmen Water Tunnel Sweden Kronoberg/Scania, Sweden 82,000 m (51.0 mi) Water supply 1987 8 m2
Tunel Emisor Oriente Mexico Mexico City, Mexico 62,500 m (38.8 mi) Waterwaste 2006-2012 Water management in Greater Mexico City. Longest waterwaste tunnel.
Guangzhou Metro Line 3 China Guangzhou, China 60,400 m (37.5 mi)Excl. branch Metro 2005-2010 Guangzhou Metro. Longest metro/rapid transit tunnel;
longest railway tunnel
Beijing Subway Line 10 China Beijing, China 57,100 m (35.5 mi) Metro 2008-2012 Beijing Subway
Gotthard Base Tunnel Switzerland Lepontine Alps, Switzerland 57,091 m (35.5 mi) or 57,017 m (35.4 mi) Railway Twin Tube 2016 The longest railway tunnel excluding urban metro lines with intermediate stations.
Two tubes (East 57,091 m (35.5 mi), West 57,017 m (35.4 mi)), 8.8–9.5 m (29–31 ft) diameter, (71m2 cross section)
Seikan Tunnel Japan Tsugaru Strait, Japan 53,850 m (33.5 mi) Railway Single Tube 1988 74 m2

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