EQOS Energie plans and installs catenary lines for tram depot

On behalf of public transport operator STIB/MIVB Brussels, EQOS Energie has planned and installed the complete catenary lines of the Marconi tram depot. Overall, 4,000 metres were installed as fixed catenary lines (so-called conductor rails) in the building and 3,500 metres as mobile catenary lines at the depot. To install the 7,500 metres of catenary line, the company erected a total of 75 masts. The work was completed by one team consisting of six fitters who continuously worked at the construction site. The project was concluded on time at the end of November 2017.

The goal of the new construction was to provide parking space for 75 trams with a length of 32 metres each. In addition, maintenance for 13 trams can be run in parallel in the newly constructed workshop. The Marconi depot, which is part of the European Tram Store 21 project, is built with a strong focus on sustainability and environmentally sound construction. The international collaboration project is funded by the European Union and includes the cooperation of public transport operators in Brussels, Blackpool, Dijon and Rotterdam. Its higher objective is the promotion of urban sustainability while taking into account environmentally relevant aspects.

The tram depot helps to create new solutions for challenges during the construction of public infrastructure. Such depots usually consist of large halls in which a large number of trams are parked, cleaned and maintained or repaired. In this respect, it is of key importance for the depots to be constructed near urban areas and to be operational 24 hours a day. In addition, special attention must be paid to cause minimal environmental pollution and to conserve resources.