Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
The streetcar depot in Nieuwegein is undergoing a major overhaul. Besides an expansion of the number of tracks, the forty-year-old workshop will also be renovated. De Vries en Verburg Bouw from Stolwijk is realizing the new workshop, including workshop facilities.
"The streetcar depot is being prepared for the arrival of the Uithof line," explains project manager Guido Jongebreur of De Vries and Verburg. "This new express tram line from Utrecht Central Station to university campus De Uithof (since November Utrecht Science Park; ed.) will double streetcar traffic in and around Utrecht. Also, the streetcars of the Uithof line are different from the streetcars of the current fleet. They are made of aluminum instead of steel and have lower floors. We are tailoring the new workshop to these streetcars."
Two worlds
De Vries en Verburg is realizing the new workshop on behalf of the province of Utrecht. For the project to succeed, both parties desperately need each other's knowledge and expertise, Jongebreur explains. "Two worlds come together in the workshop: a track with overhead lines, and a building. We have to merge these worlds. Here, the railroad part belongs to the client's expertise, while we understand the realization of buildings."
Eight tracks
A small part of the workshop will serve as offices. The rest is for workshop facilities, divided into eight tracks. Track 1 is the car wash. Track 2 is for interior cleaning and minor maintenance work, such as refilling wiper fluid and brake sand. Track 3 will house the pit wheel lathe and track 4 the straightening frame. Tracks 5 through 8 consist of a combination of a lifting system, folding board platforms, overhead wires and a monorail system. Here the streetcar can be lifted up, as well as repaired from above.
3D design
In terms of engineering, the project had quite a lot to deal with. Changes to the specifications and a new basement design led to a longer engineering process. The integration of the many disciplines also required a lot of attention. "We worked out the design completely in 3D," said Jongebreur. "We added all components to the design, right down to the lifting systems and folding doors, to get the most complete picture of the building."
Sustainable measures
The new workshop will be a sustainable workshop. For example, the building will soon be completely gas-free. The workshop is heated with an air heat pump, the floors are insulated and equipped with underfloor heating. Radiation panels will be installed in the area of the streetcars. Furthermore, LED lighting is used everywhere and in the office part there will be a WKO installation. The roof is suitable for solar panels and equipped with shed roofs for optimal daylighting.
Completion in full swing
De Vries en Verburg began construction work in September 2017. Jongebreur explains, "The building has a pile foundation of mortar screw piles, with a cast-in-place concrete floor with the steel structure on top. At the location of the tracks, the floor is reinforced. We made the workshop wind and watertight with metal cladding in a green pattern, intended to integrate the building into its surroundings. On the building we mounted steel roofing sheets and plastic roofing. On the inside, we finish the workshop with sand-lime brick and trowel floors." Completion of the building will take place in the first quarter of 2019.
