Works on the railway line on the section Hrvatski Leskovac-Karlovac – PHASE I

Project activities include installing a new electrification system, re-erecting the overhead contact line on the existing track and hanging a new line on the second track, installing level 1 European Train Control System infrastructure, rebuilding the Zdenčina and Mrzlo Polje electric traction substations, enhancing traffic security at rail-road level crossings, upgrading bridges, culverts and road underpasses, installing modern electronic signal security and telecommunications devices and setting up noise barriers. Completion of the project will permit trains to maintain a target speed of 160 km/h throughout most of the rail section.

The Hrvatski Leskovac-Karlovac section is part of the M202 Zagreb Gk-Rijeka railway. The M202 Zagreb GK-Rijeka railway is one of the most important in Croatia because it connects the capital city, Zagreb, with the most important Croatian Adriatic port in Rijeka. In Oštarije it separates into the M604 railway Oštarije-Knin-Split, which connects central Croatia with central Dalmatia, that is with the cities of Split, Šibenik and Zadar. The railway M202 Zagreb GK-Rijeka is also a part of the Mediterranean TEN-T corridor, of the route Rijeka-Zagreb-Budapest and Railway Freight Corridor 6, established on November 10, 2013, in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 913/2010. The starting point of the section Hrvatski Leskovac-Karlovac, Hrvatski Leskovac is located at the beginning of the railway Zagreb-Rijeka, about 10.7 km from Zagreb GK. It includes the stations Hrvatski Leskovac, Horvati, Zdenčina, Jastrebarsko, Draganići and Karlovac as well as the stops Mavračići, Desinec, Domagović and Lazina. This section has been identified as one of the bottlenecks in the TEN-T core network due to its capacity and useful track length at the stations (between 500 and 630 m). The existing railway security system is APB (automatic track block) in electro-relay design, which is not in accordance with the interoperability requirements. Moreover, these stations do not meet the conditions for access by persons with reduced mobility. The project plans to increase the speed to a maximum of 160 km / h, except in the area of ​​Mavračić, Jastrebarsko and Karlovac where it will be 120 and 140 km / h due to space constraints.

The main goals will be achieved by the reconstruction of the existing and construction of the second track on the section Hrvatski Leskovac-Karlovac with a length of 44.02 km on the railway M202 Zagreb Gk-Rijeka. In addition to the reconstruction of the existing and construction of the second track, the project also includes:

-the reconstruction of 3 stations (H. Leskovac, Jastrebarsko, Karlovac)

-the conversion of 3 stations into stops (Horvati, Zdenčina, Draganić)

-the reconstruction of 4 existing stops (Mavračići, desinec, Domagović, Lazina)

-the installation of a new electronic signaling and safety device, ETCS level 1 and a new traffic management infrastructure subsystem with remote control of external elements

-the electrification with 25 kV / 50 Hz system

-the reconstruction of the electrical substation (EVP Mrzlo Polje and Zdenčina)

-the construction of three new underpasses and four new overpasses with associated roads instead of railway-road crossings

-the construction of new arched roads in order to abolish the existing railway-road crossings

-the reconstruction of some existing level railway – road crossings

-the construction of noise protection walls

-the construction of a closed drainage system

-the reconstruction of all existing bridges, viaducts and other structures on the section of the section.

The railway has a very favorable position because it passes through populated areas. It enables good connections and generates a large number of service users. Thus, the completion of this project in this area will enable the introduction of high-quality urban and suburban passenger transport, increase mobility, increase the benefits from public passenger transport. This allows the introduction of quality integrated passenger transport.

The main objectives of the project are:

• overcoming the existing bottlenecks in the Croatian TEN-T network
• improving the connection of the RFC6 Rail Freight Corridor from the port of Rijeka with the markets with the greatest potential for the port (Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, etc.)
• encouraging the development of the potential of one of the main logistics centers of the Republic of Croatia (the port of Rijeka itself) as well as the modal shift of freight traffic from road to railway
• encouraging public transport and forms of zero-emission transport
• increasing the resilience of railways to extreme weather conditions
• reducing the impact of the transport system on the environment (environmental sustainability)
• improving integrated passenger and inter modal freight transport services
• increasing of reliability, capacity and speed on the section by reducing travel time and increasing quality of transport in urban-suburban traffic
• integrating railways into local transport systems and in the functional region through the inclusion of railways in public urban and suburban passenger transport
• increasing safety at railway crossings for motorized traffic, pedestrians and cyclists by installing an electronic device to secure the open track and station
• increasing the efficiency and safety of the railway system by installing the European Tier 1 Train Management and Control System (ETCS L1);
• reducing transport costs, which are significantly lower in rail transport compared to road transport

The ultimate goals that will be achieved by this project are:

-to improve accessibility

-to improve access to the port of Rijeka

-to develop interoperability (the project is designed with respect to TEN-T and interoperable standards)

-to increase the capacity of the railway

-to enhance energy efficiency

-to improve the environmental impact

-to upgrade the level of passenger services

-to improve inter modality (next to each station and stop there is a parking lot for cars and bicycles, and there are bus stops nearby)

-to boost operational reliability

-to improve safety (the project includes safety elements in line with the EU Railway Safety Directive).