Excavation Sites of the Alptransit Gotthard-Tunnel
In preparation for implementing a north-south flat rail link for travel in 2015, Switzerland's AlpTransit has been excavating under the Swiss Alps around the clock since 1997. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is at the heart of the new transalpine rail route, and at 57km it will be the world's longest tunnel. In December of 1999, I was fortunate to have the opportunity in accompanying a television crew into the underground depths of the Swiss Alps to document the initial stages of excavation and construction. Wearing the same work clothes as the miners allowed me to blend in and shoot with uncompromised freedom. Although I used two cameras for this shoot, the images showcased here were shot with a favorite camera of mine - the fully mechanical Horizon 202 panoramic camera. The biggest problem I encountered while shooting was the lack of available light. After all, it is very dark down there! Due to such low light levels my film of choice was Ilford 3200, and despite its fast speed I often had to push to 12500ASA. A close-up lens for the Horizon, specially made for me by an optician, set the fix-focus point to 2 meters, which made a lot of pictures possible.
Known as the Intermediate attack, Sedrun is the location where the initial dig took place. An 800m deep shaft was built to accommodate the steel elevator container, which is how the equipment and miners are transferred to and from the depths of the Alps. From the base of this shaft they were then able to begin prospecting the tunnel in both directions. Below this shaft and deep beneath the surface, the working conditions are very difficult. This is one of the most dangerous working environments I have ever seen first hand. The deafening sound of the tunnel boring machines, an endless "rainfall" of dirt, water and pieces of earth, and the constantly moving hosepipes put the miners to the test day after day. These images just touch the surface of this immense underground endeavor.
I dedicate this work to Andreas Reichardt, killed while on duty the 8th of June, 2000 by an object that had fallen down the shaft at Sedrun.
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