Pandrol Korea is busy supplying SFC Baseplate Assemblies to Section 5 of KTX phase 2 project, which is pitching up for completion of tracks scheduled in early 2010.

PANDROL FASTCLIP SFC Baseplate system on slab track has been selected for use for the Phase 2 route of the Seoul — Busan High Speed Railway. The construction of Korea High Speed line was divided into 2 phases. Phase One, 223.6km ballasted track section of the new high speed line between Seoul and Daegu, is equipped throughout with PANDROL FASTCLIP & e-clip rail fastenings and has been in service since April 2004 with KTX trains running at 300km/hr.

Phase 2 consists of full high speed standard infrastructure on the remaining section between Daegu to Busan (130Km). The phase 2 track will be constructed using the Rheda 2000 ballastless track system equipped with PANDROL SFC baseplates fastenings which can provide full advantage of the PANDROL FASTCLIP captive fastening system and also can provide lateral and vertical adjustments required for concrete slab track.

Construction of the KTX Phase 2 project track is being done in two sections, section 4 (67km section from Daegu to Ulsan) and section 5 (57km section from Ulsan – Busan). Section 4 is completed in 2009 by the contractor, Sampyo. Section 5 track construction is awarded to Kuedo and currently is speeding up for scheduled completion in 2010.

Section 4
Daegu-Ulsan

Length:  67.2km
No. of Baseplate sets:  430k
Contractor:  Sampyo E&C
Completion Date:  2009

Section 5
Ulsan-Busan
Length:  57.0km
No. of Baseplate sets:  360k
Contractor:  Kuedo
Completion Date:  2010

Phase 2 has been designed for a maximum speed of 350km/hr, and trains will be running at 300km/h.  Travel time from Seoul to Busan is expected to be decreased to 2hours and 10 minutes from current 2 hours 40 minutes after completion of Phase 2.