IN IMAGES, IN PICTURES. Behind the scenes of the Donges industrial sites railway bypass project

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TGVs launched at 160 km/h through the Donges refinery, around sixty trains every day right in the middle of a high Seveso site: it’s over! Work to bypass the industrial site, which began 2 years ago, is nearing completion. The new line that connects Nantes to St Nazaire will be ready for October 7th. The final sprint therefore for the SNCF, which had to interrupt all train traffic for 14 days between Le Croisic and Savenay while connecting the new tracks to the network, installing catenaries, signage and carrying out the necessary tests.

the works trains that come to test the dynamics and the height of the tracks here at the eastern connection point © Radio France
– Helen Roussel
Work trains night and day, some local residents exhausted
Trains work night and day, some residents at the end “there are sleepless nights” denounces a resident at the end © Radio France
– Helen Roussel

First train departing from Nantes on Friday October 7 at 5:34 p.m.

4.5 km of railway track have been laid and connected to the existing network. The old rails have been removed, they will be resold to other railway yards such as in Aquitaine, but some remain in place. 2 km of rail that will only be used by TotalEnergies for its freight. To keep the timing, the SNCF over these 14 days puts the turbo. 500 workers work in 3/8 day and night, a hundred companies are mobilized. “The very first train will leave Nantes on Friday October 7 at 5:34 p.m. and will arrive here in Donges at 5:59 p.m.” explains Audrey Delaunay, SNCF Network Operations Manager.

Audrey Delaunay SNCF Network Operations Manager "the tracks are connected, but we still have a lot of things to do, with the dead line of October 7"
Audrey Delaunay SNCF Network Operation Manager “the tracks are connected, but we still have a lot of things to do, with the October 7 dead line” © Radio France
– Helen Roussel
connecting the catenaries as one connects the tracks, a colossal project that is coming to an end
connecting the catenaries as one connects the tracks, a colossal project that is coming to an end © Radio France
– Helen Roussel

Divide the risks by 10″ – Meven Bouvet, SNCF

The project in the long term will divide the risks by 10 since the trains now bypass industrial sites. But it was also necessary to restore roads and create more 6 km of roads with bridges and roundabouts. We also had to move theat the Donges stop which was still in the refinery. It is still on a Seveso site but less high. “It’s certainly less dangerous, but to reduce the risks, it’s unique in France, this stop has no glass or plexiglass on the shelters” says Meven Bouvet, director of the SNCF network project.

The new Donges stop without glass and without Plexiglas to reduce the risks even if the stop is no longer in the heart of the refinery, it remains on a Seveso site (less high)
The new Donges stop without glass and without Plexiglas to reduce the risks even if the stop is no longer in the heart of the refinery, it remains on a Seveso site (less high) © Radio France
– Helen Roussel

A colossal construction site, “we are on time” blows Audrey Delaunay, who will have cost 150 million euros financed by the State, local authorities and TotalEnergies.

Meven Bouvet, director of the SNCF Réseau project
Meven Bouvet, director of the SNCF Réseau project © Radio France
– Helen Roussel


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