Boring of the Gotthard Tunnel

From The Conductor and Brakeman (1890)

Gotthard Tunnel Construction Workers (1880) (source)

[p.129] Respecting the enormous work of boring through the great tunnel, the first top gallery of seven meters was not done by work of hand, but with the assistance of ingeniously constructed machines, according to the system Ferroux at Goschenen ion the north side) and after the system MacKean (improved by Mr. Seguin, engineer at Airolo) on the south side. These machines were driven by compressed air, according to the plan made by Prof. Colladon of Genf (Geneva); the compressed air not only being able to transmit the power to great distances, but at the same time acting as ventilator for the men at work in the tunnel. For the purpose of compressing the air and keeping it in reservoirs for use, it needed many apparatuses and interesting mechanical arrangements outside the two tunnel ends, for the movement of which the water of the Reuss at Goschenen, the current of the Tremola rivulet and the Tessin (from the Bedretto vale) at Airolo were conducted to the place partly in long open channels, partly in iron tubes, as moving power to the turbines. These quantities of water coming down vehemently from considerable heights rushed with a force equal to 1100— 1500 horse power on large fly wheels, the winches of which gave a pushing movement to the piston rods of iron cylinders placed before them and in this manner produced the intended compression of air (of 2-5 atmospheric pressure). Both waters taken together have contributed to the completion of the work for about 3,000 days with an average of 2,000 horse power daily (24 hours) all in all a day's work of 7,500,000 horse power.

When the air tight piston of a cylinder is drawn back by the fly wheel winch, there forms in the interior a vacuum which is opened immediately by valves and filled by atmospheric air pouring in from without. Immediately after the same winch rod pushes the piston again into the cylinder, the valves shut and keep the air from escaping, the latter being thereby forced to enter a narrow tube leading to an airholder (reservoir). By this proceeding the air is strongly compressed, up to the twentieth part of its volume.

When the reservoir becomes filled up, the compressed air enters the main pipe and thence the large boiler-like airkeepers placed before the tunnel entrances.

From these reservoirs the compressed air was conducted to the place of work in the tunnel and there set agoing the boring machine placed before the rocks (end of gallery). The cylinders of the boring machine were of bronze, in shape like a mortar barrel. Out of these projected a sort of steel bayonet, the end of which formed a chisel. The boring machines—sometimes six being at work simultaneously— were supported by an iron frame (boring car) running on wheels so as to be moved forwards or backwards. The steel chisel of about two inches in length (borer) was now, by means of the piston, in a revolving motion pushed with such vehemence against the rock, that sparks sallied forth, and in a few moments a deep hole was made. Even the hardest granite could not resist the furious attacks of the steel borer. A workman continually watched the progress at the hole, made the boring machine advance by means of a screw, took the dust away, and poured water into the holes to prevent the borer from becoming too hot. When the borer had entered the rocky wall to the depth of a little more than a meter, the machine was drawn back in order to advance again for a new attack. After 16 or 20 holes had been made by four or six machines, the frames were removed, the workmen withdrew, and but one remained in order to fill the holes with dynamite cartridges (subsequently Gelatine was employed) and to light the fuse attached to them. Some minutes later the fire reached the blasting material, a tremendous thunder-clap resounded, the end of the gallery had retired by about a metre, and the ground was covered by scattered pieces of stone. Immediately after, the cock of the ventilating pipe was opened and the force of the outstreaming air chased at once all the smoke out of the tunnel. The detached rocks, (rubbish) were hastily taken away, the track for the frames was advanced to the new point of attack, the boring machine advanced to the new point of attack and the monotonous work began afresh.

The compressed air, however, was not only intended to work the boring machine but also to bring up fresh air for the lungs [p.130] of the work people. Partly the gas produced through blasting, partly the height of the temperature increasing with the size of the mountains, required an extra ventilation, if the working power of the men was not to be reduced by the heat. This ventilation was produced by the boring apparatus releasing the air employed as good air; besides fresh air was introduced through direct communication (cast tubes) with the reservoirs, into the tunnel, so that the quantity daily consumed in one part of the tunnel amounted to about 120,000 cubic meters atmospheric tension. Notwithstanding the temperature gradually rose up to 34 Celsius which made the workmen suffer tremendously. After the first cutting through the rock the situation improved considerably as there happened alternatively to be currents from the north to the south and vice versa according to the current of air prevailing on both sides of the Alps.

Besides the boring machines, the working locomotives that brought trains with material in and trains loaded with rubbish out of the tunnel, were also moved by compressed air (pressure: 12 atmospheres).

The atmospheric wagon has, like the locomotive, a funnel, gives whistle signals, but instead of steam thrusts out a thick air saturated with water. The tender has the shape of a long boiler and carries for the production of the moving power not coals and water but compressed air. If the tender wants a supply on the road it can be got from the air pipe in the tunnel by means of cocks fitted into it. A hose is fastened to such a cock and connected with the tender and when the tender is filled, the cock is turned off.

The tender through another hose, introduces the necessary quantity of air for working the engine into the latter.

The excavation of the tunnel in its entire height and width was naturally not done all at one time, but gradually.

The boring began under the roof of the future tunnel and as this first cutting ran close under the upper longitudinal line, it was called “top gallery.” Whilst this gallery was progressing it was, behind, widened to the right and left. At a later period the construction of a so-called gallery split was extended at first to one half and finally to the whole depth of the proposed excavation. For greater security the tunnel was totally vaulted with cuneated blocks of granite. The mountains as well as the numerous erratic blocks furnished the material. The space left between the vault and rock roof was filled with stones. When the rock on the tunnel sides proved solid, the vault was built on it, if not, mured abutments (spring-walls) were erected which supported the top vault. Very soft rock required the construction of a closed tunnel tube.

Much time and money was spent on the so-called “blowing passage,” (nearly 2,800 meters from the entrance at Goschenen) and on a central downpressing mass at 7,400 meters. At these places a soft rocky mass consisting of remains of phylitic gneiss destroyed by the influence of the atmosphere, pressed continually down into the tunnel and destroyed not only the strongest wooden supports but even stone abutments. It was finally found necessary to form cylinder vaults of enomous granite broad-stones. The fixing of the tunnel axle was done trigonometrically. In examining whether the proper direction had been kept the most important thing was to measure a straight line of the greatest possible length. Into the slope of the valley opposite the tunnel entrance a small gallery was pushed and thence a light in the tunnel was gaged; afterwards the same proceeding was continued in the interior of the tunnel by using the so-called pit theodolite. This gallery was called the directing gallery.

Southern entrance to the Gotthard Tunnel, during construction.
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The final cutting across of the tunnel took place (at a distance of 7,795 meters from the north entrance) on the 29th of February (intercalary day and very rare fifth Sunday in February) 1880 at 11 o'clock a. m., after the borer on the Airolo side had pierced the rock on the previous evening and the photograph of Favre had been handed through the aperture. The happy long-wished for event was not only celebrated in Switzerland by shooting, music, flags on the houses, bonfires and inevitable banquets, but also welcomed in Germany and Italy by sympathetic demonstrations. From the Emperor William, as well as from Count Bismarck and also from the King of Italy congratulating telegrams arrived on the day of the solemn festivity. The workmen, too, were thought of; they had a banquet prepared for them and according to the length of time of their employment they got either silver or copper medals. In order to be just to the names of the dead there was money collected for their remaining families.

[p.131] On the 2d March a connected line was already established through the tunnel on which the engineers and officials from Goschenen drove on trundles to Airolo. The first passage through the Gotthard took three hours and thirty minutes. On the 21st of December, 1880, the first mail bags were taken through the tunnel from Airolo to Goschenen, by two post conductors; on the 25th of December, 1881, the tunnel, intended to be made with two tracks, but for the beginning only provided with one line, was totally finished and from the 1st of January, 1882, passengers and goods trains passed regularly through it. On the 1st of June, 1882, the traffic on the whole line Lucerne-Milan was open, after the portion Giubiasca-Lugano (Monte Cenere) had been opened to the public.

In 1883 a second track had been laid in the tunnel. The passage through the tunnel takes at the present time not more than twenty-five minutes.

The cutting of the Gotthard tunnel took seven years and five months. There have been 1,800,000 kilog of Dynamite employed, 320,000 holes bored and 1,650,000 borers used up. 2,400 individuals were employed daily on an average (18,428 during the whole time of working) doing together about eight million working parts called “Einmannerschicht,” (one man's day's work,.)

The above quotations refer only to the root gallery; the complete bracking out and lining with stones, etc., took nearly two years more, so that the construction of the whole tunnel took nine years and three months in all and was finished only one and one-half year after the time originally appointed. The cutting and building of the tunnel cost 56,808,620 francs.

At the conclusion of this chapter the author of this little book considers it his sacred duty, to mention the heroism with which the poor workmen—mostly Italians—fulfilled their mission. They had to endure great hardships. Looking at the working people within the tunnel one could not but be struck with anxiety and astonishment. These half naked figures covered with perspiration, with their suffering yellowish faces, ghastly lighted up by a dull lamplight, their blackened hands convulsively strained, their difficult breathing being occupied day by day since for many weeks, months and even years at their eight hours' work in this modern Tartarus, in a heat of 22 to 34 degrees C., deserve our deepest compassion. Scattered on a line of 150 kilometers, 2,000 meters under ground, each with his little lamp by his side, they might be seen, either sitting in the oppressive vapor, or standing, cowering, breaking out, charging the dynamite mines, occupied in clearing the rubbish away, taking out and in the trucks, wading through water and mud,—truly an affecting scene.

Added to this, the clamor of locomotives and wagons, of horses and drivers, of thousands of hammers and spades at work, the terrible hissing noise of the boring machines, the roaring of the dynamite explosions—who would be able to give an approximate description of all that?

Numerous workmen died in consequence of the unhealthy air, of over exertion, of anchylostomum (intestinal worm producing inanition), or of colds. Besides, many accidents during the construction of the tunnel cost the loss of 200 human lives (of these about 30 in 1880) and 431 workmen were wounded; the whole construction of the railway thus causing 310 deaths and 877 hurts. May all the happy people hastening through the tunnel in a railway carriage leaning on soft cushions, not only rejoice at the grand acquisition but also remember the poor people who sacrificed life and health to the work.

Thus the rough north and the mild south shake hands finally like brothers, in a tunnel, the two parts of which met exactly together during the act of cutting. Goschenen and Airolo are joined by an iron embrace and the traveler who passed the night at Lucerne may dine at Milan, though, according to the custom at Italy at rather a late hour, or take his supper at Genoa. Through the line Bellinzona-Genoa opened on the 4th of December, 1882, the chief manufacturing parts of Germany at last are brought into immediate connection with a principal port of the Mediterranean.

“Good luck” to the Gotthard tunnel and “hail” to the fraternization of nations, established by such great works of peace, which at the same time proclaim the triumph of the human mind over matter.

Nature bears long with those who wrong her. She is patient under abuse. But when abuse has gone too far, when the time of reckoning finally comes, she is equally slow to be appeased and to turn away her wrath. (1882) -- Nathaniel Egleston, who was writing then about deforestation, but speaks equally well about the danger of climate change today.

Carl Sagan: In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) ...(more by Sagan)

Albert Einstein: I used to wonder how it comes about that the electron is negative. Negative-positive—these are perfectly symmetric in physics. There is no reason whatever to prefer one to the other. Then why is the electron negative? I thought about this for a long time and at last all I could think was “It won the fight!” ...(more by Einstein)

Richard Feynman: It is the facts that matter, not the proofs. Physics can progress without the proofs, but we can't go on without the facts ... if the facts are right, then the proofs are a matter of playing around with the algebra correctly. ...(more by Feynman)

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