Belgian construction company Galère is using a 40 tonne 643 E Sennebogen telescopic crawler crane, which it bought through its Belgian sales and service partner Van Haut, to help build the expansion of the Belgian RER urban rail network. The line between the Nivelles and Lillois stations is being extended from two to four tracks.
According to Sennebogen the crane is well suited to working on the rough terrain thanks to its manoeuvrability and stability. Its 30m long Full Power Boom can be continuously telescoped even with a load on the hook, enabling optimum load capacities at any boom length.
In total, the urban rail project is scheduled to take a good nine years and should be completed by the end of 2029. At Lillois, Galère is working in a joint venture with Jan de Nul to build a concrete tunnel under the new four-track line. This is needed so that the water accumulating in the embankment can be diverted under the tracks. In addition to lifting and placing the reinforcement mats and the formwork panels, the 40 t crane is laying steel pipes, which can weigh up to five tonnes. These are to temporarily drain off the water before the construction of the tunnel is completed and must therefore be carefully inserted under the concrete structure. According to crane operator David Philippot the intuitive and sensitive control of the telecrane help with this: "I really like working with the 643 E. The machine works extremely sensitively, and the new SENCON control system is really top! I find it very clear how the status of the machine is displayed and how the load moment limiter works."
Philippot also likes the Multicab operator cab, which can be tilted by 15 degrees as standard: "The cab is very spacious and comfortable. All the controls are within easy reach and you always have a good view of the load, no matter how high it hangs on the hook. At greater heights, I can simply tilt the cab back and sit back in a relaxed position so that I can concentrate fully on the crane lifts."
