Contractor: Tractionel Enterprise
Type of works: supply and installation of Lindapter's steelwork fixings in electrification project.

Lindapter steelwork fixings are currently being installed on the electrification project of the Gautrain high-speed rail line

77km of track will run across 10.5km of viaducts as well as through 15km of tunnel and will link Johannesberg to Pretoria when the line is completed by March 2011.

Allan Macpherson from contractor Tractionel Enterprise describes the project: "The philosophy adopted during the design of the electrical infrastructure for the Gautrain was that all components (within reason) had to be easy to handle, interchangeable, fool proof, robust and cost effective. An area of particular significance was selecting the most appropriate fasteners to be used to attach the equipment to the structures.

"Traditional bolts, nuts and back straps were compared and evaluated against lindapter fixings, and in the end the choice was rather obvious. The ease of handling, application and the relatively low weight of the lindapter versus the traditional bolts and back straps made the final decision a rather easy one.

"Lindapter had the foresight to provide various off-the-shelf solutions to many of the challenges present when attaching components to different shapes and sizes of steel members. The Gautrain Overhead Track Design incorporates various steel profiles, varying in both shape and thickness.

"Lindapter supplied a cost effective solution to each of these interfaces, off the shelf, supported by a very professional Technical Support team. The Gautrain design heavily relies upon the quality of the steel component interfaces to achieve the final system requirements – and this was achieved by utilising the ingenious Lindapter design."

Typical applications of Lindapter fixings on the Gautrain overhead track system include firmly securing cantilevers, tiebars and outriggers. A total of 16,000 Lindapter products are used in this project.