The railway bridge over Usterstrasse in Wetzikon, which is over 100 years old, no longer met current requirements and is being replaced as part of a joint project between SBB, the Zurich Cantonal Civil Engineering Office and the town of Wetzikon. The new structure will also create more space for pedestrians and cyclists.
Three challenging heavy-lift operations
EMIL EGGER used the 1,000-metric-tonne LR 11000 crawler crane for the main installation work. On Sunday, 19 July 2026, the 210-metric-tonne abutment on the Wetzikon side was hoisted into place first. This was followed on Tuesday by the abutment on the Kempten side, which also weighed 210 metric tonnes.
The highlight of the operation came on Friday 24 July 2026 with the hoisting of the new steel bridge. The complete bridge element, weighing 160 tonnes, was lifted by the crawler crane, aligned above Usterstrasse and lowered onto the prepared abutments with millimetre precision.
Just-in-time transport through the night
In addition to the crane work, EMIL EGGER also handled the transport of the new steel bridge. The component was transported from Jona to Wetzikon overnight on a just-in-time basis. Careful advance planning and coordination between the transport, site logistics and crane assembly were crucial to ensuring that the bridge could be hoisted into place early in the morning without the need for temporary storage.
Up to 1,300 tonnes operational weight
The LR 11000 can lift loads of up to 1,000 tonnes and move on its crawler tracks even whilst under load. For the operation in Wetzikon, the crane was fitted with a 66-metre-long main boom and a 42-metre-long derrick boom.
To ensure the lifts were carried out safely, the crane was equipped with up to 450 tonnes of suspended counterweight. This brought the total operating weight up to 1,300 tonnes.
Even the logistics for the crane itself were challenging: around 40 transport journeys were required to bring the individual crane components and ballast weights to Wetzikon. The crawler crane was then assembled at the prepared installation site within three days.
Precise coordination between all those involved
The operation clearly demonstrated how closely heavy haulage, crane logistics, technical planning and site coordination are interlinked in an infrastructure project of this scale. Despite the heavy loads and confined space, the components were installed safely and precisely in their intended positions.
We would like to thank our entire project team, as well as all the companies and partners involved, for their professional and successful collaboration.
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