The world’s first prefabricated double-track double tram turnout

CONTRACK has completed the production of the world’s first prefabricated double-track double tram turnout. This solution is part of a larger infrastructure project being implemented in Poznań, which will deliver a comprehensive tram junction—the so-called “full star”—constructed using the Kraków prefabrication technology.

Project scale
As part of the investment, 123 prefabricated slabs with a total surface area of 2,365 m² will be installed—equivalent to nearly two Olympic-size swimming pools. Their production required approximately 850 m³ of concrete. Thanks to the applied technology, the most disruptive stage of the works was moved outside the urban space. This significantly reduced the need for concrete mixer transport to the construction site, minimizing the project’s impact on road traffic and the day-to-day functioning of the city.

The average area of a single slab is approximately 19 m², which significantly exceeds the standards known from previous projects. The largest elements reach 26.4 m²—these are two slabs scheduled for installation already in Phase I of the works.

Tailor-made design and quality of execution
As always, the prefabricated elements were designed and manufactured to order, fully reflecting the geometry of the track layout, vertical alignment, and operational conditions at the installation site.
At the investor’s request, the top surface of the slabs was finished with a new brushed texture, confirming the flexibility of prefabrication technology in both functional and aesthetic solutions.

Advantages of prefabrication technology
The applied technology is characterized by high initial quality of elements, repeatable parameters, and a significant reduction in on-site construction time. An important advantage of prefabrication is also the ability to carry out installation works during winter and in difficult weather conditions, which in the case of traditional technologies would involve a high risk of downtime and delays.

Prefabrication ensures:
• technological continuity,
• structural durability,
• optimized project scheduling,
• reduced costs over the entire life cycle of the asset (LCC).

Project significance
The completion of the first prefabricated double-track double tram turnout is yet another proof that a change in the approach to planning renovations and construction of key tram infrastructure is possible—even in the most complex cases—and that technological development still holds substantial potential. This marks a new chapter for the design and construction capabilities of future rail transport infrastructure projects.