An 1,764-ton tunnel boring machine deployed for a high-speed rail project in Italy was dismantled, hauled across a river on a specially built steel bridge, and reassembled on the opposite bank, according to reporting by autonocion.com. The machine, named Aurora, is excavating the Melito Irpino tunnel along the Naples-Bari high-speed railway line.
Moving Aurora Across the Ufita River Valley
Aurora completed its initial 1.2-mile assignment on the Grottaminarda tunnel in 2024, as documented by contractor Webuild. Because tunnel boring machines cannot travel on standard roads or drive themselves across terrain, crews dismantled the machine into sections following the first bore. Ferrovie.info reported that the components were hauled across the Ufita River valley between June 4 and June 8.
The transport operation utilized self-propelled modular transporters featuring 44 axles. Workers constructed a temporary, reinforced-concrete road measuring between 1,640 and 2,130 feet, depending on the measurement methodology used by FS Engineering and Webuild. Crews also placed a 92-foot-long steel bridge across the Ufita riverbed to support the roughly 2,000-ton total load, including support gear.
Power and Engineering Specifications of the Boring Machine
Aurora features a cutting head measuring 41 feet in diameter, designed to bore a single tunnel carrying dual tracks. State railway group FS Italiane measures the machine at approximately 344 feet long including five trailing support gantries, while Webuild lists the machine alone at 330 feet. Power is supplied by 18 electric motors generating a combined 6.3 megawatts, equivalent to roughly 8,400 horsepower, or about 470 horsepower per motor.
On the far side of the valley, technicians reassembled the machine near the new portal. Il Mattino reported that a local parish priest blessed the machine before excavation officially commenced on September 25.
Excavating the Melito Tunnel Section
The Melito tunnel measures 2.7 miles in length, more than double the span of the Grottaminarda bore, with planned depths reaching up to 427 feet. Webuild stated that Aurora will install more than 22,200 precast concrete segments to line the bore as it advances. A crew of more than 140 workers operates the machine around the clock.
The Naples-Bari high-speed line runs predominantly underground through the southern Apennines, with nearly 70% of Aurora’s section situated subterranean. A second machine, named Futura, completed the 4-mile Rocchetta tunnel in May after an 18-month excavation period, while the Naples-Cancello stretch opened to rail traffic in July 2026, according to project records.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Tunnel Boring Project
Why did the machine need to cross a river via a custom bridge?
Tunnel boring machines advance exclusively by excavating material directly ahead of them and possess no road mobility. Because Aurora finished the Grottaminarda tunnel on one side of the Ufita River valley and needed to reach the Melito portal on the other side, contractors dismantled the machine and built a temporary concrete road and steel bridge to haul the components across between June 4 and June 8.
How deep and long is the Melito tunnel?
The Melito tunnel spans approximately 2.7 miles and reaches depths of up to 427 feet below the surface. It is designed as a single wide bore carrying tracks in both directions, requiring the boring machine’s 41-foot cutting head.
How many workers operate the machine?
A crew of more than 140 people maintains operations for Aurora around the clock, seven days a week, installing more than 22,200 precast concrete segments as the machine advances.
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