ABSTRACT
The Old Tunnel Mainz was erected in the years 1881 until 1884 as one continuous double track tunnel. The tunnel has an horseshoe shape and the lining consist of sandstone with a thickness of approx. 0.9 m. The German core center tunneling technique was used to built the Old Tunnel Mainz with an overall length of 1200 m. The German core center technique (fig. 3) uses partial drivings, mostly sidewall drivings. Due to the bad condition of the tunnel, especially the masonry and to improve the smoke venting system, a 300 m long and up to 26 m deep open cut was built in the early 30ies of the last century, which divides the tunnel nowadays into the Tunnel Mainz Central Station and the Tunnel Mainz south (fig. 1/2).
