A Liebherr LB 25 drilling rig, named ‘Mjölnir’ after Thor’s legendary hammer from Norse mythology, is supporting deep foundation work for the AIFA-Pachuca railway project in Mexico. The Viking-themed machine is being operated by Mexican deep foundation company Grupo Olsa for the construction of foundation piles along the new railway connection.

The railway line between Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico City and Pachuca de Soto, located around 65 km away, forms part of Mexico’s infrastructure expansion programme aimed at improving passenger connectivity and supporting economic growth.

As part of the project, Grupo Olsa is constructing 827 foundation piles for the new rail connection. Alongside Liebherr drilling rigs LB 24 and LB 28, the company is deploying the LB 25 featuring a Viking-inspired design on its uppercarriage.

The idea behind the ‘Mjölnir’ machine came from Olga Sánchez, Director, Grupo Olsa, who discovered Viking culture during a visit to Europe. Inspired by the strength and resilience associated with Vikings, she chose the theme to represent the capabilities of the drilling rig and the company’s approach to challenging foundation projects.

Using the Kelly drilling method, the Liebherr LB 25 is installing piles up to 33 m deep with diameters ranging between 1.2 m and 1.5 m. The machine delivers a maximum torque of 252 kNm, allowing it to operate under demanding ground conditions.

One of the major challenges on the project is an extremely hard basalt layer encountered at depths between 8 m and 20 m. The combination of Liebherr’s drilling technology and the experience of Grupo Olsa’s team has enabled foundation activities to progress as planned.

Grupo Olsa began deep foundation work for the railway project in October 2025 and is scheduled to complete the work using the ‘Mjölnir’ LB 25 in December 2026.

The AIFA-Pachuca railway project is part of Mexico’s broader efforts to expand railway infrastructure and improve passenger transport connectivity between major urban and economic centres.