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The Missing Note in the Final Chord – In Memory of Zoltán Müller

There are engineering tasks that reach beyond calculations, structural drawings, and construction schedules.
Moments when the dismantling of a bridge also marks the closing of a shared story — one written by people: engineers, experts, friends, and sometimes by those who are no longer with us, yet whose work lives on in structures, in decisions, in moments.

                                                   

This year, during the dismantling of the Old Sava Bridge in Belgrade, one of the greatest challenges was the removal of the arch structure. The complexity of the operation is reflected in the fact that planning for this engineering feat began as early as autumn 2022. The expert team responsible for the process included, among others, our colleague Tamás Földes and Zoltán Müller, who sadly passed away unexpectedly in 2023.

Zoltán is remembered by all as an exceptional figure in his field. We still feel his absence deeply, yet his legacy remains with us — in his experience, his way of thinking, the memories of our shared projects, and the professional humility with which he always sought the best possible solutions.

This post, told through the words of project manager Tamás Földes, recounts the story of how the lifting equipment — once used in the construction of the Southern Connecting Railway Bridge over the Danube, and three years later in the dismantling of the Old Sava Bridge — was brought back into operation.

We invite you to read this special account and to join us in remembering Zoltán Müller, who could no longer be with us on site in Belgrade, but whose spirit was present in every movement.

“On May 4, 2022, the closing segment of the third bridge structure of the Southern Connecting Railway Danube Bridge was floated into place using the TS-52 barge equipped with two lifting towers.
The construction of the three new bridge structures — along with the dismantling of the two old ones — was true teamwork, involving countless professionals who, like members of an orchestra, worked together in perfect harmony to create a new railway bridge over the Danube, 68 years after the original.

One of the key members of this orchestra was Zoltán Müller, with whom I planned, in the autumn of 2022, the dismantling of the Old Sava Bridge in Belgrade using the same lifting barges. Sadly, during and after the bridge construction, we lost several outstanding professionals — among them, Zoltán himself.

Three years is a long time in the life of such a complex piece of equipment as a lifting system, so before reactivation and load testing, we were eager — and a bit anxious — to see the lifting towers come to life again. At the beginning of the trials, we had to deal with some minor hydraulic and electronic issues, but as each new cassette was put into place, the operation became smoother and more fluid — it was as if the structure itself was awakening from a long sleep.

The team that had worked together on the railway bridge once again found its rhythm, becoming an orchestra in harmony once more… an orchestra in which Zoli Müller could no longer be present in person — yet we all felt that, from somewhere, he was watching over us and rooting for our success.”