Sound Transit U820 Yard Expansion

Project Highlights

Constructed nine storage tracks with 17 turnouts
Installed catenary pole foundations
Installed the underground traction power duct bank
Installed signal and overhead catenary system
Installed the TWC, bonding, power, signal and frog bonding

Customer

Sound Transit

Location

Seattle, Washington

Category

Transit Rail Services

Provided By

RailWorks Track Systems served as the prime contractor for the $13.3 million project and was supported by first-tier subcontractor L.K. Comstock National Transit. The U820 project expanded Sound Transit’s existing light rail storage yard and maintenance facilities. It was a fundamental next step in the plan to add a new northern light rail line by 2016.

The 14-month project added nine additional storage tracks to the existing yard located near the airport. It also provided Sound Transit with the necessary storage and maintenance capabilities for 64 new vehicles that would operate on the then-new new University Link light rail line, which extends 3.15 miles underground from downtown Seattle north to the University of Washington.

Project Scope

Constructed nine storage tracks — a total of 10,166 track feet — with 17 turnouts
Graded and paved to provide new and existing yard access aisles
Installed a standing machine
Installed 43 catenary pole foundations
Installed the underground traction power duct bank (conduits and wire)
Installed signal and overhead catenary system (OCS)
Installed the train-to-wayside communications (TWC), bonding, power, signal and frog bonding
Installed switch heaters (600+) for the more than 60 switches in the yard and existing mainline tracks
Installed switch machines, cables and bonding for new storage track

Unique Features

The yard project required much of the work to be sequenced simultaneously while live operations continued in the existing yard. It required detailed planning among RailWorks, L.K. Comstock and Sound Transit.