capital squeeze still produces a
silver line-ing Delta Railroad Construction taps innovative thinking to handle project challenges while building the track for Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metro Rail Project. by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
W
hether it was from allowable work windows, a project time frame or workable space, constriction seems to be a recurring theme in the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association’s (NRC) 2013 Railroad Construction Project of the Year, as well as the ability of the award recipient, Delta Railroad Construction, Inc., to be pliant and resilient to each project obstacle. Delta took on the largest project in company history when it was awarded the $81-million trackwork contract for the first phase of the Dulles Corridor Metro Rail Project. The scope of work called for Delta to install more than 400,000 linear feet of track, as well as 11 crossovers and 17 turnouts over two-years. But, as is often the case in construction, that time frame was reduced…by half. The project’s resulting challenges and Delta’s ability to deal with them in tandem with the project’s impeccable safety record, helped in it being named the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association’s 2013 Railroad Con18 Railway Track & Structures
May 2014
struction Project of the Year. “The Dulles Corridor Project proves that large projects conducted in adverse conditions can be completed on time and on budget when a strong safety culture is embraced,” the NRC said. “The strong safety record they achieved is commendable, especially in a congested location with difficult access and a tight schedule. Delta’s collaboration and coordination with multiple partners and stakeholders, along with their commitment to safety, significantly contributed to the overall success of the project.” The project was originally slated to open in April 2014. However, the lead engineer on the project, Dulles Transit Partners (DTP), along with construction manager Bechtel, were required to review and fix several issues the line’s owner, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), and the line’s operator, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), said stood in the way of the project being declared complete. Delta said none of www.rtands.com