Amtrak sets major upgrades for two maintenance facilities

Written by jrood

Amtrak is awarding two contracts with a combined value of $49.5 million for major upgrades of its maintenance facilities located in Los Angeles and in Hialeah, Fla., near Miami. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act economic stimulus program is funding both projects.

"Amtrak is committed to
making the investments needed to keep our equipment clean and in good working
order for our passengers and state partners," said President and CEO Joe Boardman,
noting each upgraded facility will be modern, efficient and capable of handling
the current work levels as well as projected future service expansions.

The contract for the
$24.5-million Los Angeles project is awarded to Kemp Bros. Construction Co. of
Santa Fe Springs, Calif. The contract for the $25-million Hialeah project is awarded
to Dana B. Kenyon Company of Jacksonville, Fla. Both projects will be under construction
beginning this spring, will be completed in February 2011 and are expected to
generate good-paying local and regional jobs.

The upgrades to both the
east and west facilities will dramatically improve the capacity, efficiency and
working conditions of the shops that perform inspections and maintenance of
passenger rail equipment used in long-distance and state-supported corridor services.
Both projects involve the construction of a new building structure to cover
work currently performed completely outdoors and will include administrative
offices and employee locker rooms.

Additionally, Amtrak
intends to award a contract this spring for major upgrades to its Seattle
maintenance facility that supports long-distance and state-supported corridor
operations, as well as a maintenance agreement for commuter rail equipment in
the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle project is funded by Amtrak’s annual capital
program.

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