Rail contractors at the ready to aid with Northeast cleanup

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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The recovery effort from Hurricane Sandy will be a monumental affair that will last weeks, if not months.

According to a bulletin sent by the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC), its members are ready to lend their services to the East Coast’s passenger and freight rail systems.

Dozens of NRC member contractors and suppliers are already aiding in the recovery efforts of their rail customers. A brief selection of highlights include:

• Amtrac Railroad Contractors of Maryland Inc. is working with the Maryland Transit Administration to clear downed trees and debris from the Frederick branch and replacing crossing gates damaged by high winds.

• K.W. Reese, Inc.. is providing tree removal, debris clean up, track material distribution and washout repair services at multiple locations in Maryland and New Jersey.

• Georgetown Rail Equipment Co. (GREX) positioned their Self Powered Slot work platform at Amtrak’s 30th Street Station in Philadelphia in advance of the hurricane and was on standby during the storm and flooding. They are currently doing spot ballast deliveries and will aid in Amtrak’s clean-up and return to service. GREX stands ready to assist others as needed with repairs or track assessments.

• RailWorks Corporation is preparing to support NYCT with repairs and clean-up to signals, traction power and track.

• Railroad Construction Co. Inc. of South Jersey is helping the Raritan Central Railroad repair washouts, remove debris from the track and clear trees and brush.

• Sunbelt Rentals is renting large generators and high volume pumps to Amtrak, New York MTA and AMECO related to their efforts with the Navy and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Other NRC members noted their ability to help, including Enterprise Properties/American Concrete Products Co., Inc., which has a large inventory of precast and prestressed concrete products, including pile caps and box girders. Hougen Manufacturing, Inc., can provide Trak-Star Railroad drills, saws, gas impact wrench, cutters and various MOW tools, along with providing and repairing Hougen tools for all users. Orgo-Thermit, Inc., will ship their field thermit welding kits for standard rail profiles within one week of receiving a purchase order. Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc., has offices along the Eastern Seaboard on full alert and ready to deploy as needed by their customers, including their Ground Penetrating Radar services which can help locate any ballast voids or other track deficiencies. The Neel Company can provide its precast T-WALL retaining walls, which are heavy duty modular units ideal for railroad construction that can be rapidly installed. Rhinehart Railroad Construction was actively engaged prior to the hurricane in the preparation work of cleaning culverts and enlarging ditches and worked throughout the storm to keep its customers’ tracks open, they are now ready with manpower, equipment and resources to help get the Mid-Atlantic region back on track.

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