HART now knows how it will fix problem, but still lacks the fixers

Major utility work is ready to take place on HART’s light rail project.

HART

A plan to correct a major problem with Hawaii’s first light-rail project has been approved, but now the transit agency is having trouble finding approved workers.

A few months ago it was discovered that the width of the train wheels that will be used on the light-rail line did not match the width of the track. The problem would cause accelerated wear on the rails, and HART called in TTCI to recommend a solution. Officials were looking at either fixing the width of the train wheels or replacing all of the frogs on the track, which would be the more expensive option. TTCI has endorsed a fix that calls for doing temporary welding work at the crossings and gradually replacing the current steel wheels with wider ones.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), however, still cannot find the welders to do the work. No bidders stepped up when the job was first advertised back in September, and officials said the reason was there were no companies in Hawaii licensed to do the welding work. HART is now trying to reach out to welders on the U.S. mainland.

The hope was temporary welding would be complete in a week or so, but it is unlikely that will happen. The goal is to deliver the first 10 miles of transit line, from east of Kapolei to Aloha Stadium, by mid-2022. It is unknown if that deadline will be met.

Read more articles on track maintenance.