Rail project completes four miles of Guideway

From City and County of Honolulu September 9, 2015

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) achieved another milestone today with the completion of four miles of the system’s elevated guideway.

Crews have now constructed more than 170 spans. A span is the portion of the guideway between two support columns. The four-mile mark is along Farrington Highway near Leoku Street in Waipahu. To date, 290 foundations have been completed and 204 columns have been built, as the guideway makes its way through Waipahu.

“We continue to make progress on the construction of our rail project,” said HART Executive Director and CEO Dan Grabauskas. “Safety is our top priority, and we want to thank the public for their patience, and for driving safely through our construction zones.”

The guideway segments are cast at the project’s casting yard in Kapolei, and a single span requires about 12 segments. Each segment weighs about 50 tons. About 3,290 segments have been cast, in preparation for guideway construction.

In addition, work continues to progress at the project’s 43-acre Rail Operations Center near Leeward Community College. And the first two rail cars are now in Pittsburg, California and are on schedule to arrive in Honolulu in the first quarter of 2016.

  *   *   *   *   *

First Ansaldo Constrution Milestone in Honolulu – Mission Accomplished!

From Ansaldo Honolulu

The first Traction Power Substations for the rail system was installed on schedule in the Rail Operation Center yard on August 1, 2015. The 120,000 lb TPSS was moved from the Honolulu Port at Pier 1 to Port Kealoa in West Oahu, upon it's arrival a police escorted convoy transported it overnight to the ROC, where a crane lifted it and placed into its final position.

This substation is the heart of ROC and will provide electrical power for the driverless movement of trains inside the yard. Each TPSS of the rail system is rated at 3MVA, the power of almost 1,000 households. There are thirteen TPSSs along the mainline and one in the ROC.

Ansaldo Honolulu extends its aloha to the professional support of the Hawaii Department of Transportation and the Honolulu Police Department, as well as to the hard work of its partners Siemens Industry USA, Watts Constructors, and their respective subcontractors ATS International, Pasha Hawaii and Hawaiian Crane and Rigging. This has truly been a team effort!

Rail Car No. 01 on its way to United States

The first rail car left the carshell factory in Reggio Calabria, Italy in early July and it is on its way to the final assembly facility in Pittsburg, CA.

Rail Car No. 02 ready for shipment

The second rail car has completed welding and painting in Reggio Calabria, Italy, and is ready for shipment to United States.