Silver Line Dulles WMATA Metrorail progress/pictures

Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project progress update e-mail 11 28 2016

DC to Dulles and Beyond: Metrorail on Track

Hand Mining: One of the Toughest Jobs on Silver Line Phase 2

As work on the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project (DCMP) progresses and Phase 2 of Metro's Silver Line begins to take shape, some of the toughest work on the project is conducted underground, out of public sight. About 1,400 people currently are working on the project, which extends the Silver Line from the Wiehle-Reston East Station westward through Dulles International Airport and on to Ashburn.

To supply the rail line with needed utilities, such as water and electricity, project workers must tunnel beneath the Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway to access the rail line in the median of those roads. All along the project, dense rock known as diabase (granite) has challenged Capital Rail Constructors (CRC) crews attempting to dig out those tunnels. CRC is the group contracted to build the bulk of the project. The diabase is much denser than anticipated before work began.


A CRC worker kneels in the tunnel where he is hand mining to carry utilities to and from the Silver Line Phase 2.
(Photo courtesy of Capital Rail Constructors)

Project workers first began digging by a method called "jack and bore" using a large piece of equipment that drills horizontally through the earth without disturbing roadways. However, that process was not adequate to break through the hard rock along the rail line.

For many of the tunnels built roughly every mile along the Dulles Toll Road, CRC resorted to hand mining, an intensive process that requires workers to crawl into the tunnels and break out the rock bit by bit.

"That's all basically on their knees," said DCMP senior project manager Stephen Barna.

John Kearney, another DCMP senior project manager, emphasized that hand miners perform some of the most strenuous work on the job.


This equipment, similar to a jackhammer, is used by construction crew to break through the incredibly dense rock along the Silver Line Phase 2 route.

"Imagine crawling under your desk and digging through solid rock in that tight space on your knees for eight or more hours every day," Kearney said. Further, it's a job the public cannot see and therefore cannot appreciate.

"It's an unseen and thankless piece of work," he said. "No one understands what those miners go through. They work in more difficult conditions than most of the other trades and they have to work harder to complete these tunnels and get through their days."


These CRC workers are near a completed utility duct tunnel along the Silver Line Phase 2 route.<br>
(Photo courtesy of Capital Rail Constructors)

Digging the tunnels is but one part of the process. As the workers push forward - some shifts making up to 8 feet of progress, others making only 3 inches per shift - metal supports called liner panels are bolted around the tunnel and grout is used to fill in the gaps between the liner panels and rough, rocky walls. Once the tunneling is complete, utility lines or ducts are fed through the tunnel to supply the rail line with power, water and any other needed utility.

Next, utility line ducts are fed through the tunnel to supply the rail line with power, water and any other needed utility.

Finally, grout is poured to fill the spaces between and around the utility ducts.

Numbers Tell Story of Progress

Impressive numbers now tell the story of progress along the alignment of Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, also known as the Silver Line. Here's an update on the aerial work that has been done at Dulles Airport:

• All 197 drilled shafts have been completed.
• All 197 columns have been poured.
• 98 percent (182) of pier caps have been poured.
• 183 (62 percent) deck slabs have been poured.
• Crews continue to drill and set anchor bolts and bearings on the pier caps for girders on the guideway columns.
• Crews completed drilling Secant Piles for the Reston Land Bridge and completed pouring columns on the S­1 Guideway east of the future Dulles Airport Station. All Aerial Guideway Columns have been poured.
• The precaster continues to cast girders and prepare the girders for shipment to the site from the Coastal Precast facility.

A Big Piece of the Action

The arrival of the first segment of one of many to be built, connecting Phase 2 rail stations to both sides of the Dulles Toll Road corridor, signaled major progress in construction in late October.


The first span for the pedestrian bridge has been delivered to Innovation Center south.<br>
(Photo courtesy of Capital Rail Constructors)

This large section arrived on the south side of the site where the Innovation Center Station is being built in the shadow of the Center for Innovative Technology near Route 28 and the toll road.

The bridges will be assembled on site and erected over the east and westbound lanes of the Dulles corridor using complex construction procedures that will demand major lane closings and shifts at each station site. Details of those erections will be announced well in advance.

Did You Know?

• Loudoun and Fairfax counties are footing the bills for parking garages for rail users in their respective counties.
• The largest rail yard in the Metro system is part of Phase 2. It is being built on a 90 ­acre site owned by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority near Route 606 and Mercure Business Park.
• Parking at Herndon Station will handle 3,500 cars (including the 1,950 spaces in the existing garage).
• Bike racks are located at each station except for Dulles Airport.</li></ul>

###

Link to PDF version at Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project web site.

This one came from the Traffic Advisory from 11 28 1016:

Night Time Lane Shifts on Westbound Dulles Access Highway and Aviation Drive Ramp, Dec. 9 - Dec. 22, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Starting on or about Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, and continuing through Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., lane shifts will occur at Dulles International Airport along the ramp from Aviation Drive to Saarinen Circle, the bus lane at Garage 1, and the westbound Dulles International Airport Access Highway (DIAAH) in order to safely set girders over the road and construct the deck of the Silver Line's aerial guideway.

Detailed updates will be forthcoming as the work progresses. Drivers should exercise caution, pay attention to barrier and signage and obey all flagger instructions. All work is weather dependent and subject to change.

Dashcam Footage from 12/20/2016

Here is some dashcam footage I took back on 12/20/2016. Dulles yard to Ashburn via the Greenway West.

Great footage! It was amazingly clear and stable. What equipment do you use?

Thanks! GoPro 3 Black Edition that I have mounted to a CB Radio on my dash. 1080P/60FPS with wide angle setting.

"mackievlzpro"
Here is some dashcam footage I took back on 12/20/2016. Dulles yard to Ashburn via the Greenway West.

I typically shoot my dash camera footage westbound in the morning so the sun is behind me. I also drive at a slower speed so things don't appear and disappear so quickly.

The biggest difference from October when I was last out there is the grading in the median and the significant progress on the Loudoun Gateway station.

Will make a run over the bridge on Sunday to do my first of the year progress update.

Sand Box John wrote: Will make a run over the bridge on Sunday to do my first of the year progress update.

There is lots of progress in all of the stations I think. I only drive past Reston on my normal daily commute - they are about 1/3 of the way done assembling the mezzanine level, and have completed the most difficult portions (the mechanical room end) first.

"JackRussell"
There is lots of progress in all of the stations I think. I only drive past Reston on my normal daily commute - they are about 1/3 of the way done assembling the mezzanine level, and have completed the most difficult portions (the mechanical room end) first.

Trip postponed a week because of snow over here, got 8" plus, and I had to replace failed safety equipment on my car, head light and wiper blades, dam things fell off the arms.

Sand Box John wrote: Trip postponed a week because of snow over here, got 8" plus, and I had to replace failed safety equipment on my car, head light and wiper blades, dam things fell off the arms.

One thing to look for is a large supply of running rail that is now on-site and stacked in the lot at the corner of Rudder Rd and Autopilot Dr. I couldn't tell whether any of it has been installed or not - from the top of the parking garage, you might be able to get a better view.

If you look back to the graphic you posted from the 11/28 traffic advisory, girders are up for the entire area indicated in yellow, but they have not gone beyond that point. Now that I think abut it, I think the cranes that they used to lift girders are gone - I get the sense that they have instead started to install girders over the Greenway.

Work crews that are installing the decking on top of the girders are just to the west of the Airport station.

"JackRussell"
One thing to look for is a large supply of running rail that is now on-site and stacked in the lot at the corner of Rudder Rd and Autopilot Dr. I couldn't tell whether any of it has been installed or not - from the top of the parking garage, you might be able to get a better view.

That rail has been there scene September.

I recall seeing rail being laid along Autopilot Dr north of Rudder road in one of the MWAA updates.

Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project Pictures 01 15 2017

Capital Rail Constructors continues maintaining their steady pace.

Right of way barriers along the Dulles Access Road at various location have security fence posts on them, in some places the chain link fabric and barbed has also been installed. There are still a few gaps that have been left uncompleted to allow equipment and material access for station construction. Most of the sections that have completed barrier walls have the grading done to the point for the grading of the track sub roadbed, surface cable tray trenchs have been or are being installed along some of those sections.

Ground work is mostly complete at the traction power substations east of the airport. Most of the ones west of the airport are at the ground work stage. Traction power substation #15 on the south side of the Dulles Access Toll Road inside the loop ramp from southbound Sulley Road has its prefabricated switching equipment inclosure in place. All that remains to be done is to set the precast concrete walls and pave the access driveway.

Reston Town Center has it west ancillary area totally inclosed. All of the column to support the mezzanine are done. The invert under the platform is in place. No work has been done on the site of the south entrance pavilion.

Herndon has its mezzanine slabs set along with the station managers kiosk. The west ancillary is also in place. All of the column for the south entrance pedestrian bridges are a various stages of completion. The south entrance pavilion has begun to come up out of the ground. No work has begun for the north entrance. Grading is being done on the site short term parking area along with also being used as a staging area for drainage pipe and precast manholes. No work has begun on the site on the second garage west of the existing garage.

Innovation Center as mentioned back in October is is structurally complete. All but one of the south entrance pedestrian bridge column are complete. The south entrance pavilion is ready for the installation of the precast enclosure walls. No groundwork has begun beyond site clearing at the site of the north entrance.

The rail that was staged at east abutment in the median of the Dulles Access Road west of Rudder Road has been welded into longer lengths. The stacked welded rail extends from just east of the abutment to the bridge over Horsepen Run. Most of the rail staged in the lot on the southwest corner of Autopilot Drive and Rudder Road is gone. I think we can safely assume it has been lifted up onto the elevated along Autopilot Drive and welded into longer lengths. There are multiple concrete samples on the ground at the north end of Autopilot Drive that I assume are samples from the pours for the track fasteners grout pads. Angle iron for elevated guard rail has begun to be staged adjcent to the rail that remains.

All of the columns on the airport property to support the elevated are done. Girders have been set from the 4th straddle bent over the westbound Dulles Access Road south of Aviation Drive to east end of the airport station. All of the cross girders that will support the platform girders have been set. Three spans of track bed girders have been set at the west of the station and continue to the where the girders were set along Air Freight Lane. Two platform spans have been done and have their precast slabs in place. The west platform ancillary has also been set. Deck slab pouring is moving east following the setting of the girders.

At the west abutments in the median of the Dulles Greenway, the west yard lead girders have been set to the abutment. All of the columns are done for the mainline east of the abutment. The 6th (west) straddle bent has its forms in place and the concrete has been poured the 5th (east) straddle bent is waiting for the forms to be stripped from the 6th.

Grading has begun in the median of the Dulles Greenway in preparation for drainage and the barrier walls.

Erection of the steel frame for the shop building has begun. Excavation and instalation of the third rail conduits in Dulles Yard is at verious stages of completion along with continuing project of removing bed rock in the area of the storage tracks.

Loudoun Gateway has begun to come up out of the ground. The columns that will support the mezzanine level of the west ancillary are mostly done. Just under half of the barrier walls along the length of the station are done. The remainder range from not having their foundations excavated to waiting for the forms to be stripped. The Loudoun Gateway station is unique in that no piles were needed to be driven as bed rock had to be removed from the site to bring it down to the correct grade.

Grading has begun at both ends of the new bridge over Horsepin Run that is part of the Old Ox Road widening project.

It is difficult to see what's going on at Ashburn but I think we can safely assume groundwork is being done in perpetration for the column and barrier foundations.

###

Pictures at plus.google.com 10 02 2016.
This and previous posts in this series can be seen at cambronj.blogspot.com.

WMATA: Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project progress update e-mail 01 17 2017

DC to Dulles and Beyond: Metrorail on Track

Silver Line Progress Steady

Construction of Phase 2 of the Silver Line is moving steadily along, according to rail project officials.

In recent weeks, Capital Rail Constructors, the project's design­-build contractor, has reported significant progress on the aerial guideways that will carry the tracks through Washington Dulles International Airport.


DCMP crews set the 495th girder ­ out of 622 girders that comprise the aerial guideway for Phase 2 of the Silver Line ­ over the eastbound Dulles Greenway.
(Photo by Jennifer Thomas Alcott/Capital Rail Contructors)

According to John Kearney, project manager/construction manager of the rail project for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority which is building the Silver line, the girders to support the future rail station at the airport are being put in along with station framing precast. And only 47 of the girders to support the aerial tracks are still to be made. Construction of the future Ashburn Station, at the end of the Phase 2 alignment, has ramped up. For example, excavations have been completed and a large tower crane, like those now in place along Dulles Toll Road at the Reston and Herndon stations, has been erected, creating a visual landmark for drivers along the Dulles Greenway, Kearney said. In addition, a huge straddle bent ­ required to carry the rail line across wide stretches where central columns cannot be placed ­ has been installed over the eastbound lanes of the Greenway and the first girders set.

Along both the aerial and ground level stretches of Phase 2, tracks are being laid.

In February, girder erection crews will move to the east side of the future Dulles Airport Station to begin setting girders. In addition, Traction Power Substation 13, one of many facilities required to power the rail line along the alignment, is expected to be delivered and erected just south of the new Herndon Station in early February.

Gaining Traction: Silver Line Phase 2 Moves Forward with Anticipated Track Work

Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project crews recently marked a big day for Phase 2 of Metro's Silver Line when they began installing track along sections of the Phase 2 alignment.

"Beginning the at-­grade track work is a very important milestone," said Director of Project Engineering Stephen Barna. "It signifies the completion of all below-­grade utility work and trackway walls required to place ballast stone, ties and rails. It is an exciting time for the project."

Two kinds of track are needed for the project: one type for the at­-grade sections and another for the aerial guideway through Dulles International Airport.

Approximately 8 miles of ballasted track will be used to complete the at-grade (ground level) sections, while direct fixation track will be used for the remaining 3.5 miles of aerial track, said Nikolas Hunter, the track project manager with Capital Rail Constructors, the contractor MWAA tasked with building the rail line.


Construction of ballasted track along Dulles International Airport Access Highway during Phase 1 construction.
(Photo by Stephen Barna/Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project)

Dulles Airport Station is the only Phase 2 station along the aerial guideway; Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn are all ground level stations accessed by pedestrian walkways to be constructed over the Dulles Toll Road, Dulles International Airport Access Highway and Dulles Greenway.

Nearly 1,400 workers support the project which extends the Silver Line from the Wiehle­-Reston East Station westward through Dulles International Airport and to Ashburn. All electrical power, train control and communication duct banks, as well as track storm drain pipes and structures, must be installed prior to track construction.

According to Hunter, fifty workers will be constructing the ballasted tracks, a quicker process than direct fixation track installation.

To construct ballasted track, workers first must bring the track road bed to the correct elevation before placing and compacting finely crushed stone along the at­-grade sections of the alignment to create the sub­ballast, Barna explained. Then, a 12-­inch layer of larger crushed stone is placed to create the ballast to support the precast concrete ties that are set in place next. Sections of rail are then fastened to the concrete ties with steel plates and rail clips. Finally, a specialized machine places additional crushed rock between the ties and corrects the final alignment and grade.

Thirty workers are installing the direct fixation track along AutoPilot Drive at the Airport, Hunter said. That process requires the use of concrete plinths, which are cast-­in­-place concrete structures that support the rail. Ninety-­foot sections of rail are delivered by truck and then welded together into 'sticks' of nearly 1,000­-foot lengths and fasted to the concrete plinths with steel plates and bolts, Barna said. The final line and grade work for direct fixation track is done by hand.


Phase 2 workers install direct fixation track along aerial guideway at Dulles Airport.
(Photo by Nikolas Hunter/Capital Rail Constructors)

"Our whole purpose is to build a transit railroad for the public's use," Barna said. "After nearly four years of very difficult design and construction work, we are beginning the challenging phase of installing the track and all of the systems that will allow us to begin testing with rail cars in 2018."


Phase 1 direct fixation track and switch construction on Route 7 aerial guideway west of the Springhill Station.
(Photo by Stephen Barna/Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project)

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the entity tasked with managing the project, will turn it over to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority upon completion, which will operate it as part of Washington's regional rail system.

Sunrise Valley Drive Improvement Work Begins

As Construction of Phase 2 of the Silver Line continues, work along Sunrise Valley Drive will impact commuters.

In early January, Dulles Rail construction crews began preliminary work, including clearing and grading on Sunrise Valley to make way for improvements to access the pavilion and parking for the new station being built in the median of the Dulles Airport Access Highway/Dulles Toll Road.

Initial activities include installing erosion and sediment controls, clearing trees along westbound Sunrise Valley Drive and near the existing parking garage as well as utility relocations, widening of the westbound lanes of Sunrise Valley Drive and construction of a new West Entrance Road to the existing parking garage.
Additional construction activities will follow, continuing through 2018.
The work will require:

• Lane closures on Sunrise Valley Drive will occur between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Closure of the sidewalk on the north (westbound) side of Sunrise Valley Drive between the Arboretum and Thunder Chase Drive. A&nbsp;temporary crosswalk at the intersection of Milburn Lane will be installed for safety, and pedestrians will be redirected to the sidewalk on the south (eastbound) side.
• Narrowing of entrances to facilities along Sunrise Valley Drive for utility work.

Further updates will be provided as the work progresses. Drivers should exercise caution, pay attention to barriers and signage, and obey all flagger instructions.

Letters detailing the work to be done were sent to residents of the area in early January.

###

This newsletter confirms the assumption I made about the track laying on the elevated along Autopilot Drive during my observation in the post above.

Link to PDF version at Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project web site.

Daschcam video from 01/19/2017. Didn't have the GoPro with me this time, was filmed on my new OnePlus 3T. I am usually filming around rush hour, so I try to keep up with the flow of traffic.

Silver Line Progress 01/19/2017

Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project progress update e-mail 02 21 2017

DC to Dulles and Beyond: Metrorail on Track

Construction Continues All Along the Alignment

The coming weeks will be jammed with a host of construction work all along the second phase of the Silver Line from Reston to Ashburn. Here's a preview:

• At Dulles International Airport, girders for aerial guideway will be set. Deck work will continue at the airport and in the the rail yard just west of the airport itself. The last of eight straddle bents along the aerial guideway will be poured around the end of February and the concrete form is scheduled to be stripped in March. Directional drills for 34.5kV duct bank under some airport roads will be ongoing.
• Tracks: Plinth and direct fixation track, as well as special track (switch) work will be ongoing along the aerial guideway at the airport, and ballasted track work near Monroe/ Van Buren Street continues. Double crossover east of Horsepen Run bridge will be installed.
• On the far western end of the line, additional 35.4kV duct bank and storm drainage work in the median of the Dulles Greenway will continue. Jack and bore work for utilities under the Dulles Greenway is expected to be completed in late February/early March. Track wall construction west of Loudoun County Parkway begins late February/early March.
• Traction Power Substation #15 will be energized with permanent 34.5kV power from Dominion Virginia Power's Dulles Substation.

The crossbeams pictured above will support Metro's Dulles Airport Station when complete and connect with the terminal, pictured in the background, via a pedestrian tunnel with moving sidewalks.
Photo by John Kearney, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project


DCMP crews continued setting girders (top) and building a straddle bent (bottom) needed to span the Dulles Greenway throughout January. Heaters and heat blankets allowed the concrete to cure properly despite frigid temperatures.
Photos by Jennifer Thomas Alcott, Capital Rail Constructors



Stations:

• Reston Town Center Station:
  Station steel erection will start in April. Pedestrian bridge drilled shaft work on the north side of the station will begin, to be followed by cap and column construction. North pavilion cast in place work will be completed. Interior station build-out.
• Herndon Station:
  At TPSS # 13, drill shafts for screenwall start in late March. At Herndon Station south pavilion site, precast erection begins in late March, followed by steel erection in April.
• Innovation Center Station:
  Pedestrian bridges on the south side of station will be set. Flat roofs will be completed and ceiling framing begins. Electrical switchgear will be set. Work on the vault standing seam roofing system will start along with work on the retaining wall at the north pavilion. Communications installations begin.
• Dulles Airport Station:
  Escalator installation and structural steel erection start. Re-routing of fiber line begins.
• Loudoun Gateway Station:
  Concrete foundation will be completed, and walls and column construction will continue. Precast erection is scheduled to start in April.
• Ashburn Station:
  Concrete finishes in March, and precast erection will be ongoing in March and April. Block walls inside the station known as Concrete Masonry Units will start in early April.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) speaks with Executive Director of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, Charles Stark, during a recent project tour.

Big Numbers!

Did you know that construction of the aerial guideway to support tracks at Washington Dullles International Airport and west to the Dulles Greenway:

• Is approximately 3.8 miles.
• Requires 6,217 tons of steel, all American made.
• Uses 50,539 cubic yards of concrete.

Looking Way Ahead

• Innovation Center Station - (North end):
  The pedestrian shafts and excavation sound wall at the north end of Innovation Station will be completed by June or July 2017. Embankment work has started and is awaiting additional fill material.Innovation Center Station - (South end):[/b]
  There are several developments happening at the south end of Innovation station. Embankment work near the pavilion has started and is ongoing with precast work to start next month.
  The pedestrian bridges will be erected in the following order: (8, 5, 6 and 7). Work on the pedestrian bridge along Sunrise Valley Drive (7 and 6) will begin in a couple of weeks. A 20- minute road flagging or lane closure detour may be issued when determined.
• Sunrise Valley Drive:
  Frontage work has been completed that includes a completed tree clearing and ongoing utility locating. Capital Rail Constructors (CRC) is still working on plating a portion of the Dulles Access Road.
• Herndon Station - Garage Work along Sunrise Valley Drive:
  Contractor Manhattan will close the east access of garage (Nov. - Feb. 2017) after western access is made available by CRC. They will start at the end of the month with interior garage work to facilitate the north access road. The existing northwest in-only access is anticipated to be closed from March to May to allow for the temporary reconfiguration of the entrance. Installation of telecomm and electrical conduit will take place in mid-March. CRC's coordination of the pedestrian bridge installation will continue to be monitored and may impact bus lanes and cause nighttime lane closures.

Electrical duct bank stub at the site of Ashburn Station in the median of the Dulles Greenway will contain and protect the power lines that will provide electricity to the station.
Photo by Richard Lynch, Capital Rail Constructors


Once opened, Metro passengers will be able to ride the Silver Line to Dulles International Airport, providing a high-capacity rail connection between the airport and Washington, D.C.
Photo by John Kearney, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

###

I presume all of this warm winter weather has been very helpful in moving this project along at a fast(er) clip.