The California High-Speed Rail Authority board of directors recently approved the initial phase of the largest track and systems installation effort in the United States.
The Track and Systems Construction Contract covers the 119 miles under construction in the Central Valley and extends north and south into the future Merced and Bakersfield extensions. An American-led consortium will install the track, overhead contact system, train control and communications infrastructure. Work will begin after civil construction completes for each segment.
“Bringing on board the team that will build California’s high-speed rail track and systems marks the moment this program transforms from major civil construction into delivering an operating railway,” Ian Choudri, authority CEO, said. “With the railhead track installation complete and many critical rail materials already under contract, we are now accelerating toward installing the first true high-speed rail track ever built in the Western Hemisphere and doing it in a way that delivers for California quickly, and economically.”
The contract also includes a 25 percent small-business participation goal, including a 3 percent microbusiness component, and a 3 percent disabled veteran business enterprise goal.
Crews recently completed installing track at the 150-acre southern railhead facility that will serve as the staging and distribution hub for high-speed track and systems installation.