L. B. Foster wins Downeaster rail order
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) has awarded L.B. Foster Co. a $5.3-million contract to supply 5,561 tons of rail for the Downeaster-Portland North Project. NNEPRA is using a $35-million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help pay for the 26.4-mile track rehabilitation and expansion between Portland and Brunswick, Maine. The new Downeaster line will provide improved Amtrak service within the area and south to Boston.
Four shipments of 115 RE standard continuous welded rail (CWR) are being delivered by L.B. Foster’s company-owned weld train to the Maine project in lengths up to 1,600 feet between July and October 2010.
The rail is welded into the 1,600-foot continuous strings by Steel Dynamics, Inc., at Columbia City, Ind.
Construction of the Downeaster-Portland North Project began in July 2010 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2012.
