$102M Contract Awarded To Rebuild Wellington Rail Yard

MEDFORD, MA – The MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday approved a $102.7 million contract for Barletta Heavy Division to rebuild the Wellington Rail Yard and upgrade its signal systems. The 36-month project is necessary to support 152 new Orange Line cars, according to the MBTA.

Barletta will be responsible for replacing critical elements throughout the yard to allow for the operation, proper maintenance and reliable service for the new fleet. This includes:

• excavation
• drainage system repairs
• new ballast and ties
• new running and restraining rail
• traction power work
• switches
• signal equipment
• switch heater control cases
• third rail heater control cables
• junction boxes
• signal cable conduit and trough duct banks
• wayside telephone system
• fixed WiFi data network
• CCTV system
• fiber optic/copper cable network system for local voice/data communications

"At a total capital investment of $1.98 billion, we are not only purchasing a new fleet of Orange and Red Line vehicles, but our Red and Orange Line Infrastructure Improvements Program also covers infrastructure upgrades to track, power, signals, and facilities like Wellington Yard," MBTA General Manager Luis Manuel Ramírez said in a statement. "Although customers might not feel the immediate impact of these upgrades, they are just as necessary to providing a more reliable, dependable service that our customers deserve."

Barletta submitted the lowest of three bids for the contract, the MBTA said.

Patch File Photo