Major Upgrades Set for East and West Coast Amtrak Maintenance Facilities

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is awarding two contracts with a combined value of $49.5 million for major upgrades of its maintenance facilities located in Los Angeles, Calif., and in Hialeah, Fla., near Miami. The so-called American Recovery and Reinvestment Act economic stimulus program is funding both projects.

“Amtrak is committed to making the investments needed to keep our equipment clean and in good working order for our passengers and state partners,” President and CEO Joe Boardman said. He also noted each upgraded facility will be modern, efficient and capable of handling the current work levels as well as projected future service expansions.

The contract for the $24.5 million Los Angeles project is awarded to Kemp Bros. Construction Co. of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. The contract for the $25 million Hialeah project is awarded to Dana B. Kenyon Company of Jacksonville, Fla. Both projects will be under construction beginning this spring, will be completed in February 2011 and are expected to generate good paying local and regional jobs.

The upgrades to both the east and west coast facilities will dramatically improve the capacity, efficiency and working conditions of the shops that perform inspections and maintenance of passenger rail equipment used in long-distance and state-supported corridor services. Both projects involve the construction of a new building structure to cover work currently performed completely outdoors and will include administrative offices and employee locker rooms.

Additionally, Amtrak intends to award a contract this spring for major upgrades to its Seattle maintenance facility that supports long-distance and state-supported corridor operations as well as a maintenance agreement for commuter rail equipment in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle project is funded by Amtrak’s annual capital program.

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