Springfield Rail Car Assembly Facility
Springfield, MA – The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) recently named Gannett Fleming, Inc. and Plaza Construction as the winners of the 2018 Silver Engineering Excellence Awards for their work on the Springfield Rail Car Assembly Facility project that transformed a 40-acre brownfield into the home of a cutting-edge manufacturing facility.
Among the innovative technologies used in the design and construction of the project were rapid impact compaction (RIC) for in-place ground improvement, the installation of an oblique and curved 2,240-foot-long outdoor test track for completed rail cars, and the incorporation of sustainable design concepts including the use of 55% local building materials, use of natural light, and onsite stormwater management.
Gannett Fleming, Inc., with offices in Dedham, Newton, and North Andover, was retained by Plaza Construction, LLC on behalf of CRRC MA Corporation to build the facility as its North American headquarters, where it is assembling more than 400 rail cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and serving numerous clients across the country. This project created 150 new jobs for the Springfield community and represents a $95 million foreign investment in the U.S. economy.
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The 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards were announced at the recent ACEC/MA Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala with emcees Beth J. Larkin, PE, MBTA assistant general manager for capital delivery, and Housamm (“Sam”) H. Sleiman, PE, CCM, MassPort director of capital programs and environmental affairs.
“The awards honor this year’s most outstanding engineering accomplishments in Massachusetts,” said ACEC/MA President Michael Scipione, PE, president and CEO of Weston & Sampson Engineering, Inc. “They are excellent examples of how engineers create projects that improve or lives and communities. Professional engineers are dedicated to providing quality infrastructure, providing safe and reliable water and energy, and making our buildings safe and energy efficient. We congratulate our winners on their exceptional achievements.”
