To build the 32,000-sq-ft facility safely within an active rail yard, the team isolated the site with a permanent fence, gates and barriers. The strategy reduced costs and potential disruptions on the $48-million project. That proved particularly important given an unexpected six-month delay in procurement of a wheel truing machine and 100-ton drop top table to be located within the facility’s concrete pit structures, which themselves had to be built to exacting dimensions. The project finished at budget and on schedule in two years. Demolition and excavation started with the facility's equipment design not finalized. Using advanced collaboration technology, the team refined the facility designs to meet machine specifications, mitigating the procurement delay and allowing the planned early start of structural concrete work.

 Though focused on complex industrial operations, the maintenance building is a sustainable, people-oriented facility, the project team says. The light exterior facade and metal roof minimizes heat island effects. Natural light from translucent wall and skylight panels, LED lighting and strategic segregation of different functional areas reduce energy consumption. The mechanical design incorporates significant dedicated outdoor air system equipment on the building’s lower roof, eliminating the need for a separate dunnage structure. That approach led to space and cost savings while providing the necessary ventilation to ensure a comfortable and healthy work environment.