CTrail Hartford Line Structural Design

In partnership with Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Connecticut Department of Transportation is upgrading the rail corridor between New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield to become a high‐speed rail facility, known as the CTrail Hartford Line. The 60‐mile corridor connects with existing Metro‐North and Amtrak service to New York City and Boston. This program includes substantial infrastructure upgrades to the track, stations, signals, at‐grade crossings, bridges, and other structures. A major component of the program is the addition of a second track along the entire route.

Lochner provided structural engineering services for the construction, widening, rehabilitation, and/or reconstruction of all bridges, culverts, and retaining walls required to accommodate the second track along the full 60‐mile corridor. The track was added in several phases. Phase I covered the initial 12 miles. Under Phase I, Lochner designed the rehabilitation of an existing 77‐foot two‐span bridge, which was originally built to accommodate two tracks. The bridge had an encased steel beam superstructure for the current in‐service track as well as an abandoned steel deck plate girder superstructure. Lochner’s plans widened the masonry substructure and replaced the deck plate girder spans with encased beam spans to provide a ballasted deck bridge for improved operations and reduced maintenance. Lochner also designed the rehabilitation and extension of seven stone arch culverts and one brick arch culvert, the replacement of a rail top culvert with four 30‐inch pipes, and the replacement of two concrete pipes with two culverts. Lochner’s design plans further included 40,000 square feet of retaining wall to be added alongside the tracks.

Lochner’s construction plans were prepared in full consideration of the active rail corridor, with specifications designed to maximize the safety of workers and rail users and minimize disruption to rail operations on this busy commuter facility.