Traction Power

Our planning, design, and construction management experience for traction power substations includes substation design services, equipment selection, building/enclosures design, including 750/800 VDC and 480 VAC systems,  simulation/modeling, relay coordination, coordination with vehicle and power rail/third rail/OCS design, feeder conduit/cable, track negative return bonding, and SCADA/network systems integration. 

We provide construction management services for these power distribution systems, including site inspections for design conformance, sectionalization testing, hi pot testing, and performance/integration testing with vehicles under design conditions.  Our engineering services include System Design/Construction, Site Engineering, Systems Integration, Construction Management, and Testing and Commissioning.

  • Substation sizing and design
  • Equipment Specification/Selection
  • Buildings/Enclosure design
  • 750/800 VDC, 480 VAC
  • Simulation, Modeling
  • Relay Coordination
  • Sectionalization Design, Failure Management
  • Site Planning & Design
  • Existing utilities coordination
  • System ductbanks
  • Retaining wall, driveway, fencing, irrigation/landscaping design
  • Project coordination during construction
  • Traction Power track bonding and negative returns
  • Combined system ductbank, conduits, manholes/vaults coordination
  • Traction Power conduits and feeders coordination
  • SCADA Integration for monitoring and control
  • Site Inspections
  • Existing Utility Coordination
  • Assistance managing differing site conditions
  • Response to RFIs, Submittals, Contractor Design Review
  • Resident Engineers, Contract Administration
  • Test Procedure Development
  • Sectionalization Testing Support
  • Hi Pot Testing Support
  • Performance/Integration testing with vehicles under design conditions

Construction Safety Certification

Featured Projects
Vasona Light Rail System, San Jose, Santa Clara VTA: Provided design and construction management services, resident engineer, inspection, and contract administration. Our work included communications, fare collection, control center and integration with traction power substations, overhead contact system, signaling, track, stations, and maintenance facility, for this 8 station, 5.3 mile extension, from Downtown San Jose to Winchester Station. The VTA rail fleet is 100 LRT vehicles. The project included elevated guideway and a tunnel section under the Caltrain Commuter Rail.
Vasona Light Rail System, San Jose, Santa Clara VTA
Tasman East/Capitol-Hostettor Light Rail System, Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose CA -- Provided design and construction management services, resident engineers, inspectors, contract administration. Our work included systems and civil elements (communications, fare collection, integration with substations, overhead contact system, signaling, track, stations, maintenance facility, and control center), for this 4 station, 3.3 mile extension, from Hostetter Road to Alum Rock Station.
Tasman East/Capitol Light Rail System, San Jose, Santa Clara VTA
Detroit Downtown People Mover/LRT, Detroit Transportation Commission/UTDC: Provided design, construction management, and system integration testing services for this elevated 3.0 mile, 12 station system, including work on the elevated concrete guideway, trackwork, third rail/power rail system, traction power substations, power distribution substations and switchgear, fully automated driverless moving block train control system hardware and software, systemwide electrical, operations and maintenance building, control center, data center, stations, automated fare collection system/turnstiles, communications systems, SCADA system and software, O&M staffing planning, vehicle maintenance software system, and Kingston, Ontario test track system evaluation/testing.
Detroit Downtown People Mover/LRT, Detroit Transportation Commission/UTDC
Houston Medical Center People Mover, Houston TX -- Completed system planning, preliminary design, route selection, alignment layout, network capacity analysis, station and maintenance facility location selection, alternatives analysis, value engineering, detailed traction power/duty cycle analysis and report, life cycle cost estimation, and feasibility reports. Performed site inspections of alignment and station sites.
Houston Medical Center People Mover, Houston TX
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