New Haven Line Power Program: Phase 1 – Signal Substations

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (CTDOT) New Haven Line (NHL) Power Program will replace and/or upgrade the aging traction power infrastructure at various locations on Metro-North Railroad’s (MNR) heavily traveled New Haven Main Line and is divided into three (3) major categories: Signal Substations, Balancing Substations, and Supply Substations. Phase 1 of this program consists of the replacement of two (2) existing signal substations located at Cos Cob (Sub 309) in Greenwich and Fair Street (Sub 1091) in New Haven.

The two (2) existing signal substations house 100 Hz motor-alternator (MA) sets, which have reached the end of their useful life. In addition, the MA-set Motor Controller Centers (MCC) at both substations use outdated technology and equipment and have problems with operational reliability. The upgraded substations will be more reliable, more energy efficient, less costly to maintain, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Garg Consulting Services, Inc. (Garg) is providing design services for the necessary civil survey, Subsurface Exploration (SSE) Program, site/civil, construction staging, demolition, structural, foundation, signal power/electrical, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)/Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) communication, signal power switching structures, architectural, mechanical, Maintenance and Protection of Traffic (MPT), and Site Acceptance Test (SAT) plans. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Preliminary Design (30%), Semi-Final Design (60%), Final Plans for Review Design (90%), Final Plans for Review Design (100%), and Final Design Plan (FDP) submissions.
• Preparing design reports, construction cost estimates, and construction schedules to accompany each design submission, as well as contract front-end documentation and specifications.
• Coordination with the affected utilities, Town of Greenwich, City of New Haven, CTDOT, MNR, and manufacturers.
• Bid phase services include responding to RFIs, reviewing and analyzing bid results, developing addenda in response to CTDOT or MNR-initiated changes, and making recommendations for award.