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USACE Alaska Railhead Facility
Project Summary
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) selected a design-build team, led by DV Contracting and including Hanson Professional Services Inc., to develop a new railhead facility at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. This project allowed Hanson to assist the USACE with its railroad design needs.
As a member of the project team, Hanson provided project management, planning, railroad engineering, preliminary and final engineering, track alignment and AutoCAD services. The new railhead facility was designed and constructed to provide a complete, functional railroad track system, including a gravel staging area and access road. This entire facility will allow the military to load and unload 100 flatbed rail cars, carrying Stryker vehicles and other equipment necessary for deployment.
During this project, Hanson called upon its previous Alaska rail experience to assist the design-build team in its efforts. For three years, Hanson has served as the engineering consultant for the Fort Wainwright Railroad Realignment project, led by the Alaska Railroad Corp (ARRC). During this project, Hanson has developed collaborative working relationships with the ARRC and the Directorate of Public Works at Fort Wainwright. These relationships were instrumental in allowing the design of the new railhead facility to proceed quickly.
The project team designed the new railhead tracks to facilitate ARRC rail service from the existing ARRC Eielson Branch. The design also offers some flexibility at Fort Wainwright, offering options for the future expansion of the railhead operations and the possible realignment of the ARRC’s Eielson Branch around Fort Wainwright.