Project Spotlight WMATA - VTX

1 EscalatorModernizationby Amy K. Bomberger and W. Timothy Eason, QEIWMATAThe Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority s( WMATA ) Metrorailsystem, built in 1976, operates the second-largest rail-transit-system network in the The WMATA sys-tem transports more than a third of the federal government towork, in addition to millions of tourists to national landmarkson its rail network comprising86stations, 588 escalators Spotlight66 March 2006uElevator WorldThe system serves a population of million within a1,500-square-mile area that includes Washington, ,Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland. Over the past38 years, ridership has increased, and the time that thesystem is in service has also increased.

2 When the systemfirst opened, service hours were 6:00 to 8:00 ,Monday through Friday. Current operation has the trainsrunning from 5:00 to midnight on Monday throughThursday, until 3:00 on Friday and Saturday andfrom 7:00 until midnight on , routine maintenance on many of thesystem s escalators can only be scheduled during non-revenue off-hours. As the hours of service to the ridingpublic have steadily increased, timeavailable for routine maintenance hasdecreased. Also, as the system and itsequipment has aged, the escalators haveaged accordingly. As such, they havebecome a source of frustration andcomplaints from riders dissatisfied withthe number and frequency of escalatorsbeing taken out of service.

3 For years, WMATA struggled with the critical maintenance issuesrequired to keep its aging system in top form while alsoaddressing the concerns of riders. Many of the escalatorshad been in service for more than 30 years and were sub-jected to almost continuous crush loading. Therefore, WMATA embarked on a 10-year capital-improvement program to modernize and upgrade some ofits oldest and most troublesome pieces of equipment. In2000, a General Architectural and Engineering Contract(GAEC) was awarded to Capital Transit Consultants, ajoint venture comprised of Parsons Transportation Group,Parsons Brinkerhoff, DMJM Harris and Transportation Excellence (VTX) was brought into work as the vertical-transportation consultant for theDivision of WMATA Elevator and Escalator Services.

4 As part of this initial GAEC, Schindler Elevator andJones Vertrans were contracted to provide the modern-ization of the escalators, while Mid-American ElevatorCo., Inc. was the contractor on record for the elevator up-grade. Maintenance of the equipment for the escalatormodernization was handled by Schindler Elevator, JonesVertrans, KONE Elevator, and WMATA s internal elevatorand escalator department (ELES) and maintenance forthe elevator upgrade was performed by Mid-Atlantic Elevator Co., Inc. and ThyssenKrupp , WMATA s board of directors created a blue ribbon panel to get an outside perspective on howto improve the reliability of the vertical-transportationequipment in a cost-effective man-ner while minimizing disruption toits patrons.

5 VTX joined a group ofvertical-transportation managers,technicians and customer-servicerepresentatives to participate on thepanel to evaluate labor, personnel,maintenance, capital plan and cus-tomer service for the board. Thepanel recommended that to improve system reliabilityand availability, WMATA should contract with privatecompanies to help service the escalator system and in-vest in upgraded equipment. Beginning in March 2000, contracts were initiatedwith the goal of modernizing the hundreds of agingWestinghouse modular escalators throughout the sys-tem. To date, 179 escalators have been upgraded at 51stations within the system, 38 in 2004 alone.

6 An addi-tional 293 escalators are scheduled to be completed overthe next five years through WMATA s recent award of asecond five-year GAEC contract to P2D, a joint venture ofParsons Transportation Group, Parsons Brinkerhoff andDelon Hampton. VTX has been retained as the escalatorconsultant. Todate, 179escalatorshave been upgraded at51stations within the sys-tem, 38in 2004 ModWMATAO pposite page (clockwise from top left): Controllers at the Forest Glen Station New motors and drives at the King Street Station Chris Inskeep, Schindler Elevator mechanic, at ClevelandPark Station Escalator modernization New motors and drives at the King Street StationLeft.

7 Matt Sonneman of Jones Vertrans performing comb-im-pact-device testingContinuedContinuedSTransport SystemVTX provided design requirements and contract over-sight for the rehabilitation of more than 800 escalators,elevators and other vertical-transportation equipment for the system. This included 588escalators serving transit stationsand rail yards. VTX performed dailysystem-wide contract-complianceinspections, third-party jurisdictionalacceptance inspections and devel-oped design requirements and con-struction specifications to mod-ernize and replace escalators. VTXalso performed equipment surveys,suggested critical repairs and energy-savings proposals, developed con-tract documents, prepared documents for release anddetailed construction estimates.

8 The construction-phasesupport involved overseeing the construction schedule,conducting client/contractor progress meetings, review-ing change notices, modifying contracts and invoices,providing independent estimates and assisting with con-tractor negotiations. This rehabilitation contract was expanded to includesurvey and design requirements for the replacement of 14critical obsolete escalators, and the modernization andupgrade of 20 others. These escalators were difficult toservice, as the parts availability was poor. This was 68 March 2006uElevator Worldbecause they had been manufactured by companies whichwere no longer in business.

9 Equipment deterioration, lackof parts support and increased service interruptions broughtabout the need for replacement ofthis equipment. These escalators werelocated in existing stations wheremodification of the station exits andsupport structure required a uniquedesign to maintain current patron flowand handling capacity. In response tothese issues, VTX performed equip-ment and basic station surveys,reviewed structural drawings todetermine design constraints, coor-dinated site visits and design inputsfrom major escalator equipment manufacturers and pre-pared construction estimates and design completed its first, five-year contract in June2005, WMATA continues to quickly proceed with a steadyflow of modernization and major repairs.

10 Some escala-tors have undergone modernization, which put them outof service for several months. During this time, majorcomponents of the escalators were taken out and re-placed piece by piece. This comprehensive, multiyearmaintenance program is improving the reliability andsafety of WMATA s vertical-transportation contract was expandedto include survey and designrequirements for the replace-ment of 14obsolete escalators,and the modernization andupgrade of 20escalators. At left: Newly modernized escalatorsat the Van Ness StationAt right: A map of the WMATA systemEscalator ModWMATAC ontinuedThe program has thus far.