Project Spotlight WMATA Modernization by Amy K. Bomberger and W. Timothy Eason, QEI

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Metrorail system, built in 1976, operates the second- largest rail-transit-system network in the U.S. The WMATA sys- tem transports more than a third of the federal government to work, in addition to millions of tourists to national landmarks on its 106.3-mile rail network comprising 86 stations, 588 and 238 elevators. Continued S WMATA Escalator Mod

Opposite 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 • Escalator modernization • New motors and drives at the King Street Station

Left: • Matt Sonneman of Jones Vertrans performing comb-im- pact-device testing

Continued The system serves a population of 3.5 million within a As part of this initial GAEC, Schindler Elevator and 1,500-square-mile area that includes Washington, D.C., Jones Vertrans were contracted to provide the modern- Northern Virginia and Southern . Over the past ization of the escalators, while Mid-American Elevator 38 years, ridership has increased, and the time that the Co., Inc. was the contractor on record for the elevator up- system is in service has also increased. When the system grade. Maintenance of the equipment for the escalator first opened, service hours were 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., modernization was handled by Schindler Elevator, Jones Monday through Friday. Current operation has the trains Vertrans, KONE Elevator, and WMATA’s internal elevator running from 5:00 a.m. to midnight on Monday through and escalator department (ELES) and maintenance for Thursday, until 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and the elevator upgrade was performed by Mid-Atlantic from 7:00 a.m. until midnight on Sunday. Elevator Co., Inc. and ThyssenKrupp Elevator. Consequently, routine maintenance on many of the Additionally, WMATA’s board of directors created a system’s escalators can only be scheduled during non- “blue ribbon panel” to get an outside perspective on how revenue “off-hours.” As the hours of service to the riding to improve the reliability of the vertical-transportation public have steadily increased, time equipment in a cost-effective man- available for routine maintenance has To date, 179 escalators ner while minimizing disruption to decreased. Also, as the system and its its patrons. VTX joined a group of equipment has aged, the escalators have have been upgraded at vertical-transportation managers, aged accordingly. As such, they have technicians and customer-service become a source of frustration and 51 stations within the sys- representatives to participate on the complaints from riders dissatisfied with panel to evaluate labor, personnel, the number and frequency of escalators tem, 38 in 2004 alone. maintenance, capital plan and cus- being taken out of service. For years, tomer service for the board. The WMATA struggled with the critical maintenance issues panel recommended that to improve system reliability required to keep its aging system in top form while also and availability, WMATA should contract with private addressing the concerns of riders. Many of the escalators companies to help service the escalator system and in- had been in service for more than 30 years and were sub- vest in upgraded equipment. jected to almost continuous crush loading. Beginning in March 2000, contracts were initiated Therefore, WMATA embarked on a 10-year capital- with the goal of modernizing the hundreds of aging improvement program to modernize and upgrade some of Westinghouse modular escalators throughout the sys- its oldest and most troublesome pieces of equipment. In tem. To date, 179 escalators have been upgraded at 51 2000, a General Architectural and Engineering Contract stations within the system, 38 in 2004 alone. An addi- (GAEC) was awarded to Capital Transit Consultants, a tional 293 escalators are scheduled to be completed over joint venture comprised of Parsons Transportation Group, the next five years through WMATA’s recent award of a Parsons Brinkerhoff, DMJM Harris and Booz-Allen-Hamilton. second five-year GAEC contract to P2D, a joint venture of Vertical Transportation Excellence (VTX) was brought in Parsons Transportation Group, Parsons Brinkerhoff and to work as the vertical-transportation consultant for the Delon Hampton. VTX has been retained as the escalator Division of WMATA Elevator and Escalator Services. consultant. Continued S

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WMATA Escalator Mod

At left: • Newly modernized escalators at the Van Ness Station

At right: • A map of the WMATA system

Continued

Transport System VTX provided design requirements and contract over- because they had been manufactured by companies which sight for the rehabilitation of more than 800 escalators, were no longer in business. Equipment deterioration, lack elevators and other vertical-transportation equipment of parts support and increased service interruptions brought for the system. This included 588 about the need for replacement of escalators serving transit stations The contract was expanded this equipment. These escalators were and rail yards. VTX performed daily located in existing stations where system-wide contract-compliance to include survey and design modification of the station exits and inspections, third-party jurisdictional support structure required a unique acceptance inspections and devel- requirements for the replace- design to maintain current patron flow oped design requirements and con- ment of 14 obsolete escalators, and handling capacity. In response to struction specifications to mod- these issues, VTX performed equip- ernize and replace escalators. VTX and the modernization and ment and basic station surveys, also performed equipment surveys, reviewed structural drawings to suggested critical repairs and energy- upgrade of 20 escalators. determine design constraints, coor- savings proposals, developed con- dinated site visits and design inputs tract documents, prepared documents for release and from major escalator equipment manufacturers and pre- detailed construction estimates. The construction-phase pared construction estimates and design alternatives. support involved overseeing the construction schedule, Conclusion conducting client/contractor progress meetings, review- Having completed its first, five-year contract in June ing change notices, modifying contracts and invoices, 2005, WMATA continues to quickly proceed with a steady providing independent estimates and assisting with con- flow of modernization and major repairs. Some escala- tractor negotiations. tors have undergone modernization, which put them out This rehabilitation contract was expanded to include of service for several months. During this time, major survey and design requirements for the replacement of 14 components of the escalators were taken out and re- critical obsolete escalators, and the modernization and placed piece by piece. This comprehensive, multiyear upgrade of 20 others. These escalators were difficult to maintenance program is improving the reliability and service, as the parts availability was poor. This was safety of WMATA’s vertical-transportation equipment.

68 March 2006 N Elevator World The program has thus far: ability, the elimination of the top-20 poor-performing N Completed the rehabilitation of 178 escalators escalators and a reduction in injuries. N Completed the design and initiated procurement Escalator availability increased from 89% in the year 2000 efforts for the modernization of 20 escalators to upgrade to 93% today with, on average, 44 of the 588 escalators out of them to the latest codes and technology service daily to date, compared to 61 units out of service daily N Completed the design for the replacement of all 14 in 2000. About half of the repairs are on unscheduled break- escalators that have proven to be problematic and downs, while 40% are modernization or scheduled repairs. unreliable Credits: N Completed (in-house) remote-monitoring capabilities Design Team: Parsons Brinkerhoff, Parsons on 315 of 588 escalators in the system Transportation Group, DMJM Harris, Delon Hampton and N Installed four canopies under a pilot program and Vertical Transportation Excellence initiated canopy work at other locations. Modernization Contractors: Schindler Elevator, Under the direction of ELES Director, David Lacosse, Jones Vertrans joint venture and KONE Elevator and Project Manager of the Capital Improvement Pro- Maintenance Contractors: Schindler Elevator, Jones gram, Jeff Griffin, the availability of WMATA’s 588 escala- Vertrans joint venture and ThyssenKrupp Elevator tors has improved significantly. This major rehabilitation Owner/Operator: Area Transit project calls for overhauling 70% of its escalators by 2010, Authority and is at its halfway mark. The investment in overhauling Amy K. Bomberger and W. Timothy Eason are both with Vertical vertical transportation has led to gains in escalator avail- Transportation Excellence

Station in Planned Red Line • Glenmont to Shady Grove Service Station System Map Orange Line • New Carrollton to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Transfer Legend Blue Line • Franconia-Springfield to Largo Town Center Station Virginia Green Line • Branch Avenue to Greenbelt Railway Express Yellow Line • Huntington to Mt Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Commuter Rail Parking

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Twinbrook Capital Beltway Silver Spring

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BLUE LINE Alexandria Eisenhower Ave Capital Beltway Fairfax County Huntington Franconia-Springfield

© COPYRIGHT 2000 WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY REV 012/04

No No Eating No Animals No Audio or No Litter No Dangerous or Smoking or Drinking (except service animals) Video Devices or Spitting Flammable Items (without earphones)

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