Brightline Florida Phase 2 - Staff Augmentation

About Project

PRE staff supported Herzog’s critical path schedule to meet deadlines for multiple segments of signal and grade crossing cutovers:

Brightline’s objective in Florida is to establish passenger service through pursuit of shared use agreements, rather than land acquisition. The existing Florida East Coast (FEC) rail corridor between Miami and Cocoa received Brightline’s investment for conversion to shared use. This project double tracked the corridor, improved the signal systems, and upgraded every grade crossing. In order to maintain constrained and successive construction schedules, PRE was invited to the established team as staff augmentation to Herzog Technologies, Inc (HTI). PRE was brought in for our proven technical abilities on this private project, rather than to meet a specific DBE goal.

This speaks to our ability to attract work by our reputation alone.

Project Scope, Successes

Construction Technical Oversight:

PRE joined the project construction team to provide technical oversight, planning and safety inspection for the project’s wayside and crossing systems installation efforts. Additionally, PRE produced and provided HTI’s personnel with testing documentation that allowed their personnel to streamline system cutover schedules.

Engineering Review:

PRE performed systems design analysis for the project’s wayside and crossing changes. This analysis was performed in advance of system cutovers to ensure system design integrity and validation of project concepts. PRE worked with the project design team (Alstom) to identify and complete changes that not only improved safety and efficiency, but reduced project costs as well.

Systems Implementation:

For large project sections, PRE personnel prepared the crossing warning systems for conversion from the legacy freight system to a solid state, wireless crossing enabled, modernized system. PRE was responsible to ensure system readiness and validate proper installation of train detection systems. PRE personnel planned and executed system cutovers of the crossings where we oversaw contractor personnel making the changes. PRE directed the system testing and the documentation of asbuilt conditions after the completion of testing.

Project Highlights

• PRE staff leveraged our extensive grade crossing engineering experience to provide engineering support to the protect.
• PRE staff took practical steps to advance as much preparatory work for the grade crossing changes as possible during the construction stage prior to in service cutover
• PRE staff successfully cutover 18 grade crossings in one cutover period, and 11 grade crossings in another cutover period, both under existing train traffic
• PRE deployed dedicated staff on the ground in Florida for 5 months, including riding out hurricane Ian, whose eye passed over Melbourne, Florida