The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) has launched a program focused on resurfacing the commuter rail track along the N Line from Union Station to Eastlake 124th Station in Thornton.
The planned work will take place from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday through Friday, with possible work on Friday and Saturday nights, for approximately one month.
Running multiple trains across the lines throughout the service day inevitably leads to shifting and settling of the ballast, the rocks under the rail, beneath the tracks.
To protect trains, tracks and customers, Denver RTD includes regular resurfacing as part of its overall maintenance program. Resurfacing corrects rail alignment for a smoother ride and is essential for delivering safe and reliable transit service.
During the resurfacing process, a tamper vehicle picks up the rail along with the rail ties, then pushes metal paddles into the ballast to vibrate and compact the ballast under the ties, bringing the track up to a specified height and gets rid of dips in the rail. A regulator vehicle follows behind the tamper. The regulator distributes the ballast and smooths the track bed to bring it to a uniform appearance.
In addition to smoothing out any bumps along the alignment, the planned preventive track maintenance is an important way to extend the life of Denver RTD’s rail system. Denver RTD endeavors to be a good steward of its publicly owned infrastructure and keeping the rail in good condition will help it last longer.
The resurfacing program will go through various locations with homes nearby. While the machines will be noisy, the work is not expected to take more than two days in each location. Resurfacing work through stations is planned to take place outside of service hours or when customers are not present. The work is expected to be complete in late November, weather permitting.
