The original Expo Line has been in service since 1986, and the tracks between Waterfront and New Westminster have carried more than 2 million trains. February 2017 marked the start of TransLink's annual Expo Line Running Rail Replacement Project. TransLink is replacing track pads and approximately 5,000 linear meters of running rail this year. The agency will tackle projects at four main locations this year, close to Metrotown, Main Street–Science World, Stadium–Chinatown and Waterfront stations. The agency expect to have this year’s work to be complete in July.
There are two different components to this project — the replacement of rail pads and the replacement of running rail — each requiring individualized material and equipment. In order to sequence the work across all the work sites, and to accommodate the need for different material and equipment, we will first replace the rail pads at all locations and then return to replace the running rail.
Replacing this vital equipment is a major undertaking:
- We are replacing 4.8 km of track on the Expo Line this year.
- We are replacing 30,000 track pads this year at a cost of about $80 each.
- Crews are able to replace up to 300 track pads during each six-hour work day.
- Sections of track where the guideway curves often experience the most wear therefore, they are replaced first.
The Running Rail Replacement Program will continue each spring and summer for the next 8-10 years. Running rail replacement is one part of TransLink's larger State of Good Repair Program. It will help ensure its 30-year old SkyTrain system can continue to run safely and efficiently through the next phase of its life. Doing maintenance now instead of waiting to replace components after they fail means a smoother, more quiet ride and fewer delays for passengers. It also saves money over the long run.
