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page 5
orking along with PAR
Electrical Contractors and
Middlesex Corporation
our BL surveyors were
scheduled to assist with surveying
the installation of retaining wall
which is necessary to support the
expansion of a second rail line from
New Haven to Springfield. The
work was slow and tedious due to
activity on the existing railways. To
expedite work the contractor and
client created a schedule when the
work could get done with the least
disruption. They tried weekends
and overnights and in some cases
had 32 hours on the job straight.
During the overnight shifts our
survey crew was mobilized and
ready to oversee the placement
of soldier piles which support
concrete precast retaining walls set
every 10 feet. For those unfamiliar
with this, soldier piles are some
of the oldest forms of retaining
systems used in deep excavations.
Soldier pile walls have successfully
been used since the late 18th
century in metropolitan cities like
New York, Berlin, and London…and
this time in Connecticut. Since the
piles are driven into the ground by
heavy equipment it is the important
job of our survey team to make sure
the stake is centered and hits its
target.