The south end of the Enginehouse concrete slab was poured in three separate segments. Because pouring required dry weather, some were completed in the middle of the night. After the concrete set up, crews fitted special forms to shape the flangeways between the rails.
Before the south half of the Enginehouse concrete slab could be poured, crews put in place rail for the locomotives. Plumbing pipes stick out through the rebar and the drop pits and table are surrounded by form work.
Before the building slab could be poured, the two tracks were put in place and rebar readied for the concrete floor. In early March, 220 cubic yards of concrete were placed in the grade beams, pile caps, and drop pit areas by a massive concrete pump truck whose boom could be seen for blocks away.
After the building permit was approved work started on the new Enginehouse in November 2011. Site work included preliminary grading and excavation of unwanted materials. Next, a huge crane started driving piles into what turned out to be up to 105′ feet of sawdust before reaching stable rock. One-third of the grout piles were installed successfully …