L.B. Foster awarded $13.2 million contract to supply unique direct fixation fastener to CTA

L.B. Foster Company has been awarded a $13.2-million contract to provide direct fixation fasteners (DFF), rail and other track materials for the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project. 

L.B. Foster Company will work in collaboration with general contractor Walsh-Fluor Design-Build Team. 

The RPM project is the largest capital improvement project in the history of the CTA.  According to the CTA, “…the much-needed capacity will be added in this growing residential corridor to accommodate current and future riders, and to deliver faster and smoother rides with less crowding and more frequent service.” 

Gregory Lippard, L.B. Foster Company vice president, rail, added, “The CTA provided a revolutionary specification for the DFF to challenge the industry to develop a novel fastener.”   

L.B. Foster’s Transit Products Division draws upon more than 35 years of fastener development expertise to advance specialized product solutions to the market, meeting specific customer needs.   

“Our team designed, developed and tested a low-profile resilient DFF weighing less than 25 pounds per fastener, allowing for more ergonomic installation, while not sacrificing ride quality,” Lippard said. 

Jason Bowlin, L.B. Foster Vice President, Rail Products, noted, “Throughout the process we were proud to partner extensively with Walsh-Fluor DBT to secure the job.  Walsh-Fluor DBT is an experienced team of design-build rail transit infrastructure experts with a long track record of successfully delivering complex rail transit systems.”