Specialized Services Company (SSC) used its vacuum technology to clear debris from more than 8 mi. (12.9 km) of track to allow Metro Light Rail to safely expand testing to the majority of its new line across the valley.

Two months after its initial introduction in downtown Phoenix, the Metro Light Rail began testing trains from Mesa through downtown to the intersection of Central and McDowell roads. Prior to testing, miles of debris that had settled on the tracks during the three-year long construction process had to be cleared to avoid damage to the trains during the testing process.

If not for SSC and its fleet of System 4000 vacuum excavators, this might have been a much more difficult and time consuming process than one might think. With two vacuum trucks in tow, SSC crews worked more than 12 hours consecutively to clear 8 mi. of track starting from the intersection of Central and McDowell roads and working south down 1st Avenue to Jefferson, then east to 26th Street and Washington. With only one day remaining before testing was to commence, the crews finished the job with the aid of the System 4000.

“We use the Vacuum trucks mostly for utility potholing,” said Aaron Veidmark, vice president and vacuum division manager of SSC. “We’ve also done some other pretty interesting projects, such as excavating under a historic house at ASU. We’ve always said that the vacuum excavator had unlimited applications and this is just one more example of how versatile it really is.”

SSC provides vacuum potholing as well as trenchless boring and drilling services to more than 2000 construction and engineering clients in Arizona and surrounding states. Founded in 1969, SSC is considered a leading provider of trenchless technology.

For more information, call 602/997-6164 or visit sscboring.com.

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