Gilston Electrical Contracting, a subsidiary of Electra USA, completed a project working on train platform improvements at Penn Station in New York. The goal was to upgrade six existing platforms, including recoating of platforms and vertical surfaces, replacing wayfinding signage, removing lighting and associated wiring throughout each platform. The scope of the project included providing new LED lighting along both sides of the 1,000-foot-ling platform edges where passengers load onto the trains and providing new LED lighting at stairways and escalators leading up to the station’s concourse, one level above where passengers access the city’s streets.
There were several challenging aspects to this project. These include close coordination with the general contractor for the sequence of work, carrying out work behind barrages separated from the public, early focus and coordination with fixture manufacturer to keep pace with a very aggressive project schedule as well as a visit to light fixture manufacturer’s factory and review of scheduled partial shipments to maintain job progress. Gilston Electric also had to notify the owner at early stages of the project regarding code concerts related to existing wiring, which was shown to be reconnected to the new LED fixtures and had to face quick establishing of entitlement for a change order and then needed to incorporate the added scope while remaining on schedule.
Deployed tools, technologies and work methods included suggesting, together with the owner, retrofitting of existing fixtures with new LED components rather than complete replacement to help expedite the work and enable the owner to avoid paying for additional raceways based on existing conditions.
This project carried out design of circulating as part of the change order to replace the existing platform wiring in order to comply with current codes. This project is an example of how teamwork led to a quality, on-schedule profitable project and an appreciative owner.
About The Electra Group
The Electra Group was founded in 1945. It is traded on the TASE and included in the TA-35 Index, and specializes in four core fields: construction, infrastructure, and electromechanical contracting; operation & maintenance of industrial, infrastructural, commercial, and real estate projects and facilities; initiation & development of real estate projects; concessions relating to infrastructure & national projects. Turnover: Approx. US$3 billion. Backlog: Approx. US$8 billion. Employees: Approx. 14,000.
Electra’s constant growth and diversification are driven by its dedicated lifecycle approach – a unique business model that encompasses every stage of the construction and development process. The Group currently operates in 4 continents and 17 countries, and has recently taken several major strategic steps into new fields and territories. Electra’s new subsidiary Electra USA has acquired three well-established New York companies, positioning the Electra Group at the forefront of a major electromechanical contracting market with projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition, Electra has entered the world of transportation by acquiring control of three prominent companies – Afikim, Amnon Mesilot, and Egged-Taavura – and uniting them under the new Electra Afikim brand, which will operate public, private, and institutional transport services throughout Israel.
Electra manages thousands of large-scale turnkey construction and infrastructure projects from concept to completion, including electromechanical system installation, as well as long-term management and operational services. By harnessing the strategic synergy between its comprehensive, complementary areas of activity, the Group is able to deliver an optimal service portfolio customized to each customer’s precise needs, with complete quality control, budgetary, and scheduling oversight.
As traditional construction enters a groundbreaking new era, Electra reliably rises to the challenge and thrives in competitive markets thanks to its unique activity matrix, alongside the Group’s firm commitment to continual reinvention. Building on extensive M&A experience, coupled with a creative, outside-the-box perspective, Electra pushes the boundaries of innovation by investing in promising new sectors, such as smart technology. This bold approach has defined Electra’s industry-leading position for over 75 years.
