The Hanford Viaduct, located in Kings County, California, is currently under construction to bring high-speed rail to commuters of Hanford, CA. The Hanford Viaduct is the largest high-speed rail structure in the Central Valley spanning nearly 6,330 feet (about twice the height of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world). When complete, it will carry high-speed trains over the San Joaquin Valley Railroad and State Route 198. This section of the high-speed rail line will be a part of the connection between Los Angeles and San Francisco with the system eventually extending to Sacramento and San Diego, totaling 800 miles with up to 24 stations.  

Forefront Deep Foundations, who has expertise in pile driving since 2015, have been awarded the job of completing the Hanford Viaduct. For this project, Forefront chose to utilize an ICE® I-46 Diesel Hammer from International Construction Equipment, Inc, (ICE®) to drive the steel H piles for the viaduct's foundation. The ICE® I-46 Hammer was selected due to its 10,141 lbs (about half the weight of a school bus) of ram weight along with the capability of generating 35-52 blows per minute. Making this powerful hammer the perfect choice to help the Forefront crew drive the piles to tip in a safe a timely fashion. Once completed, the train line will sit on top of these H piles above the ground allowing uninterrupted travel for the locomotive, reaching speeds close to 200 mph!  

Due to freight companies owning and prioritizing the usage of railroads, the United States, as a whole, have very few high- speed rail lines. This commuter only rail line is sure to create a faster and less stressful way for citizens to get to and from California's largest cities. Forefront Deep Foundations crew have done a fantastic job with the construction progress of the Hanford Viaduct so far and when completed will offer a much-needed alternative mode of transportation in the area. Keep on chugging along, Forefront, ICE® salutes you! 

Learn more about the ICE® I-46 Diesel Impact Hammer 

Media Contact-               
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA               
Vice President Marketing, Brand and Media Relations   
Vice President IT and IT Comm          
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc               
Office - 704-821-8200          Email - marketing@iceusa.com