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Large gray boxes appeared to levitate in the blue sky over San Francisco’s Market Street on Saturday, June 18 as a 106-foot-tall crane carefully piloted the equipment down into a hole cut deep in the earth.

The boxes – some weighing up to 37,000 pounds – contained a bevy of switch gear equipment – transformers, AC units, rectifiers, and the like – that will soon power a new substation at BART’s Civic Center Station. The substation will feed additional energy to power the San Francisco line, providing additional trains and more frequent service through the heavily trafficked route.

BART closed the entrances at 8th and Market streets about three years ago to make way for the new substation, which is just one aspect of BART’s Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program. The substation will replace a section of previously public space at Civic Center Station, as well as two escalators.

The Core Capacity Program is a series of strategic investments that will enable BART to operate up to thirty ten-car trains per hour in both directions through the Transbay Tube. The program will add 306 railcars to the line, a new communications-based train control system that will enable shorter waits between trains, and a new railcar storage yard at the Hayward Maintenance Complex.

Five new substations will be added to the BART system as part of the program – at Civic Center Station, Montgomery St. Station, near MacArthur Station at 34th St., Concord Station, and Richmond Station. The project requires vast coordination across BART and various trades, such as drywall technicians, painters, electricians, HVAC experts, plumbers, and more.

“Many agencies and contractors came together to make this happen,” said Gordon Wong, BART Principal Electrical Engineer. “It would not have been possible without the support and coordination of C3M Power Systems, Clark Construction, Cupertino Electric, Bigge Crane, and numerous subcontractors the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, SF Dept of Public Works, the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency, and local businesses.”

On June 18, buses and street cleaners whooshed past the fenced off 15-foot-by-15-foot hole that was cut into the ground to deliver heavy machinery and equipment needed for the construction of the substation. Eighth St. was closed just for the day to make room for the soon-to-be-deposited equipment.

In all, the process took about 12 hours to complete, but the maintenance and engineering group had been preparing for more than a year prior. 

Before the crane was brought in, the hole had to be cut – carefully and slowly. Construction teams began by slicing the heavy concrete into small sections, each of which weighed about 3,000 pounds, then removing the concrete and cordoning off the hole to protect passersby.

The most exciting action took place June 18, when the Bigge crane could be seen slowly lifting and lowering the variety of equipment into the hole. During each delivery, four men waited below, hard hats and safety boots snug, to gently guide the equipment into the hole – sometimes with only a foot of space between the wall and the object.

Coordinating by radio with the crane operator, the construction workers below eased each item onto “skates,” or rolling wheels, which allowed them to glide the equipment to its rightful place. The process was painstaking, as each item had to be deposited in a specific order and facing the right direction – the space was too long and narrow to account for any mistakes in this regard.

The next station to receive an additional substation is Montgomery St. Station. You can read more about the Core Capacity Program on bart.gov.  

Update: Shinita Garza is now a Transportation Supervisor! 

Train Operator Shinita Garza knows that a warm demeanor can make a world of difference. “A friendly smile will keep you ten steps ahead of the game,” she said.

For this iteration of “Ten Questions,” Shinita reveals her favorite songs to sing while working, what you’ll find in her cab, and why she recently had to chase a Pomeranian. The conversation has been edited for clarity.

1. How long have you worked for BART?

       I have been working at BART now for a little over three years. 

1. What’s your role at BART?

I am a Train Operator. From what I've learned so far, people tend to perceive Train Operators as the glamourous part of BART! The reaction from people when they find out I operate the train has been wild at times. I don't necessarily view the job that way, but I won’t debate it either.

1. If you can remember, what is your earliest memory of riding the trains?

Let's see, I remember I lived in North Oakland in the early 90s. My family had actually moved from a pretty rough part of Oakland. I was so glad to be out of that neighborhood. But I still wanted the attend [the junior high school] that was nearby. All my cousins went there, and I didn't want to transfer. So, I had to catch BART from MacArthur Station to the Coliseum Station and essentially walk by the neighborhood that I was so happy to be out of. The BART ride, or the actual action of boarding a train at 13 by myself, just made it feel like a very distant memory to me and a mini adventure to school and back.

1. What’s something that might surprise us about your job?

The number of pets we have to rescue. Last week I had to rescue an escaped Pomeranian on the aerial between Bayfair and Hayward – absolute insanity!

1. Name your favorite BART station or route and why.

Anything that does not require taking the train underground. I just enjoy been aboveground in the sun or the rain. You can observe all the neighborhoods and the mountains and lakes going towards Berryessa or the sunsets and sunrises going toward Antioch. It’s all really beautiful and colorful.

1. What do you typically do to pass the time on the train?

I sing Disney theme songs or 80s sitcom themes or 80s songs in general.

1. What’s on your desk besides your computer?

I don't have a real desk – just the dashboard and a constant cup of coffee.

1. If you acquired a decommissioned legacy BART car, what would you transform it into?

I’m really into fantasy. “Lord of the Rings” is my favorite trilogy. It's the best, no debate. I would convert the train into a mini Airbnb in the mountains somewhere, and it would be the most fantastic fantasy-themed room you could rent.

1. Here’s your chance to brag. What’s something cool about BART you’d like to highlight?

The amount of power in our hands. A single train car weighs roughly 60,000 lbs. Multiply that by 10! And it’s in our hands.

1. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned at BART? 

A friendly smile will keep you ten steps ahead of the game with any interaction. You can deescalate a situation, make someone feel safe and cared about, earn trust, even if for a moment. All this can be done with a smile. It works out most times.