WaaTeeKaa Historic Railcar

  • Client
    Bechtel
  • Location
    Reston, VA
  • Size
    610-SF
A crane lifts a brown railcar high in the air

Project Brief

This year, DAVIS took on one of our most unique projects ever, installing Bechtel’s WaaTeeKaa Railcar at their new headquarters in Reston! In the early 20th century, WaaTeeKaa acted as a mobile home for company founder Steve Bechtel and his family as they traveled to the company’s jobsites. Delivering WaaTeeKaa to its new home in Reston was an intensive process. Our team coordinated a cross-country trip from San Francisco to Baltimore—then, the railcar was lifted onto a lowbed trick to made its trip to Reston. Restoration work was done to prepare for its final relocation to the Bechtel HQ’s courtyard. Finally, the railcar was loaded back onto a low-boy trailer and placed in its new home. Weighing 63,500 pounds and measuring 61 feet long, the WaaTeeKaa replica serves as a testament to the company’s rich history and commitment to innovation.

A group of construction workers stands near a red railcar
The inside of Bechtel's railcar museum, with tv screens and text depicting the company history
A large screen with a historical photo of the Bechtel corporation, with a smaller screen in front of it
A screen with a historical photo of the Bechtel corporation, with designed text next to it describing the company's history