An often-spouted complaint about public infrastructure projects is how long they take to complete. California High-Speed Rail, a perennial punching bag, is slated to get its initial operating segment running by 2031 at the earliest. A recent project in Japan flipped that notion on its head. The West Japan Railway Company, also known as JR West, replaced an entire station with 3D-printed prefabricated pieces in under three hours last week. The company also claims the construction costs were half that of reinforced concrete.

JR West used this new construction method to replace Hatsushima Station, a small wooden station built in 1949 and served less than 400 passengers per day. The company waited for an overnight lull in the schedule, then quickly sent its workers into action. The new station was pieced together with four hallow 3D-printed mortar pieces, according to the Japan Times. At the work site, the pieces were filled with rebar and concrete to provide the same earthquake resistance as traditionally built stations. Despite the blazing fast construction time, JR West aims to open the new station in July.