America’s Central Port to add more than four miles of new track

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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Rail crew begins replacement of old tracks at America’s Central Port.
America’s Central Port

America’s Central Port District (ACP), located in Granite City and Madison, Ill., expects to complete the construction of 4.25 miles of new track throughout its business and industrial campus by the end of 2016.  

 

Representatives say the newly-constructed track will double the total amount of new rail construction completed by the port throughout the past 15 years. 

Halfway through September, rail contractors mobilized on two major rail projects at ACP, work intended to boost efficiency and rail throughput, decrease congestion and provide adequate capacity to meet future needs.

The first of the projects is meant to provide rail access to a 60-acre development site in the center of the ACP’s campus. The project also entails the renovation of “Track 3,” which serves two of the six primary warehouses located in the industrial campus.

The existing track dates back to the late 1800s and was installed by the Army during World War II to transport military materials. Representatives say the new track will be upgraded to meet current standards and provide tenants the infrastructure needed to handle maximum traffic conditions.

“This is a great opportunity for the [ACP] to assist St. Louis area companies that need rail,” said Bill Stahlman, director of engineering and construction for ACP. “Our new rail construction opens us up to many new markets, and above all, keeps our customers’ shipping costs to a minimum. Nationwide, 60 percent of a manufacturing companies’ costs are in transportation. We are working hard to reduce that number for our tenants.”

A U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant funded both the new track construction project and the track renovation, and it was matched with a loan from Illinois’ Madison County Community Development, representatives say.

The second major rail project is the expansion of the South Rail Loop. The initial, single rail loop track was constructed in 2009 and will now see the addition of two adjacent tracks to meet the growing rail needs at the harbor. More than 15,185 feet of rail will be constructed for the project, allowing for increased train capacity.

“At a time when our states and federal government are struggling to build and maintain their infrastructure, [ACP] is showing that it can be done, and businesses will take

Representatives say the ACP is fully funding the $2.5 million project through loans.

Both projects are scheduled for completion by Jan. 1, 2017, and they are expected to allow the port to accommodate multiple unit trains simultaneously and better serve their customers.

 “We have such a unique opportunity in our region,” said Dr. Charles King, chairman of the ACP board. “Our location in the heart of our nation’s transportation system allows us to offer unique and efficient transportation advantages to our tenants and the region, and the Commissioners and staff at the Port want to be sure that we are capitalizing on all of those opportunities.”

The ACP’s engineering and planning staff members are also in the midst of preparing for the next several projects. The future projects would renovate about five to six miles of track and improve the capacity for their operators, officials say.

“The port has a commitment to our tenants and our region,” King said. “Our talented staff never stops looking for ways to not only improve the infrastructure we have in place, but to add to it. With the growing population and the projected increase in demand for goods, we want to be best prepared to handle those increased amounts of freight. Our goal has been, and remains to provide our tenants and the region with the maximum transPORTunities, so that together we can leverage the St. Louis Region as the transportation powerhouse it is naturally designed to be.”

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