Port of Tucson celebrates rail improvements

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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Union Pacific’s Wes Lujan, vice president–Public Affairs, Western Region; Andy Perez, director–Public Affairs and Paul MacDonald, regional director-Industrial Development-West join local, state and federal officials at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Port of Tucson, Arizona, May 12. Photo was not taken on live track.
Union Pacific

The Federal Railroad Administration, Pima County Arizona, the Port of Tucson and Union Pacific joined in a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 12, celebrating the expansion of the port's rail infrastructure.

 

The Port of Tucson‘s existing intermodal container rail export facility is located in the city of Tucson, west of Kolb Road and adjacent to the Union Pacific‘s Sunset Corridor. Additionally, with its proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, the facility stimulates trade and business relationships on both sides of the border. It also enables the region’s businesses to access the Asian Pacific seaports through the Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach as well as private facilities.

The $5-million project, funded by a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 2013 grant, extended Union Pacific’s Wilmot siding and installed high-speed powered switches to eliminate the need to slow and stop arriving trains. The Port of Tucson had already installed a double-loop track so it could simultaneously unload and reload trains to prepare commodities for international markets. Union Pacific has also added a new mainline switch to increase flexible operations at this site to further take advantage of the TIGER improvements at the port.

This expansion of the Port of Tucson’s infrastructure east of Kolb Road will facilitate higher speed access between the Union Pacific mainline and the Port of Tucson’s International Intermodal yard and provide the region with improved access to international trade via ocean containers.

“The Port of Tucson is an impressive facility that is a full service inland port that services multiple steamship lines, warehousing services, transloading, cold storage, bulk and wind and energy components,” said Wes Lujan, Union Pacific vice president – Public Affairs, Western Region. “Most importantly, the port shares our commitment to safety, reducing traffic congestion and running environmentally responsible operations.”

 

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