Track Structure

UP’s new Osage River bridge officially opens

Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo, along with representatives of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), Union Pacific, Amtrak and contractor OCCI, Inc., officially opened a new Union Pacific $28-million 1,200-foot railroad bridge across the Osage River, ahead of schedule and under budget.

Gross & Janes begins construction on new crosstie production and treatment facility

Gross & Janes Co. has begun construction of a new $2.2-million crosstie production and borate treatment facility in Camden, Ark. The new facility will replace an existing Gross & Janes crosstie plant and also consolidate production from two other company plants in Taylor, Ark., and Carthage, Texas.

When fully operational after its scheduled completion in March 2014, the plant will employ 15 people and have the capacity to produce 600,000 crossties annually.

“The Camden location was chosen for its logistical advantages in serving three of our largest railroad clients, including Union Pacific, BNSF and Kansas City Southern,” said Mike Pourney, president and CEO of Gross & Janes. “In addition, the surrounding area in southern Arkansas has some of the best oak timber in the country. This area is also home to some of our most productive sawmills.”

Most crossties processed at the new Camden facility will be Gross & Janes’ borate pre-treated crossties called Tuff-Tie. This crosstie is treated with borate using a non-pressurized process prior to drying and shipping to the customer for creosote treatment. The company notes that this two-step treatment process eliminates the cost of pressurized application of borate at the time of creosote application, while also offsetting the amount of oil-based creosote needed for tie protection.

When the new Camden facility opens, the Carthage plant will remain open as a railcar loading facility and the Taylor plant will close.

Stella-Jones completes acquisition of The Pacific Wood Preserving Companies

Stella-Jones Inc. has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the operating assets of Arizona Pacific Wood Preserving, Inc., Nevada Wood Preserving, Inc., and Pacific Wood Preserving of Oregon, Inc., (commonly referred to as The Pacific Wood Preserving Companies®) conducted at their wood treating plants in Oregon, Nevada and Arizona and their wood concentration yard in Texas.