Union Pacific Completes Multi-Year Texas Siding Projects to Expedite Track Speed
Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
Crews place shotcrete to create a new soil nail wall under a bridge.
Union Pacific
East of Dallas, Union Pacific recently completed a multi-year infrastructure project that started in December 2020. In order to improve the state's rail potential, the Class 1 has had 12 construction, rail, signal, surface, and tie teams working on a wide range of track projects.
Union Pacific teams built 7.5 miles of new main line track connecting the existing Marshall and Keokuk sidings, and upgrading the sidings to handle higher track speeds, said James Mross, manager-Track Construction.
“This project expedites traffic between Little Rock, Arkansas, and Dallas, Texas, on a busy UPS and Amtrak route,” Mross said.
The Class 1 said the siding projects were completed 100% injury-free project completion and involved 250,000 cubic yards of excavation. Crews installed one soil nail wall; built two pier protection structures; constructed two new concrete bridges for the new mainline track; and built a 3,000-foot set-out track.
“This busy piece of our railroad sees up to 40 trains per day, is a crew change location, has a local serving yard and is near service unit boundaries,” said David Pratt, senior manager-Resource Planning. “Combining all of these elements with some of Union Pacific’s fastest growing intermodal business lanes, this 8-mile double track project supports improved operations and customer experience.”
Additional recent coverage of Union Pacific by RT&S is available here.
