BNSF News

Alliance Expansion Project Receives Award

2008-03-03

The BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility (IMF) Expansion Project has been honored with an " Excellence in Construction" award. This $32.5-million capital expansion project provided additional staging and storage capacity for intermodal train traffic, as well as the installation of a new Automated Gate System (AGS).

The award, in the "Heavy Infrastructure Category," was presented to AUI Contractors and BNSF by the North Texas Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors. Josh Ruple, manager, and Chris Varela, project engineer, both on BNSF’s construction team in Engineering, accepted the award on BNSF’s behalf.

The Excellence in Construction (EIC) awards recognize the quality and innovation of construction projects. The entries are judged on their complexity, attractiveness, unusual challenges, completion time, workmanship, safety and budgets. Despite more than 50-plus days of rain, the Alliance IMF Expansion Project was completed on-time and within budget.

Another reason the project won the award is the sheer economic impact it stands to have on the fast-growing North Texas region. The project will substantially expand the intermodal terminal’s lift capacity. "By alleviating infrastructure constraints at the intermodal facility, we are better suited to meet our customers’ needs," explains Varela about the transportation improvements.

Construction at Alliance began in 2007 and wrapped up early 2008. Intermodal operations continued during the massive project. Two new 8,000-foot storage tracks were constructed, and four others were extended to 8,000 feet. Additionally, the north and south leads into the facility were extended to accommodate full-length trains. To extend the leads, 11,400 feet of new track were constructed, as well as two concrete bridges totaling 800 feet in length and a 2,000-foot long retaining wall.

"This project will have a direct and positive impact on our current capacity at Alliance IMF and on the system velocity metrics," said Ruple. "Additionally, the success of the project and receipt of the EIC Award is a great example of how our ‘team’ drives success!"

The Alliance project now will compete for the same EIC award at the national level. The winner of that honor will be announced at a Washington, D.C., ceremony in June.

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