Union Pacific Rail Centre

[Foucault]

Union Pacific plans big rail center southeast of Dallas
Complex could spur development along I-45
10:13 PM CST on Thursday, January 29, 2004
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/bus/stories/013004dnbusunionpacific.28994.html

Union Pacific Railroad Co. is planning a sprawling rail center that will be one of the largest businesses ever built on the Interstate 45 corridor south of Dallas. The company will announce its plans for the intermodal shipping complex at ceremonies today. The big industrial facility – which will handle rail shipments from throughout the region – will be in the towns of Wilmer and Hutchins just southwest of where FedEx Corp. is building a shipping center. Union Pacific spokesman John Bromley confirmed that the company was planning to build the complex. The project "will support the international shipping needs of the region and act as a catalyst to future economic growth," the company said in a media advisory it sent out late Thursday.

The 350-acre project will be on I-45 at Wintergreen Road south of Interstate 20. Union Pacific's rail center is likely to fuel additional growth in southern Dallas County, and it's already causing a stir in Wilmer and Hutchins. "These projects will make this a big growth area for industrial [uses]," said Michael Rader, one of the investors who sold land to Union Pacific for the center. "Corporate America follows these facilities." Intermodal facilities transfer cargo containers from ships and trucks onto rail cars and vice versa. Union Pacific recently expanded a similar facility in Rochelle, Ill. Such a center would typically have several hundred employees, but Union Pacific hasn't specified how many jobs it expects the center to generate. Union Pacific, which is based in Omaha, Neb., operates smaller rail centers in Mesquite and on South Central Expressway in Dallas.

'A new focus'

The Wilmer-Hutchins complex will cover more acres and have almost as many facilities as Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.'s intermodal complex at Alliance Airport. That $100 million project was built in 1994. Industrial real estate developers say the Union Pacific rail center could help make the I-45 corridor a major business artery. "It will bring a new focus to the area," said Terry Darrow, president of developer Argent Property. "You have Federal Express down there now under construction. "And there are not that many places left" for industrial building developers to get close to Dallas, he said. "Look at the success we've seen in Pinnacle Park [West Dallas] and Mountain Creek [southwest Dallas]."

Al Sorrels of the Holt Cos. agrees that the time is right for developing the area near I-45 and I-20. "The big, flat building sites on major arteries are just not there anymore," Mr. Sorrels said. "Developers are now tackling sites you would have never thought about five years ago." A large rail center on I-45 would be a magnet for growth, he said. "It won't be instantaneous, but it will happen."

Years of planning

Mr. Rader said he's been promoting the area for industrial development since the 1980s. His Prime Rail Interest Inc. has built industrial parks in North Fort Worth and southern Dallas. "I've been chasing this rail deal for seven years," he said. "It has been put together before, only to fall apart." Mr. Rader's group that sold the land to Union Pacific was one of the developers of the Southport Centre Industrial Park on I-45 and has interests in other large blocks of land in the Wilmer-Hutchins area. FedEx announced plans in August for a 100-acre regional shipping hub in Hutchins that will initially employ about 200 people. The $40 million complex, under construction on Cleveland Road on the east side of I-45, will open next spring. "There are going to be additional announcements of industrial projects in that area," Mr. Rader said. "You will be amazed at the response to this."

[gc]

Excellent!

[CTroyMathis]

I've been quietly following this news for quite awhile and I think it's very cool to say the least - mainly due to the area involved.

The News posted another article here also:
http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/bus/stories/013104dnbusunionpacific.11380.html

The Wilmer/Hutchins area has been garnering an interesting amount of attention in the last few days, also. There have been quite a few DFW area prints about the area discussing serious quantities of housing starts/proposals/stuff like this. Southward bound?

[Cole]

This thing is huge. They have to be done by 2006, I dont see it happening.

Why is this topic in the US and world thread.

[Cole]

Article by Richard Pickard
January 17, 2005
Texas Contractor

Plans for the Union Pacific Dallas Global Intermodal Rail Port in Wilmer-Hutchins actually began seven years ago as an idea in the mind of Mike Rader of Prime Rail Interest, Inc., Fort Worth. Rader built a relationship with the railroads beginning about 10 years ago, and has worked for the past seven years to get them to consider the Wilmer-Hutchins area for an intermodal facility, finally achieving an agreement in early 2004. Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and Congresswoman Edie Bernice Johnson have both been very supportive in this process as well.

According to Rader, "We needed a major user to come to the area to significantly help the cities of Wilmer and Hutchins because there are about 6,000 people living here and about 10,000 to 12,000 acres of developable property so it's a pretty good growth area, and the area is geographically and logistically superior with easy access to I-45, I-20 and I-35, all of which intersect within a five-mile radius. The section of I-20 between I-45 and I-35 also has the highest volume of trucking activity in the Metroplex according to TxDOT statistics, which is one reason FedEx has located their new distribution facility here. The new intermodal facility when completed will also generate additional economic growth in the distribution sector."

Intermodal shipping involves the use of a single type of shipping container which can be transported by truck, rail or ship, thereby saving time by not requiring unpacking and repacking of cargo. According to Rader, "the use of intermodal shipping is the fastest growing segment of the railroad business, largely in part because of lowered fuel costs and the existing truck labor market. It's becoming more effective and efficient to ship products intermodal instead of using long-haul trucking." Wilmer-Hutchins was a logical location for a new metroplex rail port, with convenient truck and rail access to and from Houston, Dallas and Mexico as well as destinations east and west of the Metroplex.

The joint venture of Prime Interest and AUI Contractors broke ground on the rail port project at the end of June 2004, with a goal of being having it operational in June 2005. To speed progress, T.J. Lambrecht Construction began moving earth for site preparation while Halff Associates continued designing the final phases. AUI Contractors of Fort Worth is managing construction of the $70-million project.

Lockwood, Andrews & Newman, Inc. is overseeing Quality Control for Union Pacific Railroad.

The 350-acre site between Wintergreen and Pleasant Run Roads, approximately 9,000 feet in length and 1,800 feet wide, is almost evenly bisected by the boundary line between the cities of Wilmer and Hutchins. The Union Pacific rail line along the west side of the property provides the rail access, while I-45 along the east will serve the truck traffic. The 350-acre intermodal facility is part of a larger planned 7,500-acre industrial complex which will allow distributors and manufacturers to locate near the facility. FedEx was the first to take advantage of this area, recently moving into their new distribution center nearby.

Bill Chavez, AUI's construction manager at the site, says "there will be 174 acres of concrete pavement, necessitating 400,000 tons of aggregate brought in by rail, and 91,000 lineal feet of track. It's one of the fastest mandated jobs in the Metroplex as far as schedule requirements, because we have to be up and running by June 15, 2005. Given the weather and time of year it will be an extreme challenge."

The project has been split into several packages for subcontractors, include mass grading, installation of on-site utilities, channelizing of creeks and drainage, paving, an industrial package, sanitary water package with three water quality control ponds, a pneumatic system to control the railroad track switching mechanisms, electrical work, landscaping, and fencing of the entire facility upon completion.

T.J. Lambrecht Construction of Euless has moved approximately 1.4 million cubic yards of material during mass grading of the site. In addition to leveling the terrain to grade, Lambrecht diverted three creeks into new channels and created three stormwater control ponds. The next grading phase will move an additional 100,000 cubic yards.

The site design and engineering is being done by Halff Associates of Frisco, with Dennis Chovan leading the design work. Because part of the property was located within the 100-year floodplain, Halff Associates had to prepare a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) and have it approved by FEMA for their work within the floodplain. Halff also had to obtain a US Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permit for the wetlands and jurisdictional waters impacted by the project. It was also necessary to design an improved utility infrastructure for Wilmer and Hutchins to be able to support the facility, including changing the water supply of the city of Wilmer from wells to Dallas city water and rerouting the existing water lines around the edge of the facility. This not only enabled support for the new facility, but also improved the quality of the water for the population of Wilmer. It was also necessary to engineer a substantially improved drainage system of the site because it rests within two major flood plains.

AUI is installing the on-site utilities and is building the storm drain system with 36,000 lineal feet of concrete drainpipe and 48,000 lineal feet of perforated pipe to assure proper drainage of the rest of the site. AUI is also installing the main underground electrical feed, but all above ground electrical work will be done by S&J Electric.

Austin Bridge & Road in partnership with TXI of Midlothian will place 825,000 square yards of concrete pavement, varying from 8 inches to 16 inches thick over a lime stabilized base covered with a Grade A Type I flex base of crushed concrete provided by Big City Crushed Concrete of Dallas. The paved lot will have 5,000 container spaces between two sets of working tracks. Aggregate for the rail yard sub-ballast has been shipped by truck from TXI's Bridgeport location. The ballast will be provided by Union Pacific and is to be shipped by rail from Arkansas.

Lonestar Railroad contractors of Memphis, Tennessee, are currently building the lead-in lines to tie the facility into the existing Union Pacific rail line, with a 5,000-foot lead in on the north side and a 2,500-foot lead in on the south end. Lonestar will ultimately lay almost 20 miles of track inside the facility. Overhead cranes straddling the working tracks will alter the flat prairie landscape, signaling that this place is indeed Texas' newest port.

AUI Pyramid Building Systems will construct the operational buildings at the facility, including an 8,000-square-foot administration building, a 13,500-square-foot maintenance facility, and a 200-square-foot drivers kiosk at the entrance where the drivers will be identified and cleared for entry and exit and cargo manifests will be checked.

Thus far the main obstacle to construction has been weather. Rains in June, July and August, including a record 12-inch rainfall and flooding on July 29, have slowed progress. The driest month has been September, but according to Glenn Strother, president of AUI, "we've lost 38 days of construction just in the first five months...that is 38 days above the average loss."

Once completed, the Union Pacific Dallas Intermodal Terminal will be able to handle 2,000 trucks per day. The gate will be fully computerized, using an SAIC control system, which will include computer-controlled high-speed cameras to scan trucks and containers at the entrance, as well as have the ability to scan driver's fingerprints. Trucks checking into the facility will be able to clear the entrance in under 10 minutes. Sensors installed underneath the pavement by S&J Electric will be used to direct the trucks within the facility so there is no time wasted.

Once completed and in operation, we can expect more economic growth in the Wilmer-Hutchins area as corporate America moves large distribution centers into the area to take advantage of the new Union Pacific Dallas Global Intermodal Rail Port.

[gc]

^ Good point. Moved.

[drycreek]

awesome

[RobertB]

Bill Chavez, AUI's construction manager at the site, says "there will be 174 acres of concrete pavement, necessitating 400,000 tons of aggregate brought in by rail, and 91,000 lineal feet of track. It's one of the fastest mandated jobs in the Metroplex as far as schedule requirements, because we have to be up and running by June 15, 2005. Given the weather and time of year it will be an extreme challenge."
I think the above explains why the project ended up in Wilmer-Hutchins. They're desperate. What other city in the Metroplex would be willing to take the massive environmental hit of 174 acres of concrete? That's more than a quarter of a square mile. The effect on downstream flooding will be huge, but who in W-H will dare to stand in its way? With a school board that seems bent on self-destruction, it's not like the towns can attract anyone else. In the race to the bottom, Wilmer and Hutchins came out on top. I don't know whether to offer congratulations or condolences.

That said, this will be a great thing for the southern sector economy, if not the environment. Though it does hasten the day when Kaufman and Ennis become the next McKinney. I still figure we've got 10-15 years before it becomes too intolerable.

[Cole]

That said, this will be a great thing for the southern sector economy, if not the environment. Though it does hasten the day when Kaufman and Ennis become the next McKinney. I still figure we've got 10-15 years before it becomes too intolerable.

I couldnt agree more.

[texman]

I think the above explains why the project ended up in Wilmer-Hutchins. They're desperate. What other city in the Metroplex would be willing to take the massive environmental hit of 174 acres of concrete? That's more than a quarter of a square mile. The effect on downstream flooding will be huge, but who in W-H will dare to stand in its way? With a school board that seems bent on self-destruction, it's not like the towns can attract anyone else. In the race to the bottom, Wilmer and Hutchins came out on top. I don't know whether to offer congratulations or condolences.


I think your right about that. There was an article awhile back about how all the growth and concrete has caused some major flooding problems for north Dallas/subrubs. Can you imagine south Dallas with already bad flooding?

Also, with the crime in Wilmer Hutchins, I hope this intermodal center doesnt become like Houston's infamous Englewood Railroad Yard.

[texman]

I was on I45 this weekend south of Dallas and saw a massive construction project going on RIGHT next to the freeway. Is this the yard their building?

[Tnekster]

^Yes it is.

[RobertB]

In a piece about the DISD's takeover of the beyond-troubled Wilmer-Hutchins school district, the Dallas Observer's Jim Schutze says that the Dallas district's unanimous decision to approve the takeover has as much to do with the Union Pacific terminal's future tax revenues (http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2005-07-21/news/schutze.html) as it does with doing the Right Thing.

Schutze goes on to suggest that Lancaster was short-sighted to reject the W-H students, but I disagree. DISD is large enough that it can wait a few years for the project to come on-line. Lancaster would have to spend a much larger proportion of its budget to take in the W-H kids. The impact will be a mosquito bite in Dallas, but for Lancaster, it would have been like slitting their wrists in hopes of future bandages.

Full discussion of the W-H schools issue is available in this thread (http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=3802).

[Tnekster]

^The project comes on line Aug 1.

[RobertB]

^The project comes on line Aug 1.
I wonder if the tax base will be there at that time, though. I don't see anything in this thread about tax abatements or incentives, but I'd be surprised if W-H hadn't sweetened the deal to draw UP to town. In that case, the tax base will gradually improve (in theory at least) as UP ramps up employment in the area, and people are drawn to move to W-H (by what, the great schools? :confused: )

It may take 10 years or more (number pulled out of the air) for tax revenues to catch up to expenses. DISD is in a better position to absorb this hit than Lancaster would have been.

[freewaytincan]

Is this where there's all that bare ground and a couple of steel buildings with a cement mixer off of I-45?

[X Factor]

Yeah

[freewaytincan]

Yeah

Oh wow, it's freaking huge!

[X Factor]

Yeah, you really can't see most of it due to the dirt mounds along the side of the Interstate. but it is very large.