A 2012 map of the now completed Nueces River Rail Yard, which runs about 15,400 feet along the Fulton Corridor Lead Track at the Port of Corpus Christi. Courtesy Illustration
Phase I of the Nueces River Rail Yard at the Port of Corpus Christi is on track to begin using its new 9,920 feet of siding tracks for storage of train cars this April. A grand opening ceremony is planned for Friday, April 10.
Train siding capable of storing a 150-car train was built along the Fulton Corridor Lead track. Now, trains can be staged without blocking movement along the Fulton Corridor which connects railcars to the Union Pacific Main Line.
“This new rail yard will greatly improve efficiency of existing cargo movement at Port Corpus Christi’s multimodal facilities,” announced the Port of Corpus Christi in a recent news release.
Serving Port Industries of Corpus Christi, an alliance of refiners, chemical manufacturers, rig fabrication sites and other supporting industries, the rail yard consists of four parallel ladder tracks. Total yard capacity includes the ability to move and store 15,400 feet of rail cars, the equivalent of about 223 cars.
Unit trains are used to ship and store grain, sand, rock, liquids and other similar cargo. This first phase of the two-part project cost $17.8 million in construction. Of that, $10 million was provided by a federal TIGER grant. Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants are discretionary funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The rest of the money came from Union Pacific, Kansas City Souther, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Geneses Wyoming and the port.
Phase II begins as phase I opens next month, with work set to be completed by the end of 2016. The rail yard will add four more siding tracks at 8,000 feet long.
