Union Pacific has invested over $370 million in their new 785-acre intermodal complex located near Chicago, which is still the nation’s largest rail center.

Construction began in August 2009, with the initial construction phase to be completed in June 2010.

Intermodal traffic continues to expand, and this facility is part of the larger CenterPoint Intermodal Center, a 3,900-acre integrated complex.

“Our new intermodal terminal demonstrates Union Pacific’s unwavering commitment to provide outstanding customer service and make additional investments in our communities. Ultimately, the impact means good paying jobs for the community, growth in the markets we serve and an expansion of the role of rail – one of the ‘greenest’ and safest modes of freight transportation.” – Jim Young, CEO

CIC – Joliet Intermodal Terminal will feature:

• Four 8,000-foot tracks with capacity to handle the loading or unloading of 107 intermodal “double-stack” rail cars.
• Six 8,000-foot tracks to give train crews the ability to sort rail cars by destination.
• An additional six tracks to stage rail cars prior to unloading or loading.
• Four cranes that straddle the rail cars and two rubber-tired mobile “packers” that lift trailers and containers on and off rail cars. The cranes are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, increasing loading and unloading efficiencies.
• More than 3,400 “staging” or parking places for trailers and containers.
• An advanced Yard System that coordinates all movement of rail cars, trucks, trailers and containers at the facility.
• AGS Gate technology that decreases truck processing time from five minutes to between 30 to 90 seconds.
• A state-of-the-art security system.

In early July, an Amtrak passenger train collided with a car carrying five teenagers at a grade crossing near Detroit, MI.  Everyone in the car was killed.

The car apparently tried to drive around the warning gates and beat the train, and the driver had a long history of reckless driving.  It has also been recently reported that his license was under suspension at the time of the crash.

Commuters aboard the train say they felt little to no impact from the crash, while the car was crushed instantly.  No one aboard the train was injured.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  When it’s a tie at a railroad crossing…you will lose:

A CSX train headed for Rochester, NY derailed near downtown Columbus, OH on Sunday afternoon.

The intersection of Neil Avenue and Vine Street, located in the Arena District, has been closed for cleanup as crews work on clearing debris left behind as 6 to 8 coal cars spilled their loads into parking lots near Nationwide Arena.

Bridge inspectors and engineers have been called in to determine the currently unknown cause of the derailment, and to decide if the bridge is safe for other trains to use.  No one was injured in the accident.

Sources:  610 WTVN and WTTE Fox 28