Baton Rouge Southern Rail Yard
Olsson Associates was hired by WATCO Companies to provide a full range of services for a rail yard project in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from survey to design to final construction observation services. The overall project involves an approximately $20 million expansion of the existing rail yard facility, which is located on the northwest side of Baton Rouge.
With a new industry coming on board and the need to provide enhanced service to the surrounding rail-served industries, the existing yard needed to increase its capacity from a 600 car storage yard to 2,000 car storage yard. Along with the increased capacity, improvements to the rail operations were required, along with a rail car repair facility and a locomotive fueling facility. Approximately 20 miles of new track are being constructed, and approximately seven miles of existing track are being rehabilitated to improve efficiency and safety of rail operations.
Services Olsson has provided for this project include the following: project management, topographic survey, environmental wetlands delineation and permitting, rail and site design, utility coordination, SWPPP plans, construction observation and material testing, and track centerline staking. Olsson coordinated with the City of Baton Rouge to approve the street crossings, which included the installation of two new crossings and the removal of three existing crossing. Extensive coordination with multiple gas companies was also conducted to abandon or encase existing lines that conflicted with the proposed rail improvements.
A fast-paced project, design and construction began in December 2008, and final project build out was completed in September 2009.
With a new industry coming on board and the need to provide enhanced service to the surrounding rail-served industries, the existing yard needed to increase its capacity from a 600 car storage yard to 2,000 car storage yard. Along with the increased capacity, improvements to the rail operations were required, along with a rail car repair facility and a locomotive fueling facility. Approximately 20 miles of new track are being constructed, and approximately seven miles of existing track are being rehabilitated to improve efficiency and safety of rail operations.
Services Olsson has provided for this project include the following: project management, topographic survey, environmental wetlands delineation and permitting, rail and site design, utility coordination, SWPPP plans, construction observation and material testing, and track centerline staking. Olsson coordinated with the City of Baton Rouge to approve the street crossings, which included the installation of two new crossings and the removal of three existing crossing. Extensive coordination with multiple gas companies was also conducted to abandon or encase existing lines that conflicted with the proposed rail improvements.
A fast-paced project, design and construction began in December 2008, and final project build out was completed in September 2009.