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TGB Group

Author: Doug Thomas

  • News on Our Big Spring McMahon Industrial Park Transload Yard Project

    News on Our Big Spring McMahon Industrial Park Transload Yard Project

    Where we are in this multifaceted project

    TGB Group has completed surveying and engineering work for the Big Spring Mahon-Wrinkle Industrial Park Transload Yard, a project that began earlier in the year.

    We are currently working on the construction of the transload yard with Big Spring Economic Development Corporation. Railworks Track Systems and DIFFCO, LLC were the selected rail and civil contractors for the project for which TGB Group is providing construction management services. So far, we have completed the ditching and surfacing and are beginning to fill the ditches with riprap. TGB team member Logan Ortiz P.E. is performing construction observation duties for the project. He is on-site at the industrial park every week, ensuring that the contractors build everything according to client-approved engineering documents.

    Riprap

    Riprap is essentially chunks of rock approximately one to two feet in diameter that are used to prevent erosion. Rocks typically used as riprap include granite, limestone and sometimes concrete. Riprap is particularly important to fill ditches near railroad yards to prevent water from eventually eroding the dirt beneath the track. If erosion is allowed to happen, a void will develop within the dirt under the track. As trains pass over this void, the railroad track will bend and “pump” into the dirt. The only way to fix this void is to have a railroad contractor come and fill in the void, which is an expensive and time-consuming process.

    Drone Footage

    Jake Cooper, TGB’s business development manager, took some drone footage of the construction in the transload yard. The first video is footage for the entire project from the south end, to the north end.

    This second video is closer footage from about the middle, to the north end.

    To learn more about our work with the Big Spring McMahon Industrial Park Transload Yard, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

  • Design Work to Commence for Diesel Terminal in West Texas

    Design Work to Commence for Diesel Terminal in West Texas

    TGB Group is providing plans for 50,000 feet of track for the facility

    We’re in the process of launching a design project for a new diesel terminal in west Texas.  Diesel fuel is used in a variety of applications in our region including power for vehicles and machinery as well as in the expanding oil fracking industry.  Our client wants to be prepared for the considerable growth expected in this industry, and the plans we create will help them do just that.

    The diesel terminal in west Texas will have a storage capacity of up to 160,000 barrels of diesel fuel, which will be delivered via railroad.  In order for the facility to accommodate this high demand, we’re overseeing the design and construction of more than 50,000 feet of railroad track.

    When the track is in place, two loaded unit trains with approximately 100 railcars each will be able to access the facility concurrently.  The railcars will empty into one of several 40,000-barrel storage tanks, after which trucks will load the diesel and transport it out to the oil fields.

    How diesel is used in fracking

    Fracking fluid, commonly referred to as frac fluid, is a mixture of specific chemicals including diesel fuel used to increase the amount of hydrocarbons that can be extracted during drilling operations.  In addition to keeping the well from becoming corroded, frac fuel serves as a lubricant during the extraction process and helps to prevent machinery clogs and the growth of bacteria in and around the drilling site.

    The specific chemical mixture of frac fluid will vary from well to well.  Great care must be taken when working around this fluid as some of the compounds used in it can pose health risks.

    To learn more about our design work for this diesel terminal in west Texas, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

  • TGB Group Sponsors Transportation Club of Houston Golf Tournament

    TGB Group Sponsors Transportation Club of Houston Golf Tournament

    Event helps raise money for scholarships

    Jake Cooper, TGB Group’s business development manger.

    TGB Group was a key sponsor of the recent Transportation Club of Houston golf tournament held at Cypresswood Golf Club in Spring, Texas.  In addition to providing a great time for the many participants from transportation, logistics and port companies, the event focused on raising money for college scholarships for individuals wanting to enter the transportation industry.

    We helped the money-raising effort by donating a state-of-the-art putter from Odyssey Golf as one of the raffle prizes.  For a year now, TGB has sponsored and supported the Transportation Club of Houston, and we’ve enjoyed the relationships we’ve built with many groups and individuals associated with the organization.

    About the Transportation Club of Houston

    The club was founded in 1915 and has been an active partner in helping Houston to become the capital of Texas commerce.  Serving the community through involvements in education, volunteerism and scholarships, the club embraces a mission that “fosters the networking, interaction, and education of stakeholders for all modes of transportation.”

    With a focus on helping students obtain college degrees in the fields of logistics and transportation, the club raises thousands of dollars each year for scholarships at accredited higher-learning institutions.  The majority of all scholarship funding is generated through annual spring and fall golf tournaments.

    Our participation

    TGB Group believes strongly in higher education and training for individuals seeking to enter the wide variety of transportation-related fields.  We typically send two of our employees to the Transportation Club of Houston golf tournaments to help with their scholarships campaign.  Along with playing the course, we also sponsor a hole and provide door prizes, which help bring more people to the event.

    We’d like to encourage everyone to give of their time and/or money to help the many great community-based organizations we have here in Houston.  Together we can make a big change for the better.

  • TGB Group to Design Transload Facility

    TGB Group to Design Transload Facility

    Wolf Basin Logistics

    Project for Wolf Basin Logistics in Big Spring, Texas, Is Underway

    TGB Group has finalized a contract with Alor Trucking of Big Spring, Texas, to design and develop a new transload facility in that city. The facility will employ a rail-to-truck transloading process that will be used primarily for the transport of barite, pipe and diesel fuel. TGB engineers are currently working through the design phase of the transload facility. As with many other projects we undertake, this one will require a very quick turnaround to allow construction to begin in 2018.

    Scope of the transload facility project

    Wolf Basin Logistics in 2017 purchased the 17-acre site, which will be dedicated to the new transload facility. When the project is finished, the company will have the capacity to transload up to 53 railcars on eight separate tracks. Plans also call for a warehouse adjacent to the transloading facility. The warehouse will encompass approximately 37,000 square feet and have its own rail spur capable of unloading from boxcars into the building.

    Services TGB Group will provide

    Survey

    • Provide topographic and boundary survey of lots.
    • Site/civil design for the new rail car transload including site grading, dimension plan, pavements, rail layout, truck scale design (includes truck-turning movements), stormwater drainage.
    • Design review with Big Spring Railroad and the City of Big Spring for approval.

    Bidding and contractor selection

    • Prepare bid documents and solicit pricing for construction from qualified site and rail contractors for the proposed rail car transload development.
    • Tabulation of bids and recommendation to client on contractor selection.

    Stormwater pollution prevention plan

    • Prepare the erosion control plan and SWPPP in accordance with TCEQ for the proposed rail car transload facility site development.
    • Prepare Notice of Intent for client signature.

    Construction Administration

    • Review shop drawings and submittals; answer contractor questions regarding site work during construction.
    • Provide onsite construction observer during key phases of construction to ensure construction is being completed as planned.

    Other work in Big Spring

    Earlier this year, TGB Group was hired by the Big Spring Economic Development Corporation to design and manage the construction of a large project at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring. This project, which was approved for construction in March 2018, included numerous elements within an industrial park rail expansion for the Big Spring Railroad.

    To learn more about this transloading facility design project in Big Spring, Texas, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (866) 217-7794

  • New Frac Sand Terminal Design Contract

    New Frac Sand Terminal Design Contract

    Plans for frac sand facility underway in west Texas

    TGB Group recently signed a contract to provide services for a rail-served frac sand terminal design project in west Texas. The terminal is in the initial design stages, with construction expected to begin in early 2019. This is the first of several sand terminal projects our client company will build.

    Frac sand terminal design specs

    The frac sand terminal design project will involve more than six miles of track, including receiving and departure tracks and loading tracks accessible from the sand dryers. The facility is being designed with a capacity to inbound an entire empty unit train, which will be spotted for loading sand by our client’s locomotives and then repositioned on the outbound track for departure, all within 24 hours.

    Plans also call for a large sand drying facility in the vicinity of the yard that will allow cars to be loaded quickly from above. The client is weighing the prospects of handling inbound oil field supplies such as chemicals and pipe.

    About frac sand

    Frac sand is an extremely pure quartz sand known for its round and virtually non-destructible grains. It is used widely throughout the petroleum industry. When the surface of the earth is fractured using hydraulic machinery, water pours into the newly created openings. This inflates the rock fractures and causes them to grow deeper. A large quantity of sand is carried by a blast of water deep into the fractures. Once in place, the sand affords a faster rate of recovery of natural gas, petroleum, water and other fluids from subterranean reservoirs.

    We’ll post updates on this project in the coming months as designs are finalized and construction begins.

    To learn more about frac sand terminal design or to get further specs on this west Texas project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

  • TGB Group Creates Connection with TEDC (Texas Economic Development Council)

    TGB Group Creates Connection with TEDC (Texas Economic Development Council)

    Business Development Manager Jake Cooper joins council’s legislative committee

    Representatives from TGB Group attended the recent Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) conference, held Feb. 22 in San Antonio, Texas.  During the conference, Jake Cooper, who oversees business development for TGB, joined the council’s legislative committee.

    Jake has been with TGB since September, 2017 and is tasked with generating new business for the company by establishing liaisons with potential customers and area engineers and designers.  He looks forward to helping the TEDC committee push for better representation and development opportunities for the cities of Texas.

    Based in Austin, Texas, TEDC is a non-profit professional association that creates economic and employment opportunities throughout Texas.  It is the largest association of its kind in the state.  TGB is proud to now have a voice in TEDC operations as we all look toward to increasing Texas business development and strengthening our economy.

    The Feb. 22 conference was attended by more than 150 people, primarily representatives of city economic development organizations with the balance made up of contractors, engineering firms and other companies engaged in municipal projects.  The central topic of the conference was addressing the challenges faced by Texas cities in increasing economic development as well as assessing opportunities for local investment and economic growth.

    At TGB Group, our sights are set on building strong relationships with cities across Texas.  In recent months, we’ve designed several projects in Big Spring, Texas.  We are helping them build the Big Spring Railroad support yard and working with the city to develop some spec warehouse space in the McMahon Wrinkle Air/Industrial Park.

    In addition, we recently completed the design of several streets and a water-main in a 177-acre industrial park for the Jacksboro, Texas Economic Development Council.

    With every new project, we’re working hard to help Texas grow and realize its fullest potential with increased revenue and more jobs for our residents.

  • Industrial Park Rail Expansion in Big Spring, Texas

    Industrial park rail expansion scheduled at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas.

    Industrial Park Rail Expansion in Big Spring, Texas

    TGB Group will provide design plans and construction management at this historic airpark

    TGB Group has been retained by the Big Spring Economic Development Corporation to design and manage construction of an industrial park rail expansion for the Big Spring Railroad at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas.

    The project at this city-owned, public-use airfield and industrial park will include the laying of more than 8,000 feet of track to allow for the expansion of storage and switching capacity of the Big Spring Rail System.  Plans also call for extending the main line track so that properties adjacent to the park can be accessed.

    Key services TGB is providing for the industrial park rail expansion include:

    • Topographic survey and construction staking
    • Complete engineering design
    • Preparation of necessary forms to obtain FAA, air park and railroad approvals
    • Construction administration
    industrial park rail expansion
    Industrial park rail expansion scheduled at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas.

    A former WWII airfield

    Operated as Big Spring Army Airfield by the U.S. Army during World War II, the Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport occupies about 2,200 acres of land and features two runways and a 4,000-square-foot air terminal.  Primary activities at the airport include recreational flying, agricultural spraying, corporate aviation and flight instruction.  The facility manages the Hangar 25 Air Museum, hosts various air shows and was the location of the 2007 Hang Gliding World Championships.

    Bidding, contractor selection and our new drone

    After our design plans are completed and approved, the TGB team will provide bidding and contractor selection services for the project.  We will also engage in comprehensive management of construction activities to ensure that all specifications are adhered to and that the project is completed according to time schedules.

    Assisting us in construction management will be our new Phantom 4 drone that will provide high-definition photos and video of work activities during various building phases and at the completion of the project.  The addition of this drone to our arsenal of tools allows us to bring unmatched accuracy of visual data to all survey activities.

    Construction for the project is slated to begin March 1 and last approximately four months.

    To learn more about the industrial park rail expansion at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park or to get further specs on this project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

  • TGB Group Now Equipped with Construction Site Drone Technology

    The Phantom 4 construction site drone.

    TGB Group Now Equipped with Construction Site Drone Technology

    The Phantom 4 drone will benefit our clients and our team throughout the design and construction phases

    TGB Group is now offering even more advanced technology to our clients with our new drone.

    The advantages of using this amazing device include locating obstructions and tracking the progress of projects, all with a real-time bird’s-eye view of the site.

    For the client: It’s difficult or impossible for humans to cover every square foot of land within a proposed construction site.  A drone flies quickly and easily over any land area, providing much-needed photo and video data for our clients to use in putting together design specifics for a project.  The Phantom 4 offers both high-definition video (1080p@120 frames per second,) and photos (12 megapixels.)

    For TGB: One thing that can always cause delays in survey and design projects is when unknown factors are discovered.  With the technology afforded by a construction site drone, we are made aware of these “unknowns” before we begin working on detailed design specs.  This allows us – and the client – to make necessary adjustments that save time and money.

    Our construction site drone

    Designed by DJI, the Phantom 4 drone is made of lightweight magnesium and has a higher center of gravity than most other drones, making it easier to balance for precise video and photo reproduction.  It will fly for up to 28 minutes and as far as two miles away from the operator.

    This means TGB and our clients will get the accuracy we need to make the right decisions in all survey and construction endeavors.

    Requirements for operating a drone for business

    TGB has met all the requirements under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Small UAS Rule (14 CFR part 107) for operating a drone in the United States.  These include:

    • Receiving our Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA
    • Passing an aeronautical knowledge test as mandated by the FAA
    • Registering the Drone with the FAA
    • Knowledge of the airspace requirements (both restricted and non-restricted)

    These and many other FAA drone regulations are in place to ensure safe operation.  We mention all this here to let our clients know that public safety is always a paramount concern when we operate our construction site drone.

    We’ll be posting a video of the Phantom 4 in action soon, so watch for it.

  • New Land Survey Equipment Means Faster Project Completion

    Topcon GT Series land survey equipment

    New Land Survey Equipment Means Faster Project Completion

    TGB Group now runs the advanced Topcon Total Station for land surveying, civil engineering & design, and construction survey & layout

    TGB Group is always looking for ways to streamline our processes and return more value to our clients.  Our new land survey equipment and services are sure to do just that.

    We have purchased a Topcon GT Series Total Station that will allow us to provide crucial services to our clients in three primary areas.

    Land surveying

    Intuitive software solutions power a wide array of land survey equipment products made by Topcon.  The hybrid positioning system was designed for fast, accurate measurements with GT Series robotic technology and the TILT leveling system in the GNSS receiver.

    Regularly used tasks can be automated (fewer setups), and integration is seamless between office and field.  The speed and accuracy of the Topcon Total Station fits right into our high standards for client satisfaction and ROI.

    Civil engineering and design

    Topcon’s advanced land survey equipment is ideal for many civil engineering and design projects.  Along with its other state-of-the-art features, the system is built to allow for instant, accurate and safe transfer of files between our team in the field and our clients’ project engineers.

    TGB has always believed that clear communications are the first step to excellent results, and with Topcon’s built-in software, the Total Station gives us that important ability.

    Construction survey and layout

    Through a partnership between Topcon and Autodesk, the Total Station allows for the rapid sharing of design files between engineers and mobile crews in the field.  Rough stakeout is handled by the software coupled with field-ready GNSS receivers.  The precise high-end optical equipment offers a range of positioning solutions for all construction project survey and layout needs.

    It’s a common problem for developers to have to put progress on hold while waiting for an outside survey team to arrive and complete their tasks.  Now, when you hire the TGB design team, you’ve got the survey team built in with some of the most sophisticated land survey equipment in the industry.

    TGB Group is currently licensed in Kansas for boundary and ALTA surveys and is well-equipped to perform topographical surveys anywhere in the U.S.

  • TGB Group Launches Frac Sand Terminal Design

    TGB Group Launches Frac Sand Terminal Design

    Oklahoma project will include roadways, drainage and 42,000+ feet of track

    TGB Group has been retained to oversee a major frac sand terminal design project in Oklahoma. We will perform all site civil work for the facility, including track, drainage, roadways, unloading areas and utilities. The terminal will be capable of both unit train and manifest sand shipments.

    This frac sand terminal design project will involve working closely with the client to complete the Union Pacific Industrial Access process for building a new multi-faceted rail-served facility.

    TGB will create a design for more than 42,000 feet of track with two 7,000-foot loops, each capable of holding trains as large as 150 cars. Each loop will have an unloading pit that will enable the trains to be unloaded within 18 hours of arrival. The manifest area will have space to park and unload up to 290 manifest cars.

    How frac sand is used

    Frac sand is an important component used in the petroleum industry. It’s a specialized quartz sand of high purity made up of round, durable sand grains. Frac sand is used during the hydraulic fracturing process to derive oil, natural gas and other liquids from rocky areas that don’t have sufficient pore space to allow the liquids to flow easily.

    With thousands of natural gas and oil wells going into operation over the last several years, the demand for frac sand has exploded. A hydraulic fracturing job on a single well might call for thousands of tons of frac sand to efficiently draw out large amounts of oil and natural gas. TGB’s frac sand terminal design expertise will allow our Oklahoma client to be a serious competitor in this industry.

    Our work on the terminal design began in November 2017. The client expects construction to start in the first quarter of 2018 and be completed by mid-2018.

    To learn more about frac sand terminal design or to get further specs on this Oklahoma project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603